A colleague once told me that the two hardest things to do in business are getting a customer and keeping them. I don’t think there’s any arguing with that. Think about it for a minute. If you own a social network you need users to join and then stay to make money. If you own a tanning salon, a gym, or even a grocery store you need customers in order to stay in business and keeping those customers helps you stick around for a long time. It’s basic business 101, so you’d think.

When I started JorleyMedia I knew one thing for sure, I was always going to take care of my clients. In this business, most of the potential clients that contact me know little to nothing about technology, at least not enough to be left on their own after their project has been completed. I could not imagine potentially spending tens of thousands of dollars on an online business and not being able to modify it like you would with a brick and mortar business. I think about this every time I begin talking with a new potential client.

My thoughts when signing a contract with a new client are not about the money, they are about building a long term business relationship. After a project is said and done I’d like to think that client will be around for a long time, and if I treat them right they will be. They need someone to keep their business up-to-date on the technical side and at the same time I count on having that return client to essentially keep the lights on. By treating my clients the way they expect to be treated, I feel it ensures me longevity in this business.

I remember once I had a client from a previous shop I worked for call every Scott Martin on the North Shore of Massachusetts until they got a hold of me. They told me that they were fed up with the ignorance of the company they were previously with and wanted to work with someone who showed professionalism and understood their needs, not someone looking for the next check. I had not talked to this client in over a year so this definitely left an impression on me and made me realize even more then before how important good customer service is. But don’t take my word for it, ask my clients.