What do your customers expect from you? Do you live up to their expectations or only reach your own perceived “ceiling” of service? Are you “good enough”? Maybe. But good enough for whom?
Once we believe we have little to learn about the needs of our customer we no longer deserve their business – and shouldn’t expect it.
Why should someone do business with you?
- Is it because you are in their neighborhood? Not good enough…
- Is it because you keep up with the latest trends? Not important enough…
- Is it because you run weekly specials or offer discount coupons? You’re not showing value…
- Is it because your business is “the best”? Not realistic…
If customers should do business with you because “you are the best”, what makes you the best?
No business is perfect, we all make mistakes. Some customers may forgive a slight misstep in service or delay in an order being processed.
Others won’t. They expect perfection. But is that possible?
Should you, we, expect to be perfect? Why would the customer? They “must realize” that mistakes happen, right?
Perfect service is the minimum expectation of the customer.
Once you realize this you can take the steps needed to make it happen.
Here’s a starting point for you:
- Reevaluate your employee staffing levels.
- Train, train and train your staff.
- Provide your employees the tools needed to serve the customer.
- Anticipate your customer’s needs.
- Use the highest quality products.
- Provide a fair price.
- Give your customers the “benefit of the doubt”.
- If you can’t help your customer, recommend someone who can.
- Provide more value until the money they spend is less valuable than what you offer.
So, what’s YOUR idea of perfect service?
