When you make a mistake with a customer, should you write them off as lost -- never to return again?

Nope. There have been numerous studies which show that a customer who has had a problem and gotten it resolved in a timely manner and to their satisfaction is a more loyal customer than one who has never had a problem.

I've found that to be true too. One of my biggest fans is a customer who started out on slippery footing. She's been a repeat customer for three years now.

From a situation that could have been a disaster to one that ended up being great, our response as business people gives us the control to turn that customer into a "raving fan."

So how do you turn a lemony situation into lemonade in your business?

- Use the human touch. Pick up the phone and connect. Don't try to tame a rough situation using email. You'll lose.

- Offer a special gift or extra compensation on your product or service. That could be a valuable add on product or a free month's service.

- Ask the customer what it would take to make them happy. You'll find that it's normally something you can accommodate very easily.