In my opinion though, it’s better to be flexible about deadlines. All sorts of unseen problems can crop up while you’re putting together a program—maybe you’ll have some changes; maybe the programmer will have some suggestions—and these can have an effect on the timeline. As long as you seem to be heading towards your target release date, and as long as your programmer isn’t stringing you along, I’d advise being flexible about the scheduling. It’s better to get a great final product than a quick one.

12.7 Packaging your product

You have created a great product and are ready to market it. However, before you start marketing your product you need to package it well. If you sell a product that can be downloaded directly from the Internet you need to also provide proper documentation and licensing information along with the software files. If your product is such that it has to be shipped to the customer, apart from documentation, licensing information, software files on a CD, you also require to box up all the contents properly.

Documentation consists of all manuals required for a layman to understand and use the product well. Without detailed documentation, your products value would be "zero", even if it’s the best product around. Documentation generally consists of three guides:

• The Set Up or Installation Guide, which explains how to set up the software on the customers computer
  
• The Tutorial, which explains how the software can be in a day-to-day basis. It would also offer guidance and tips on how to perform certain tasks.
  
• The Reference Guide, which is much more detailed and describes each of the functionality fully. This manual requires maximum time to develop.

To create a box for your product, it may be best to hire a professional to design and develop the box. However, if you are familiar with tools such as Photoshop and are creative, you may design the box yourself. This will save you money. However, this should be done only if you are confident of developing an attractive box.

Finally, you should always include licensing information with your product. The licensing information would lay out all the terms of the agreement between your company and your customer.

12.8 Customer Service and Support

In order to develop a good relationship with your customers, you must provide them with quality customer service. Let them know that, should they have any questions or problems pertaining to the product, they are free to contact you. Provide them with all of your contact information to make the process simple. Make sure that you have a good customer support group ready to help. Reply to their support requests as quickly as possible and assist them until the problem is resolved.

Customer service is one of the most important factors in determining your customer's satisfaction. Even if you have a great product, if your customer support isn't good, your sales will suffer. Good customer service is perhaps the most important way to build your credibility with the customer. When you are doing your business online, building trust and credibility is the most important factor. Prompt customer service can make the difference.

For every dissatisfied customer, you can expect to lose one hundred new customers. Why? When one customer has a bad experience with your company, you can be certain that they'll tell everyone they know about their bad experience. It will travel through the grapevine and ultimately cost you sales.

Follow-up with your customers and ask them how they like your product or if they have any questions. This is a great way to not only provide good customer service, but to also obtain feedback about your product. By listening to your customers, you will know exactly what they want, what they're having problems with and how you can develop a better product.

By following up with your customers and providing great customer service, you are creating a life-long relationship. Satisfied customers are more apt to purchase your new products in the future. Treat them with the utmost respect and go above and beyond the expected.

Your customer and support service should include:

• A 24 hour toll free number
• Email support that is quick and efficient
• Online chat support

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