In today’s market, brand loyalty isn’t what it used to be, especially when it comes to women customers. Women make purchases because they believe you’re selling something they need and perhaps saving them money, but they know they have many options. A single bad experience with your business can result in her making a decision to take her business elsewhere. Your products or services may be similar to that of the competition, but the quality of your overall customer service can be why she will prefer to buy from you.

If women have a good experience with your business, they’re more likely to return and spend money again. Positive word-of-mouth is one of the cheapest and most effective means of growing your business and women are the most powerful positive or negative word-of-mouth advertisers. Women are three times as likely as men to tell someone about a personal experience, good or bad. Here are some important facts about word-of-mouth advertising.

•    90 percent of customers identify word of mouth as the best, most reliable and trustworthy source of ideas and information on products and services (NOP World).

•    Recommendations from family and friends trump all other consumer touch-points when it comes to influencing purchases, according to ZenithOptimedia (AdAge, April, 2008).

•    Consumers trust friends above experts when it comes to product recommendations. Sixty-five percent trust friends, 27 percent trust experts, and eight percent trust celebrities (Yankelovich).

Customer service for women cannot exceed the quality of the people who provide it.

Think you can get by with paying the lowest wages, giving the fewest benefits possible, and doing the least amount of training for your employees? It will show. Businesses and brands don't sell to women...people do.

Your employees will treat women customers the way they are treated by you.

Employees take their cue from management. Do you greet your employees enthusiastically each day? Are you polite in your dealings with them? Do you try to accommodate their requests? Do you listen to them when they speak? Consistently rude customer service is a reflection, not as much on the employee, but on the management.

Want to know what women customers think of your business?

Visit Yelp.com, My3Cents.com, and consumeraffairs.com, these are just a few of the many rating sites women often research before visiting your store. What are women saying about their experiences with you? How are women buyers rating you? Review users say that reviews generated by fellow consumers had a greater influence than those generated by professionals (comScore/The Kelsey Group, October 2007).

Reputation management is more important than ever in this very competitive marketplace. Remember that the challenge is both winning the business of women and keeping them as loyal, happy customers. Each woman’s perception of your business will determine how well you do this and that perception will depend on the level of customer service you provide.

Jody DeVere is the CEO and president of AskPatty.com. Contact her via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .