SalesHQ

Two recent articles on SalesHQ debate whether or not you should (or can) exceed your clients expectations.

Mark Stevens says it is the key to succes. Paul McCord says it is a myth.

What's your experience?

Exceeding expectations is the key to keeping clients long term. Like it or not "what have you done lately" attitudes run rampant out there you have to stay ahead of the client in every way and when you do you will have exceeded expectations.

very good taz.  I go for exceeding expectations every time.  In fact I like it when the tell me I'm the best rep they ever worked with....so I go for that every time.  I treat my customers how I would like to be treated...I take care of things before they even need to ask...i really help them get what they need...some people I have found selling is that you can't please everyone.  But now that I've been in sales for awhile, I've learned how to leverage my energy. 

I approach each prospect with the attitude that I will under promise and over deliver. None of us will ever please every prospect but as a matter of daily routine we have to try.

I like that Hank. I think managers in advertising agencies have been drilling under promise/over deliver into our heads for a century now. but the opposite is a sure way to lose control of the client.

 I've dealt with customers in a sales and sales management position for years, and while exceeding expectations is a great goal, the problem is that you're trying to hit a moving target.  "What have you done for me lately" indeed.  Exceeding todays expectations make that tomorrows norm, and the cycle spirals up. 

So how can you be successful? Focus on understanding your customers needs and help them meet their needs. That's what builds long term relationships.  You can NOT continually pull a rabbit from the hat. You can become a resource for your customer.  In my experience customers will value you much more if you help them fix their problems that if you are a 'one shot wonder'.  

Go for the long term and you will be successful.

Paul McCord  message I do believe how can you exceed client expectation if you have never asked what their expectations  from you happen to be. We think of expectations as comapny standards and we exceed local  or national companies standards. The jist of the article how do you know what client expectations are unless you ask them.

  Have you ever asked your client How do you think I will do for you today? Next question; what are your expectations today? What do you want to happen today? What do you want it to do better? These questions allow you to exceed client expectations.

   Bill brings up an amazing point once you have exceeded the clients expectations  there is a new bar set for new expectations. I do not believe that is true.Once you have exceeeded client expectations you have built a relationship and the client now understand and knows the treatement they are going to receive each and every time they meet with the sales professional.

 What  any sales professional has done when exceeding the clients expectation  there is no room for average.The sales professional must deliver on thier promises and those of the company.

 I bring a person a cup of coffee does anyone expect coffee or breakfast the next time we meet?Not at all they expect us to meet and satisfy thier concerns and provide a solution.

In the business i'm in, we always exceed the client's expectations and have lettres to prove it. That being said, I charge a premium for it most of the time or when I can. But in every case, our products are far superior "by design" (that means, we purposefully design the pieces to be superior in ever respect, regardless of cost) so, it's really a no-brainer to have customers feel their expectations have been exceeded. hell, we even exceed our own expectations sometimes and we are hyper critical of our work.

Their are however quite a few relationships where one should not exceed the customers expectations... for to do that, you set a standard you" have" to live by... many customers once satisfied demand more every time and you put yourself and your business at a disadvantage... and, one should consider "why" they feel the need to exceed these expectations.? if you exceed expectations, does that mean you are underselling your product? or, can it? Didn't you explain to the customer what to expect? could it be possible if you exceed  the customers expectations they may feel they were over charged or the job was "too easy"?

But in any case, "expectations" should always be met... at minimum.

rich34232 says ...

Gold there is absolutely no reason not to live up to the standards that you set exceeding the clients expectation.

 No it does not mean you have your price set to low. Why should the client set their expectations low due to ineffective people that they have had to settle with in the past?

 How can I be at a disadvantage when I have set the bar so high for others to match?

 I think the answers to those questions come when you ASK the client what their expectations are and then beat that. Not asking  and receiving letters can mean that they expected little and you delivered little.The letters mean nothing, do yours?

 In my profession beating expectations is easy. I arrive on time I have beat 99% of the other companies, I deliver what I promise I beat others by 99%,drug tested I beat others, criminal abckground tests I beat others.

 However I do think  clients believe a company should  NOT send felons,druggies to their home. Being on time should not be an expecation it should be deserved. Delivering  the promises is also a must. Are these really expectations?

 Delivering expectation makes you average in my book.

So, how do you exceed their expectations? Arriving on time and delivering what is promised? That's your definition of exceeding their expectations? What i'm saying is, if your standards are you show up for work on time and deliver what is promised, what you yourself say is average, than because the customer hs low expectations does that rreally mean you are doing anything other than standard?

if you compare yourself to the rest of your industry whom you say you are 99% better than, than, am I to assume that in your business, it's pretty standard not to show up on time and not deliver what is expected... they are mostly 99% irresponsible, ex felon drug addicts...becase your not,  because you are better than the worst guy, does that qualify you as being "good"?

Maybe you can suggest that to your marketing manager "hey, we can say we are the best of the worst"? or, "we are drug free and we don't let ex felons  go on sales calls and we show up on time, exceeding expectations in this industry by 99%". I like it:)

Woudn't exdeeding a clients expectations be  making sure the  clients needs/ wants/ desires  are  met then looking for ways to go beyond that without the client having to ask for it.???????????

rich34232 says ...

Gold those were examples, now you knew that. 

 

Yes, I know they were examples, once you gave.

 

 Gold you love to take the low percentage and turn that to your favor . You can have the 5 percenters. They are not my clients take the exceptions and get what you can. I am never comparing the best of the worse to me. I simply stated those are NOT expectations. Working hard and excellant work is not exceeding expectations. They are expected. Having a good product is that expected?

 

I don't really understand this paragraph. What are the 5 percenters?

For the most part, I do agre with you. Excellence should be expected but rarely is because it is seldom offered. because of this, perhaps "average" for some people exceeds their expectations.

Exceeding expectations is  subjective... meeting expectations is (or should be) the primary goal, the "standard"..

If you sell me plumbing supplies or send a guy out to fix a leak, he may show up on time and perform the job in a professional mannor but that doesn't "exceed" MY expectations... it's what i expect,  it's what i paid for. My neighbor may be different and think because you showed up on time, you exceeded their expectations. for me, i expect it. no big deal, you did what you were paid to do. if it springs a leak again, i expcet you to come back and fix it again.

What can you do with my leak repair  that will "exceed" my expectations? and, why would you want to? I have a leak, you fix leaks, what compells you to exceed this basic expectation and how do you do it?

 

 

 

 

  

obrudder says ...

Exceeding expectations as gold sez is subjective, it is a concept to strive for. The reality however is that it is rare and may even be impossible to accomplish. It's an attitude...It's a good way to think about your work, product or service as it will will demonstrate to your customer that you care, that you will deliver and that you will be there for them. A sure fire way to achieve a reputation for good customer service and future business.

Most of the posts indicate the author's idea of exceeding customer expectations, is it even possible to get more than what you paid for?

Gold sez he always exceeds because their product is superior and can charge a premium. If you pay a premium and pay for a superior product that doesn't exceed anything it's expected............  same as the fixed leak scenario.

Perhaps rich is correct, if  customer expectations are extremely low, just doing the job or having the product perform as advertised may exceed a customer's expectations and pleasantly surprise them. This may be the only scenario that exceeding expectations is possible.

Like bill sez, customer expectations are a moving target..... strive to hit that target consistently

 

Interesting thoughts... yu are right, if you pay a premium for a superior product than no expectations have been exceeded. (nor, should they be) they (expectations) have been met. What exceeds expectations is doing something  above and beyond what is expected and paid for.

I've never asked the customer if w "exceeded" their expectations but I ask if we have satisfied their expectations. there the ones who write or call back and say their expectations have been exceeded. Well, we think it's great but is it warranted? that's the subjective part.

They were expecting a photo of the finished piece... what they got was a web page with the photos of the piece as it is being made with regular updates to study and share with their friends or interested parties. We ask questions to involve the customer in the process. We try to show them why and how and what it takes to make... I could write a book on the customers reaction and appreciation to this but in summary, they think we are the cat's ass. Now a lot of jewelers do this but we have been daily doing it for 10 years.

That's just one way we can add extra value to the piece... that extra value equates to exceeded expectations. and the beauty of it is, it's just a by product of our manufacturing process. it takes a few extra iminutes to do it and protects us from making any serious moves in the wrong direction which might require us to start over... it's just "our" standard, presented in a way the customer can appreciate and relate. Above "and" beyond because we can... it doesn't cost anything and we don't charge anything yet, it has value to the customer...now, their expectations have been exceeded.

 

 

Hey Gold

My short jeweler story.....

after years of buying jewelry at department stores and chain stores with their high markups and high discounts i always felt "taken" and remorseful after the purchase. as usual, having waited till the last minute to get that special gift, i'd pay and forget it till the next time and do it over again.

By chance, I went into one of those jeweler co-ops/exchanges and "Jack" the booth owner took special care with me, had patience and explained and showed me the differences in diamonds. He gave me a fair price for higher quality diamonds. We had great rapport and as it turned out similar professions years ago. I Went back to his store 8 months later, he remembered my name, our former conversations and treated me again with patience and a fair price. This was 15 years ago and since then whenever I need jewelry i go there and only there. No hassles, no remorse etc. Even if my wife and I go there in a "just looking" mode, he'll take our wedding rings and polish them to look as good as new.

He exceeded my (formerly very very low) expectations and it paid off with many future sales.

not always true dude and you know that.