Terry Brock of the Portland Business Journal  writes, “We can do almost everything right in our interaction with and association with customers. Yet, if they have one, tiny little thing go wrong — a thing that is important to them — they will deride you and say bad things. They’ll go on and on about the one thing they didn’t like rather than citing all the things that went right.”

So how can we make sure that we’re using relationship marketing successfully with our clients? Brock shows us three ways that we can get the most from relationship marketing.

1. Relationship Marketing Is Not Always Logical. It is about emotions and how people feel. Do whatever you can within reason to make them happy. Even a loss in one area can be overcome with the lifetime value of a customer who will buy from you and encourage others to buy from you. Make it your goal to keep them happy — not convince with logic and reason that you are right.

2. Put Systems In Place To Quickly Correct Minor Problems. This is where the hard work comes into play. Think through those myriad of experiences your customers encounter. How can you tweak and improve them? Develop documented systems that address these important issues.

3. Ask Your Customers And Take Good Notes To Share With Your People. This goes beyond asking them to fill out a form. Talk with them. Pick up the phone and chat. Don’t rely on email, or social networking tools alone to find out what they thought. As you probe into their desires and needs related to your product or service you’ll reap a bountiful treasure trove of information that can help you become more profitable.

What other ways are you ensuring that your company utilizes relationship marketing successfully?