In the view of Joe Calloway, author of "Be the Best at What Matters Most", if you are not able to excel in the basics and offer what is expected, no one will be interested in the potential unique values of your business. In short, you will not amaze anyone because you will discourage them from the outset.
For companies and entrepreneurs, the "wow" factor is attractive, but the successful ones know it is more important to be able to fulfil promises made to a customer 100% and offer the expected quality. Joe Calloway adds that if you want constantly to innovate and improve, it should be primarily for the purpose of improving your core values and the promises you offer to the market "inside the imaginary box".
Calloway goes on to say that, before thinking about how to surprise customers, it's a good idea to reflect on the mainstays of your business and see what values on a scale of 1 to 10 you are able to meet. In Calloway's view, while extraordinary one-off activities for the benefit of customers are fine, they cannot replace or bridge otherwise unfulfilled basic expectations. The customer's trust remains undermined and you can easily lose their loyalty.
Calloway therefore places great emphasis on responsibility, listening to customers, communication and working with information (not just getting feedback for its own sake). At the same time, he calls for entrepreneurs to be able to overcome their ego and not take things personally. In his opinion, managerial work and, in general, improving customer relationships is often unsung behind-the-scenes work for others, but it must be done on a daily basis for things to work out the way we initially imagined. It may not do much for one's ego but in the long run it is the thankless tasks that bring the greatest benefits.
How does your business stand? Do you have a clear idea of fulfilling the basic values and promises you gave to your customers at the start?
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