Author advises: Don't compromise the customer's experience

Bob Prosen, author of "Kiss Theory Goodbye: Five Proven Ways to get Extraordinary Results in Any Company," is adding his two cents to the din of advice for small businesses struggling to stay above water in the recession.

Prosen's publicists are circulating a list of dos and don'ts from the author, and some seem like good old-fashioned common sense, though possibly counterintuitive.

"When the recession is over, your customers will remember you closed early or you had a big sign posted on your front door: 'Due to the recession, we are sorry we can no longer honor your loyal customer discount card,'" said Prosen. "You won't be seeing them again."

He goes on to say: “It's essential to cut back during a recession, but the moment you sacrifice your customer's buying experience your business is doomed. Quality of service and product should be elevated during a recession, knowing where to cut costs and where to improve service will promise your companies success.”

Here are Prosen's main points:

Do not cancel sales

Do not cancel loyal customer discount cards

Do not fire experienced employees

Do not hire untrained workers to save money

In other words, do nothing to disturb your client's trust in you

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