hat can you offer an existing or prospective customer that will guarantee a positive experience for both of you? Honesty and full communication.

Nothing is more valuable to customers than honesty. When they know that you're being truthful and forthright, they trust you. People want to work with and buy from people they trust. They value honesty and will pay more for that peace of mind.

Since honesty is so important, once someone loses trust in an individual or company, it's very difficult to earn it back. Many times, if a customer feels that she has been deceived, she will not give a company a second chance.

She will simply move on to a competitor. So make sure you earn and maintain the trust of every client and prospect. Here's how:

Tell the Truth

Always tell the truth. Never say something simply to appease the customer or sidestep an issue. For example, I recently picked up a friend at the airport. I checked the flight status on the Internet; it stated the flight had departed, so I went to the airport.

After waiting for 90 minutes I found out that the plane had not taken off yet. "Departed" meant that the plane had pushed back from the gate, but it didn't necessarily mean it had taken flight.

Tell your customers the truth rather than something else that will keep them at bay for a while.

Tell the Whole Truth

If a prospect doesn't ask about an important issue, it's not OK to not mention it. If you have a required monthly minimum or a set up fee, make sure you inform your client. She will find out eventually, and it's best if she hears it from you before she commits to the sale.

If she learns of it later, which she will, she'll probably wonder what else "slipped your mind." Also, if it's an issue that she didn't know to ask about, she might feel stupid in addition to feeling manipulated.

Acknowledge Frustration

Mistakes happen, but they don't necessarily mean that your clients will lose faith in you. They key is to acknowledge their frustration.

If a client feels misled or undervalued, nothing will get her more riled up than you or your company making her feel that she isn't important or that her feelings aren't significant.

Acknowledge her feelings, and let her know that you empathize. This doesn't necessarily mean that you're admitting fault. Regardless of the situation, always give proper attention to a client's feelings.

Be Proactive

When an account hits a snag or something is delayed or incorrect, don't wait for the client to complain. Act as soon as you are aware of the situation. Apologize and accept responsibility, even if the snag was not a direct result of your actions.

The client doesn't care if someone in another department dropped the ball. You are her contact and she trusts you, so she needs to hear the apology from you. Acting quickly is also beneficial because the client might not yet be aware of the problem.

If you can approach her with a solution and an apology before she even knows of the situation, she will not have had time to build up steam to let loose on you.

Don't Give Up

If things have gone south with a customer, you might be tempted to simply write her off. You might feel that you've lost her and all you can do is move on; after all, it's only one customer.

But this customer knows people, and if she's upset, she will be sure to tell everyone about it. She might not share her story with others to retaliate against you; rather, she simply may need to vent.

That's why you have to listen to her and try to win her back. Even if you aren't successful, you may be able to smooth things over so the feelings aren't so raw and so she doesn't feel the need to tell others about her experience.

Customers want to know that they can have an open dialog with their service providers. They need to feel that they are understood and that they understand you.

This understanding leads to a feeling of unity and that you're on the same team, working toward the same goals. Be honest and open with your clients, and show them that you are worthy of their trust and their business.