LEADER'S GUIDE FOR STRATEGIES AND TRAINING

Section B: 

5. Teach Strategies for “Always Under-Promise and Over-Deliver” 45–60 min.

SCRIPT: I want to begin this training session with the most basic principle of customer service: Always under-promise and over-deliver. You’ve heard that dozens of times, and it’s so important that you’ll hear it dozens more. Our challenge is to discover how we can make this principle a practical, everyday part of how we do business with each and every customer. [Direct members to location in handouts or workbook.]

What do we mean by “Always under-promise and over-deliver”? [Take responses.] 

Give me some examples of how you use this principle in dealing with customers every day. [Take responses.]

LEADER’S NOTE: Draw on your experience to lead a discussion of what the principle specifically means in your business. Here are some essential guidelines:

• Ensure that team members know the parameters of “under-promise” and “over-deliver” in terms of timing, costs, flexibility, customization, and any other criteria important to the delivery of your products and services. Don’t take their understanding for granted. Be ready with everyday examples of how to implement this principle. For instance:

—A bookstore tells a customer that the book he ordered will arrive in seven to 10 business days. They call five days later to say it’s in.

The Number 1 Principle:

“Always under-promise and over-deliver.”

• Meet expectations:

— Make it right, make it easy, make it fast.

• Exceed expectations:

— How right? More than the customer could have possibly expected.

— How easy? Easier than the customer could have possibly expected.

— How fast? Faster than the customer could have possibly expected.

—A car dealership gives a repair estimate based on the maximum charge for parts and labor.

When the customer picks up her car, the bill is less than the estimate.

—Restaurant customers want to exchange salad for soup, fruit for fries, provolone for parmesan. How flexible can the server be?

—A piece of clothing is slightly soiled and the customer asks for a price reduction. How far can the salesperson go?

• Stress the following: “Don’t get carried away lowering expectations. We don’t want customers to walk away from our business. We have guidelines for when and how to promise customers a bit less than whatever we know we can deliver.” Clearlyexplain your guidelines. If you have included them in your participant materials, refer members to them.

• Relate the principle to your business:

—Meeting expectations means the interaction with the customer is “right, easy, and fast.” What does that look, sound, and feel like in our business?

—Exceeding expectations means making “right, easy, and fast” go farther than customers expect. How do we do this in our business? How can we do this?

• If appropriate, discuss the idea of “free stuff. Pose the following questions, take responses, and set guidelines.

—Once we’ve served a customer “extra right, extra easy, and extra fast,” how can we still go above and beyond?

—What kind of “free stuff” can we offer to exceed customers’ expectations? Discuss the possibility of samples and add-ons.

Conclude this section by taking questions. Tell team members that improving on the “under-promise, overdeliver” principle is an ongoing concern, and that you will welcome any future recommendations based on their day-to-day experience.