Sadly the closest picture I could find to represent Pinocchio!
Have you ever had a problem with your phone line or broadband and gone on to discover that the (major) service providers are about the worst you will ever deal with?
Annoying isn’t it.
If they spent just a small percentage of their marketing budgets on providing a more supportive infrastructure, they’d be a pleasure to deal with.
But they don’t. They choose promises (marketing) over delivery.
These firms compete in an industry where the standard is to unrealistically develop our expectations in order to acquire our business and they are all as bad as each other.
In reality we have no choice but to accept a poor level of service (coupled with glossy promises) from telecoms companies, but I bet your customers have a choice.
You have to very carefully offset your desire to win business, with your desire to exceed your customers expectations.
We could all lie our pants off to win business (and sadly some people do), but at some point you are going to have to deliver.
In reality though, most (small business) over-promising happens not because business owners are devious thieves, but because we want to impress potential customers. We imagine the perfect delivery scenario and start to build an expectation that can only be met one time in ten.
As soon as you over promise, it doesn’t matter how good a job you do, you have lost your opportunity to impress your customers when it matters.
The first exchange with a customer may get a signature, but the last exchange will determine your reputation.
A few signatures will help pay the bills, but your reputation will make you rich.
