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Information is available everywhere. If you need to find it just search “on the net” and it will be at your fingertips. More and more sites are providing content that continually makes it easier to access knowledge. That knowledge provides information to the customer that gives him leverage in any decision making setting.
The old model of driving a customer to your site and getting him to buy is gone. Getting him to your site is just one step in the overall purchase cycle.
People are relying more and more on what other people are telling them about you. Plus, it is not just people they know that are providing information but strangers as well. Make sure what you tell people is actually what you do. Reliability and consistency have become key attributes to every customer. Periodically step back from your daily grind and try to do business with yourself. Is it easy? Are you to be counted upon? Do you deliver reliable service? If every answer is not a resounding yes, fix it fast! You may not get a second chance or even a first opportunity.
Remember the customer now controls every facet of the purchase cycle including what to buy and more importantly who to buy it from. The customer is truly the king, so treat him well all the time, and he will reward you and tell others.
