If you sell products online it is hugely important to foster customer relations at all times. Doing so can mean the difference between one off buyers and the long term customers necessary to build a lasting business. Here are some helpful tips to start you off on the right foot.

Give your customers more than one option to get in touch with you. You should publish your email address with your full name or the name of your brand. Have profiles on social networking sites your customers are likely to use, perhaps include a message board, a chat room, phone number and postal address. Your customers will have more confidence in dealing with someone with open lines of communication rather than someone unknown. Having the various options caters for the preferences of different age groups and gender. Many will plump for social media as it provides an open forum where they can see your interaction with others and gives then a voice too. Giving your customers a choice means giving them peace of mind and promotes customer loyalty.

Make the time to answer all questions, comments and complaints you receive as quickly as possible. Plan on spending an hour or two daily checking your emails, social networks and the any other method of communication you use. Answer everything: a simple thank you is often enough as that simple courtesy goes a long way. However do take time to write helpful answers to the questions you receive. It can save you valuable time if you set up a "question and answer" section in your site or blog. If you receive a complaint, and you probably will, offer to replace a product or offer an alternative. This alone can make the difference between keeping, or losing, a customer.

Always remain professional and sympathetic in your interactions with your customers even if they are angry or unpleasant. Inevitably you will lose the odd customer and you must move on from that and learn from the experience. Do not respond with an angry or sarcastic message: this could easily appear on one of the social sites and be extremely damaging to your brand and business. Do not allow personal feelings to influence your replies. Control your emotions and find a way to release your stress and do not show your frustrations publicly.

Let people know you care about their opinion and would like to get some feedback on your products. When someone orders a product, send them an email to confirm the order giving them details about the shipment or download. Encourage them to get in touch with you if they have questions or concerns. Send out a later email to ask their opinion of the product. You could ask for feedback and perhaps include a coupon code for another product. Ask customers to send a review preferably with a picture of themselves. Share these on your site and on social networks. Give a surprise coupon or gift to customers who write the most original reviews.

Bearing these tips in mind should help you improve your customer relations. The main point is in keeping communications open, particularly through social sites, where comments are shared and passed on. Keep in mind that treating your customers fairly and making them feel like you care about their opinion gives you an advantage over the competition and gets you more repeat customers.