Your customers deserve more than they bargained for

Posted on by wrote in Blog, Uncategorized.

If you deliver on a “promise” to provide a specific service or product, your customer is satisfied. But, what if you over-deliver? The goodwill and word of mouth advertising that can be generated may be extremely valuable for your company. can you think of a reason your company shouldn’t do that?
Normally, clients approach you with an idea of what they want from you. They go the dentist and know what they’re going to get… they come to a marketing firm with an idea of what you can do for them. They walk into an apparel store – it’s clothing; you’re an accountant, they expect to have their figures taken care of and be on their way.

You may not want to offer specific promises outright, but it’s good for your employees to know that the promise is implied. So, why not offer more than your customer expects?
You don’t want to set up unrealistic expectations by under-promising and over-delivering, as it could set up unrealistic expectations. Say for example, a customer continually drops paperwork or projects off past deadline and your staff stays late to complete his or her project – this puts a strain on your resources and sets up an unrealistic expectation for your client. You need to balance delivery with expectations.
As an alternative, remind your customer of stated deadlines and let them know that if you can meet or exceed expectations, you certainly will, but don’t make guarantees. Couch your statements by saying things like, “It typically takes two days to do this project, but I’ll see what we can do,” or “We will do our best to deliver by Monday.”
When undertaking the under-promise over deliver-premise, make sure about the following items:
  • You’re transparent in your dealings with your customers. Make certain they understand the process, how long it takes and what they’re paying for.
  • You’re consistent. Explain your firm’s procedures and treat all customers equal. While loyal customers may subconsciously have a higher priority you don’t want to make exceptions or create expectations.
  • You’re honest. If something goes wrong, own up to it.
Your company culture should be one of always performing at the highest level and of going above and beyond customer expectations whenever possible. You may send out monthly newsletters, but what if something industry-specific happens between newsletters and it’s information that would help your customers? Implement a policy of sending your client database a quick email to let them know. For example: a new insurance regulation may affect a certain segment of your clients. Or, if your client is a pet groomer and you’ve heard of a pet food recall, why not drop them a note with the information? These small touches can help your customers know they are more than just a number because you’re looking out for them when they don’t expect it – you’ve over-delivered and exceeded their expectations – and that makes for happy customers and long-term relationships.
You can also make your customers happy by not ignoring them while they’re on hold. Providing valuable information in your messages on hold helps callers make better buying decisions. Your telephone audio content (on hold messages, auto-attendant messages, virtual answering messages) can say a lot about who you are and what your company is all about.
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