Sweat the Small Stuff

Sweat the Small Stuff

by Robb Woolsey

Unfortunately, our reputations often rest not on our ability to do what we say, but rather on our ability to do what people expect. Which makes it all the more important to set the correct expectations.

This past week I was reminded of this simple yet valuable lesson. I was shopping for professional services and had narrowed my search down to two candidates. After speaking with both and being asked to provide them with information, each had promised a written proposal by the next morning. One responded within hours, the other responded wanting another phone call.  While I know this sounds trivial, that finalized my decision. From their perspective, I am certain that asking for another phone call seemed insignificant. However, from my perspective, with her half way across the country and already not following up with what had been promised, I was instantly aware of the distance between us and was now uneasy that the entire process could drag out and have issues of miscommunication.

Now don’t get me wrong, I have been guilty of this in the past as well.  While uncommon, I’m certain that all of us have seen deals go south over seemingly trivial reasons. Most of the time people are too polite to tell us why they went another direction, especially if it was our fault. What are our customers’ expectations? What are their fears? Have we clearly understood and communicated their needs and our response? In today’s world where customers can hop online and purchase virtually from any place on the planet, it becomes even more important to sweat the small stuff. What are your thoughts?