When making hiring decisions, many startups with limited resources choose sales talent over customer service, aiming to scale and grow their consumer base as quickly as possible. But considering that it costs companies five times more to attract a new customer than to retain an existing client, this tactic doesn’t really add up.

You only need to look at companies like Amazon and Apple to see that top notch customer service is a key driver of success. But you don’t need to be a multi-billion dollar multi-national or have a huge customer service team to provide the best support possible.

If your startup is growing, first you need to assess how much you need to invest in customer service per client. Then you need to look into the strengths and...