The Inherent Small Business Advantage

Remember the commotion surrounding Apple CEO Steve Job’s choice replies to a handful of e-mails?

Every day, small business owners reply to countless customer e-mails without nearly the same fanfare. Therein, is the competitive advantage a small business has over a behemoth like Apple: availability and reply speed.

Small businesses often attempt to seem larger than they really are. They then pattern their actions after an impersonal enterprise and subsequently miss opportunities to directly connect with customers by being courteous, attentive and quick to respond to inquiries. While a small business should exude professionalism, it shouldn’t adopt the latent drawbacks of large businesses.

In a world of automation and technology, a reply from an actual person – especially if its prompt – is valued by customers. A business that takes advantage of this will stand out in the minds of customers.