单选题 .                                      Providing Superior Customer Service
    You can use customer service as a powerful way to set yourself apart from your competition．It's one of the strengths a small business has，and by emphasizing customer service，you can compete with larger companies who may offer more variety，lower prices，and other perks you can't afford．Here are four maxims to help make sure you leverage your small business status to provide the best customer service possible．
    If a customer has a problem．apologize and fix the problem．Make sure to let customers let off their grievances，even if you are tempted to interrupt and over a refund creates ill will．Keep in mind that a complaint about your company is an opportunity to turn the situation around and create a loyal customer．Obviously，some customer requests are too outrageous to comply with．If that's the case．do your best to offer a moderate，appealing alternative．
    Ask your customers to rate your service on a regular basis．This can be done via a short questionnaire included with every product sold or mailed to key clients．Keep the questionnaire short so that it is not a burden for customers to complete．Always let customers know the purpose of the survey is to serve them better．If they fill out thesurvey and have no problems，it is a reminder of what good service you offer．If issues do arise，they can be addressed．
    You must be flexible when it comes to your customers and clients．This means doing a project for a client in a pinch，having an early morning meeting even if you like to sleep in，and meeting on Saturday even if you usually reserve your weekends for yourself．
    Flexibility can also mean getting information for your client，even though it may not be in your area of expertise．Say，for example，you're catering a wedding and your client needs information on Irish wedding customs．It's just as easy to make a call to your local library and fax the information to your client as it is to say‘I don't know anything about that．’And making that extra effort will ultimately pay off with a very satisfied customer．
    Make your customers believe they are important to you by always appearing to go the extra mile．Build a little cushion into a deadline and deliver early．1.  The author believes that small businesses