Bob Easter wrote two great books on buying and selling homes. He's been very successful selling those books because he knows about marketing.

But that's not all.

Bob also knows about customer service. And he's easily miffed when a business screws up the latter. He sent me this email just the other day--

"My wife loves to order items via the Internet. She ordered an item which cost $100.00. During the exchange for address, etc for payment, I requested to send a company check. No, problem, they said they would send it once they received the check.

"Now, we receive another email that the shipping cost is $5.00. That was not on the first bill. I sent him an email and told him that I would be glad to send the additional $5.00 check today, would he please send the material I ordered.

"Then received an email to mail the $5.00 check and then they would ship the package.

"Over a $5.00 check, he lost a customer. Not for the money, but for the trouble he put me through by failing to put the correct price of the item, including shipping, and by not trusting me to send him $5.00. He told me without speaking a word where his fear and trust levels were. By the way, he claims he is an genius at his trade. Ha. He lost me for life."

Did you note what Bob said?

That business owner lost Bob FOR LIFE.

And over just $5!!!

More specifically, over a lack of TRUST.

Here's how Bob, who runs his business from www.easterhome.com, handles his own business:

"First of all, I have shipped my books for six years now. Some customers do not have a credit card or do not want to give their credit card out over the phone. I then surprise them and say " I will ship the books, along with a self addressed stamped envelope. Please send a check once you receive the books."

"From the other end of the phone or email, one can almost hear the gasp,

and see the look on their face. This author trust me. Customers are not treated like family anymore. To date I have shipped over 100 books and material without receiving prior payment and have yet failed to receive a check back, along with notes of appreciation."

This may seem like a trifle truth to you. Maybe so. But if you don't respect your customers, they won't respect you. Period.

Bob ends with this reminder, "Once you honor your customers, they will honor you."

Wise words indeed. And I am sharing them with you here today to remind you to serve your customers. As I say in virtually all of my books, "Get out of your ego and into your customer's ego." As soon as you do that, your profits will dramatically increase.