Customers. Clients. Patrons. These people are important to all kinds of businesses, but particularly businesses that are small. Without the investors or securities of some of the larger corporations, small businesses often rely solely on those whom they serve. This causes competition, as many small businesses find themselves fighting on separate sides in the crusade for the customer. With so many businesses offering similar services, there is little to distinguish one from the other.

However, one thing that does offer distinction is the level of customer service - or more notably, the level of customer disservice.

When I first started this article, I asked several people what kind of experiences they had had with poor customer service. Some of their experiences were extreme -– with one instance where a photographer punched an unsatisfied customer -– but most relayed occurrences consistent with my own. I narrowed it down to three behaviors of customer disservice. When these behaviors are continually maintained, the ability to drive people away will surely be in the bag.

Businesses that Act as if their Customer’s are Invisible: In a store or a restaurant, ignoring a customer can range from not asking them if they need help to forgetting to refill their coffee cup. In a marketing firm or a law office, ignoring a customer can range from not returning their phone calls to keeping them on hold, forcing them to listen to the latest John Tesh album. There may be no quicker way to lose a customer than by simply failing to acknowledge their existence.

I, for instance, was ignored at a hardware store years ago, an occurrence I attributed to the fact that I’m a woman. As I stood in line watching the clerk look past me to help man after man, I made a decision to never shop at that hardware store again. Being that I have since been to other hardware stores at least twice, I’m sure my business was sorely, sorely missed.

Ignoring the customer is a lonely road to go down. Its bricks are paved with bankruptcy rather than gold. Something as simple as offering your customers a cordial greeting or calling them to let them know you’re working on their case can make all the difference. Simply, give your customers the attention they want.

Businesses that are too Pushy: On the other end of the spectrum are the businesses that are overzealous with their customers. Pushiness, bossiness, and controlling tendencies are something customers will also stray away from. Most people avoid the clothing stores with four salespeople per customer and stay away from the insurance agencies that call every day. Most people don’t like the electronics store where items are shoved down their throats or the financial services where advisors show up unannounced on their front door, peering in the window as they try to eat dinner with their family.