That's the opinion of Dubbo-based leadership coach Kerrie Phipps who praised the Daily Liberal for its Buy Local, Buy a Local Job campaign.

Mrs Phipps said she read some comments online which said Dubbo stores had bad customer service and the retail assistants were not helpful.

"There's so much responsibility on the shoulders of customer service providers to deliver good customer service but we also need to encourage people to become good customers," she said.

"If you walk into a store with your arms folded saying you are not happy with the customer service, you make it harder for the assistant to help you.

"Be positive and acknowledge the effort they put in. It's all about the attitude you walk in with."

A simple step such as thanking the cafe staff for cleaning the table was one of the ways to become a good customer, she said.

Mrs Phipps said small business owners in the city were "creative, passionate and hard working".

One of the advantages of local businesses, she said, was they could quickly respond to the needs of the clients.

Big chains offered seasonal products, she said, and expected them to be sold.

She gave the example of a chain store owner in a regional city who was told they had to sell umbrellas while they had a drought.

Local businesses also had a good network and were always willing to help customers find the right product, she said.

The Daily Liberal asked Mrs Phipps what she thought of online shopping versus local stores.

"I don't think it is either online or in store, I think having the two together is more powerful," she said.

She said some products were slightly more expensive in store because the business had to pay for the space, service and presentation.

Local businesses should have an online presence as well as a physical store, she said, so people can search for it online and buy it local.

Mrs Phipps strongly encouraged retailers to embrace social media.

"The place to start is making a Facebook page so people can see your products, like them and share them with friends," she said.

"Word of mouth online is enormous and much more powerful than the traditional word of mouth."

Mrs Phipps said shopping local meant residents could connect with other customers and discuss their experiences with a product.

She shared a great customer service experience at Athletes Foot with the Daily Liberal.

"This retail assistant was so helpful, cheerful, had product knowledge and was on her hands and knees tying my laces and making sure I had the right shoe," she said.

"It would be downright rude for me to say, 'Thank you very much, I'll go buy it online.' She deserved the sale."

Mrs Phipps said people should put themselves in the shoes of business owners who appreciated if they were thanked for their efforts to help others.