I read somewhere that the Burj Al Arab in Dubai is the only seven star hotel in the world. I also read that the Customer Service Manager had three simple standards for great customer service.

They are:

1. I will always smile first
2. My first response to a guest will never be “No”
3. I will treat all colleagues with respect and integrity

Sounds simple, doesn’t it?

So what does this have to do with marketing and finding new clients? Two things. Firstly, when you look after your existing clients with seven star customer service, they will love you for it and will stay with you for years. After all, you don’t want to put lots of effort into marketing and finding new clients, just for them to leave you within a week. Secondly, because your clients love you and the customer service you give them, they will recommend you to lots of potential clients, thereby doing your marketing for you.

“But I don’t run a hotel,” I hear you cry. Don’t worry – if you run a service business, you can apply these principles to what you do.

• I will always smile first. Whether you’re meeting a prospect for the first time, meeting a client for the hundredth time, or answering the phone, remember to smile first.

• My first response to a guest will never be “No”. Think of your clients as ‘guests’. Whatever they ask, never answer ‘No’ first. Your answer might need to be “We’ll see what we can do” or “Let me look into that for you” but never “No”.

• I will treat all colleagues with respect and integrity. And this one is just the same, whether you run a hotel or a service business!

See how you can put these simple standards into practice, deliver seven star customer service and see the effect it has on your business.