Rick Baggett was working on an ill-mannered horse near Oxford, Miss. It kept setting back on the rope and jumping around, making it difficult to shoe. It even kicked him, but the client said that the farrier was being too rough with the horse.

Baggett finished the horse with a much gentler hand, but the damage was done. The client was angry enough to never use his services again. She also vented to friends and family about the altercation, contacted some of his other clients to trash his reputation and even threatened to sue.

This probably is a familiar scenario for most farriers. For Baggett, this case involves one of many clients that he has had disagreements with during his 40-plus years as a farrier in Northeast Mississippi. Most have been simple misunderstandings that were easily handled through conversation. However, there are the occasional clients, whether right or wrong, who were unwilling to see his side.

And as a service professional, keeping clients happy and maintaining communication with them has been extremely important to Baggett. This is the foundation of his livelihood, but also is his brand.

Just one upset customer can hurt the perception of a footcare practice in a way that leads to fewer customers and less money. Large companies spend millions every year promoting their image and keeping customers happy.

Since small business owners don’t have such deep pockets, they must make customer service part of their everyday marketing.

Defending Your Image

According to B.J. Bueno, with…