We all know that each customer should be seen not in terms of the value of a single transaction but in terms of the value of that customer’s business over a lifetime. It is also generally recognised that it is far, far cheaper to retain existing customers than to attract new ones.

Many companies use customer feedback forms to keep them in touch with their customers’ views but these can be unreliable – as few as one dissatisfied customer in 10 bothers to complain.

The tangible elements of customer service such as delivery-as-promised aren’t too difficult to measure. It’s the intangible elements which are more tricky – but it’s these which are most important to your customers.