On Fundamental 10 – Something More

FUNDAMENTAL 10 – Deliver More Than Requested

Our client relationships are based on a scope of work and an estimate of hours required to perform that work. Giving clients extra time or effort for free can damage our business by creating an opportunity cost of your time that could be applied toward other clients. So, how do we balance delivering more than requested against scope creep. Here are some thoughts:

• PROMPT – One thing we can do to deliver more than requested is to get it done faster than they are expecting it. Set a realistic deadline then do your best to get it done sooner. The scope doesn’t change, just their perception of our effectiveness. (See Fundamental 20).
• PERCEPTION – When we take on a project, we are trying to match the perception the client has of the finished product. The clearer we are about how they perceive the end result, the easier it is to provide them something that is slightly better or of a bit higher quality than what they requested. Try to have them point to an example or define the result in very clear terms.
• PACKAGING – When I worked at the Missouri Restaurant Association the restaurateurs who owned nicer restaurants had a saying they repeated often. “People eat first with their eyes.” As we deliver products or services, the little something extra might be to have it look nice when we deliver it – maybe there is a bit of art, there is a warm email or a handwritten note that goes with it, or maybe it is just delivered with a smile. All those things cost very little but can make a very big difference to our clients.

Thanks FPMR Team for doing your best to deliver something extra!