Personal customer contacts and the Net.(Brief Article)

One of the surest ways to turn me into a repeat buyer is to provide excellent customer service before, during and after the sale. If I am treated well by a sales representative, receptionist or business associate, my desire to continue a relationship with that company escalates significantly.

What happens, however, when transactions take place online? How can businesses develop long-lasting, trusting relationships with people when connected, not by face-to-face smiles, but by wires and satellites stretching around the globe? Perhaps, not surprisingly, exceptional customer service is still the answer.

The Internet is a tool of unprecedented magnitude. It has the ability to be at …