When Customer Service Goes Too Far

A month after I bought a pair of jeans at a local store, I started getting phone calls from them, telling me that they had a new shipment come in or a sale was about to start. The first time, I thought, "Aw, that's nice." The second time, I didn't think much of it either. But by the third time, I was annoyed. What's with all the attention? I just bought a pair of jeans.

There's no doubt that excellent customer service is a cornerstone of running a successful small business, but can you go too far? Yes, say the people interviewed for this Wall Street Journal article.

From cosmetic counters to sit-down restaurants, the best of customer-service intentions can easily go awry. So how do you prevent crossing the line from attentive to intrusive?

"Customers like to be acknowledged and treated respectfully, to feel as though their presence is welcomed," the article says. But you also have to acknowledge that "there's a fine line between catering to customers and annoying them, and that line is made even thinner by the fact that what delights one shopper may repel another."