During bad economic times, everything seems to be a little tougher. It's tougher to come to work when you know the phone might not be ringing as much and there will be significantly fewer inquiries for rentals. Not to mention, when you do talk with customers, they share with you how much their business is down. And to make it even more difficult, much of what you read and hear is just plain bad news.

However, there is one thing you can control even during recessionary times ¯ the service you deliver to your customers. Great customer service is not restricted by the economy.

The service you provide is more important now than ever before. Your customers are experiencing many of the same challenges that you and your employees are facing. However, when they call or visit your store, they still want great service. If you commit to focusing on consistently exceeding the customers' needs and building lasting relationships that go beyond the initial sale, your company will have a better chance of surviving any economic cycle.