Running a small business is similar in some ways to riding a bicycle: It’s a lot easier to balance your needs and avoid problems when you’re continually moving forward. Every business needs to have goals to work toward. Achieving those goals is an essential part of business growth. How can you keep your small business on a path toward success? What goals should you set and achieve?

Providing the Best Customer Service

Your customers are the basis of all business success. Everything from your profitability to your reputation depends on the relationship you have with clients. An excellent goal is to continually look for ways to improve your customer service. At least once a year, you should sit down, analyze the needs of your customers and plan solutions that help you take care of those needs effectively.

While the importance of delivering top customer service never changes, the methods of providing it do. For example, the things today’s clients need are very different from what good customer service was 10 or 15 years ago. Make sure your business is keeping up with trends. For example, how long on average does it take you to respond to client emails or requests?

How easy is it for your customers to let you know when they have a problem or request? The better the service you provide, the better positioned you are to grow in terms of overall client numbers and customer satisfaction.

Learn How To Network With Non-Competing Businesses

Another aspect of business growth that some companies overlook is networking. You’re not going to develop a close working relationship with competitors, but you can partner with non-competing businesses.

Construction companies can benefit by having a strong relationship with area hardware stores, real estate agents and other retail businesses. Business growth can come in terms of valuable referrals or indirect advertising opportunities. Networking has the side effect of boosting your company’s local reputation positively.

If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile yet, that’s another great goal for networking. Social media can help you find great industry contacts with a larger reach than you may imagine.

Ask for Honest Feedback

You’re never going to know what you can improve on if you don’t hear what your customers think. Even the best business can improve service in some way for better business growth. Ask new clients and loyal customers to give you an honest review from time to time, and thank them for their honesty.