31.   Odom said consumer groups should not fear that Fairlane will treat poor customers unfairly.

32.   Once a customer is treated badly, he often never uses that business again.

33.   Retail operators want to know how their customers are being treated, and how their stores rate with consumers.

34.   So he advocates treating customers like neighbors.

35.   Still, Saturn plans to stick to its no-haggle policy and even improve the way it treats customers.

36.   The agency issued a temporary restraining order last month requiring the firm to treat customers fairly and hire a compliance officer.

37.   The companies are issuing standards for how customers should be treated, in an effort to rein in fast-talkers who promise coddled Cadillacs but deliver clunkers.

38.   The decision could create headaches for companies if they must treat customers differently in different parts of the world.

39.   The company will provide customer relationship management software as the IRS tries to serve taxpayers similar to the way businesses treat customers.

40.   The company, based in Little Rock, Ark., said its policy is to treat all customers equally, regardless of race.