It’s no secret that it’s harder to focus in today’s world with its smartphones, our constant use of the Internet, and social media platforms that update every second – it’s a wonder that we’re actually able to focus and get work done.
What are the implications of this new reality for owners of small and mid-sized businesses?
More things than ever before are fighting for our attention, which means that if a company wants to survive – and even thrive – it has to find something that makes it stand apart, something that makes its customers say, “Wow.” Because “wow” clients are loyal clients and will tell others about their “wow” experience with you.
Last week I attended a lecture given by Michael Hyatt, author of Platform: Get Noticed in A Noisy World, on intentional leadership. He made some great points, but one that really struck me was his discussion about exceeding customer expectations.
Example of the Wow Factor
To get to wow, you first have to understand what “wow” means. To illustrate the wow factor, Hyatt talked about one of his trips to an Apple store. Something was wrong with his computer, and he left it at the Genius Bar for some repair work. When he returned to pick it up, he was greeted with a nice surprise.
“I fixed the repair and I also noticed that one of your keys was sticking,” said the Apple employee. “So I went ahead and replaced the whole keyboard at no charge.”
What do you think was Hyatt’s response?
“Wow. Thanks.”
Wow is created when you surpass customers’ expectations. They’re not just satisfied with what you did for them or the product you sold them, they’re impressed and most likely motivated to share their positive experiences with their friends and family.
Getting to Wow
To give your customers the wow experience, you first have to create a list of their expectations. What are customers paying you for? What do they expect in return for their money?
Then, you and your staff should think of ways to improve the experience and make it unforgettable. What can you do to surprise your customers? What will get them excited? What will turn them into your brand ambassadors?
One little tidbit from Michael Hyatt was “design it for yourself.” Would you use the product or service you created? If not, chances are good that no one else will either, especially if they have to pay for it.
Every Department Can Have Wow
The wow factor is not limited to one department within your company. Each department can create ways to exceed internal and external customer expectations in its own way.
Hyatt talked about his receptionist when he was CEO at Thomas Nelson Publishers. First, he changed her title to Director of First Impressions so that it accurately reflected the impact that she had on customer and clients that would visit or call the office. When people walked in to the office or called, she often was the first impression of the company that people had that day.
Then, his team came up with ways to improve the experience for visitors. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to greet someone by their name when they walked in the door? How about supplying copies of their books instead of old magazines in the waiting area? To make that idea even better, what if they gave the books away for free if the visitors were interested?
Ideas like these will exceed expectations and provoke customers to say “wow.”
Recap
First you need to write down what your customers expect and then you need to come up with creative ways you can exceed those expectations. Enticing customers to say “wow” won’t be easy to do – otherwise everyone would be able to do it – but it can be done.
And having a cadre of wowed clients can be important if you have plans of ever selling your business. A buyer will have more confidence in the future growth of your company if you have a bunch of customers that have been “wowed” by your staff.
What does your company do to make its customers say “wow?”
© 2012 Generational Equity, LLC All Rights Reserved
Did you know that 75% of business owners leave money on the table? Don’t be one of them. Learn the common mistakes to avoid when selling a company so you can get maximum value for your business. Click the graphic below to download the free whitepaper.
