One of the first things I learned about the way to be successful in business was to make it easy for customers to do business with you.

FORBES: Why E-Commerce Still Isn't Easy To Do

Do they not only make it easy for the customer to do business with you, but do they make the customer want to do business with you?

FORBES: Does Complexity Kill Your Customers' Confidence?

At each step of their journeys, your customers judge the experience on three levels: how well you meet their needs, how easy you are to do business with, and how enjoyable you are to do business with.

FORBES: Connect

Additionally, they are taking advantage of web-based tools like MFG.com (factory in the cloud) and the digitalization in manufacturing, which makes it easy to discover and do business with suppliers that are uniquely prepared at the right moment in time.

FORBES: Manufacturing Forecast - Growth Expected in 2013

One of the keys to creating value from an acquisition however is to integrate the two companies in a way that makes it easy for people to do business both internally and with customers.

FORBES: Are Your Acquisitions Creating Complexity?

As we expand how we can be contacted by others, we make it easy, almost trivial, for potential customers to connect and do business with organizations and businesses.

FORBES: What Do I Do With this Customer Lead From My Social Network?

But finding firms with the expertise and steely nerves needed to do business with a country whose alleged nuclear ambitions rankle the US isn't easy.

BBC: Easy gas riches on hold for Iran