In dealing with an offshore development company with difficult timezone differences (a whopping 12.5 hours), it became crystal clear there are two vital customer service tips:

1. Always respond to a customer’s email within 24 hours: there is nothing worse than having your emails ignored by a service provider. Did they get the email? Was it “not important”? Should I resend it? Therefore, it is VITAL to always acknowledge a client’s emails within 24 hours.
2. Always give the customer good prediction: doing this on projects and tasks gives the customer a secure feeling about the future because there is agreement that so-and-so will be done by a certain date or that work will be accomplished this week or next, etc.  Without providing any prediction leaves the customer in doubt about the future, wondering if the service provider really cares and so on.  Sometimes a service provider just doesn’t have any prediction because of conflicting projects and requests; but, you still have to give SOME prediction.

Following these two tips will go a long ways to keeping your clients informed with a comfortable knowingness about their future with you.