Q: I've had my own business for several years and still feel I'm losing the battle. Finances, marketing, government -- there seems to be a never-ending deluge of information and things to do! How is a one-person operation supposed to keep up with everything and keep business on a growth track?

A: Information overload can be detrimental to your business health. And the first rule is if you try to be all things to your business you'll probably get so caught up in what you don't know that you won't be able to capitalize on your strength.

Start by making a list of those things most important to our business. If revenues haven't been increasing 10 to 15 percent per year, you need to look at marketing. If business has been good but you're taking out less money, financial controls probably need attention. If there never seem to be enough hours in the day to get the work done, maybe you could use some organizational attention or time management planning.

Once you have a list of things you see as business opportunities, prioritize those that are most important. If business has been declinging and finances are a concern, you know you have to find new customers if you want to survive, and that means marketing.

You're probably familiar with a "forestry disease" that befalls many small-business owners ... not being able to see the forest for the trees! We all get too close to our businesses and are often too proud to ask the opinions of others. This can be a major mistake. If you have friends in business or belong to a business group like the chamber of commerce, get some input from an outside perspective. You might be surprised how simple ideas can come from others over casual conversation.

If you need more hard core assistance, look to the professionals. There are many qualified business consultants who can quickly look at your business and advise you on what is needed. You can also look to some of the SBA programs like the Small Business Development Centers or SCORE if your budget is tight and you don't have funds to pay a pro.

Taking an active role in developing business knowledge can help prevent the "forest and trees" syndrome and keep you motivated. There are numerous small-business magazines published,and the library is a motherlode of books on building a small business. Local colleges offer small-business courses that will help improve our knowledge and ways of thinking problems thorugh. And being involved with local business groups will continue to motivate you i running your business as well as provide an inner circle of people who can give you input.

Probably the most important thing to remember is that you aren't alone. You're going through what most small-business owners have to deal with: identifying those areas in business that need attention, coming up with the answers to solve the problems, and motivating yourself to take action. Welcome to the wonderful world of the self-employed!

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One goal of a customer service program is to ensure total customer satisfaction not just to record complaints. Customer satisfaction starts with a written program or service log. It should list all situations that could cause dissatisfaction and should include: customer information, explanation of the situation, immediate follow-up with the customer to rectify the situation, after-the-fact follow-up to ensure customer satisfaction and management's review of the situation. A customer survey is one way to gauge changes in needs and wants. It should include what customers would like to see, such as new products, services or improvements to existing practices. Remember to take positive action to maintain customer relations by thanking customers for their patronage.

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Q. I have a dispute with one of my customers over what he thinks I was going to do for him and what I actually said I would do. Now he doesn't want to pay me for all the work I've done. How can I solve this problem and prevent it from happening again?

A. First let's address prevention. When it comes to problem customers, the best defense is a good offense, and the best offense is a clearly written work agreement specifically outlining what work you'll perform, how much it will cost, what your payment terms are, and any additional charges that will be passed on to the customer for changes from the original plans. Both you and the customer should sign the agreement. As a side benefit, if you ever have a customer who wants to get the better of you after the work is done you'll have a written commitment making any collection action a lot easier.

As for your current problem, your first step is to sit down with the customer face-to-face and find out exactly what the disagreement (misunderstanding) is with your work. Was it quality? Were there charges he didn't expect? Was the end result not what he expected? Determine just what the complaint is. You might even offer to meet him over lunch -- on you, of course -- to assure him that you want to come to an amicable resolution.

Ask your customer to explain exactly what his problem is and what he wants you to do. Example: He wasn't satisfied with the quality of your work and wants you to reduce the bill, or redo part of the project. He might even just want you to take a long walk off a short pier. Whatever the problem is, you're fighting a losing battle until you know exactly where he is coming from, no matter how ridiculous it may sound.

If resolving the matter is simple, like a minor redo or knocking a few dollars off the bill, you might be able to take care of everything right then and there. If the demands are unreasonable, tell him you'll review the information and get back to him within a certain amount of time (such as two days) -- and then stick to it! This gives you the chance to evaluate your position without being pressured to make a bad decision. The key in this meeting is not to get defensive.

Once you understand what the problem is, be honest with yourself and determine how much of the problem is your responsibility. Be ready to bite the bullet if necessary and give the customer a little extra to get the problem resolved. Once you make your decision, meet the customer again and explain why you're taking those actions. Also let him know you're willing to act immediately to resolve the problem.

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"Big Cash ... Make Million$ ... I Was Broke"

According to the Better Business Bureau, one of the fastest growing schemes running rampant across the country is the "business opportunity" game. In many cases, the people promoting the ventures are walking a thin line of being legitimate. Often the deals are out-and-out scams.

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