Great ideas for growing your business! Just UPOD–Under-Promise, Over-Deliver!

Want to turn clients into fans?

Just UPOD–Under-Promise, Over-Deliver!

Our businesses are service-based and in a service business, customer satisfaction is the key to success — when you make a promise, you’ve got to deliver.

But the business environment is far more competitive than it’s ever been — your satisfied customers can easily become your competitors’ satisfied customers.

The way to prevent that is to start turning those satisfied customers into enthusiastic, loyal fans. Fans are so impressed with what you do for them, they tell everyone else how terrific you are! And they wouldn’t dream of using anyone else!

So how do you develop these fans?

Believe it or not, it doesn’t take a boatload of great ideas (even though we’re sure you can come up with them!). In fact, the quickest, surest way to blow people away doesn’t take a lot of effort. And it doesn’t cost a thing.

All you have to do is UPOD — Under-Promise, Over Deliver.

Customer satisfaction is created when we deliver on our promises….Get those numbers together by Thursday. Deliver that analysis by Monday. Get this posted by the beginning of the week….Do what you said you would and customers are satisfied.

But how about giving customers MORE than they expect — faster response, more alternatives and quicker delivery? That’s when you wind up with dedicated fans that will take your business to the next level.

UPOD is based on a simple human principle. People are more impressed by great service they don’t expect, than by great service they do. Tell a customer you’ll deliver something tomorrow, deliver it and
they’ll be satisfied. But tell a customer you can come up with something in four days, then deliver it tomorrow and they’ll be ecstatic! Please note: what they expect is simply what you promise.

So the key to UPOD is to focus on the “under-promise” part from the start. If you think you can complete a task by Wednesday, promise it for Friday. Then work to over-deliver by getting it to them on Wednesday. This is also good planning practice. Time management experts tell us it’s always prudent to build a contingency percentage into a schedule estimate.

In addition to over-delivering with quicker turnaround, you also want to over-deliver with more value whenever you can. If they expect a program plan, add in a range of ideas on how to implement that plan. If they expect a rough budget estimate, give them three spending levels to consider. But don’t take responsibility for assignments you haven’t been given. And always stay on or below budget.

The wonderful thing about the UPOD approach is that you can wow customers without changing your operation. You just have to change your promise.

And a nice side benefit is the UPOD approach helps avoid the errors that often happen when you’re rushing around to meet a self-imposed tight deadline. UPOD gives you the time to respond professionally to last-minute requests and avoid those 16-hour days.

Make “Under-Promise, Over-Deliver” your mantra for all customer interactions. Then watch those clients become your best business boosters. When satisfied customers turn into devoted fans, that’s money in the bank… Enjoy a great month!

Michelle Castle provides mortgage loans to all of North Texas and Southern Oklahoma. Call Michelle Castle at (903) 892-1998 if you are looking for a home loan in North Texas and Southern Oklahoma.

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