We are clearly in an era where "Customer Satisfaction" is much more talked about than acted upon in many sales organizations. Oh sure, there are good moneyback guarantees within most organizations and reasonable warranties in others, but, in my experience, true total customer satisfaction goes far beyond guarantees and warranties. even beyond price guarantees. Total customer satisfaction is created largely by the salesperson through creating the buying experience for the customer.

The buying experience involves creating positive customer 'feelings' at every stage of the comprehensive sales cycle. In terms of overall customer satisfaction and longterm customer retention, "how the buyer feels" is actually every bit as important as what he or she actually purchases.

Achieving high customer satisfaction with the customers you personally deal with will define your level of success over the long term.

Vibrant economies, when consumerism is in high gear, often lull organizations and salespeople into believing that the supply of new customers is endless. If you need customers just advertise, right? That must be right because that's what everyone seems to want to do. Hmmm. In an marketplace where both customers and business have loads of money to spend, this strategy can work effectively, though at a high cost.

But when the money begins to tighten up, on either side of the selling equation, relying on this strategy can have serious fallout especially for salespeople who have not cultivated excellent customer retention. We are seeing some signs of a looming credit crisis right now that has the potential to remove considerable amounts of money from the selling arena.

I have been around long enough to have witnessed several economic slowdowns where stores and showrooms have seriously depleted customer traffic. I have seen management teams desperately scouring their past customer files in order to drum up some selling opportunities. Sales organizations and individual salespeople who have cultivated longterm relationships with their customers survive, while those who do not fall by the wayside.

If you are someone who has been neglecting this area of your business, it's not too late to change your focus and take advantage of this marketplace vacuum. Yes, it takes some special skills to elevate your customer retention but it is well worth the effort in acquiring and implementing those skills. This action will keep you earning an above average income for years to come.

In my opinion a satisfied, nurtured customer is worth at least ten to twenty fresh prospects. Don't waste them and your future will be secure. Every single true sales master is a customer satisfaction specialist.