If any of these customer pet peeves are happening in your business, customers are probably dropping like flies, according to the Inc.com article “5 Things That Drive Away Customers.” Qualified customers are a limited resource, and of course the most important resource. Make sure you’re not making any of these mistakes, so you won’t alienate any more of your precious clients:

1. Making customers wait. Most customers will be reasonable and understanding of the fact that you can only serve so many people at once. But what they won’t understand is waiting longer than expected, standing by idly with no recognition, or others that arrived after them being served first. If all else fails, don’t hesitate to offer customers something to compensate them for waiting. That cost pales in comparison of the lifetime value of the customer that you could lose if they are irked.
2. Delivering only what you promise. To ensure that you keep every customer, you have to not only meet, but exceed expectations every time. Advertising crazy deals or making promises that sound great will get people in the door, but if you can’t exceed the expectations you’ve set, it might actually be the worst thing that you can do. Promising something good, and producing something great is a better way to gain loyalty.
3. Being hard to contact. Whether it’s via phone, email, Facebook or whatever else, clients will move on quickly if they have an inquiry and can’t get a near-immediate response.
4. Selling to them constantly. You’ve got to push sales, but being too pushy can really backfire. No when to stop, and teach your sales staff to frame their pitches as a part of the normal conversation or an attempt to improve the customer experience through the right products and services for their needs.
5. Being secret and opaque. Trying to trick customers with a deal that isn’t what it seems or by withholding information is a short-sighted strategy that will drain you of resources (customers) over time. Instead, be open, honest, and consistent, and keep the money flowing steadily for years to come.

Click here to read the article from Inc.com.