Happy customers make B2B referrals

Customer service is often touted as a top concern for retailers and other businesses directly serving consumers, but it is also an important consideration for business to business transactions.

In fact, exceptional customer service between businesses is credited for leading to referrals - and finding new customers in this economy is a tough, but welcome way to grow the business.

According to a study by the Daniel Group, over 40 percent of "highly satisfied customers" had referred another business in the last six months.

The study findings were based on over 75,000 customer interviews and were presented at a ServicePerformance Conference in North Carolina.

The study also showed that service consistency is a key factor in a good performance rating and strong communication is essential. The Daniel Group said that a customer's willingness to make a referral is highly correlated to clear, competent communication from the business.

To enhance communication a number of businesses across industries are increasingly using web-based tools to manage customer information enabling all members of the company to interact knowledgeably with a client.