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The 1st Promise You Break is your Last Chance

January 4, 2008

When a client, especially a new client, does not get what they are expecting, you are breaking an implied promise.  Once you break that first promise, they will be calulating in their head how much more they will take before letting you go.

Here are 10 ways you may have broken a promise to a client.

  1. Return a phone call when you said you would.
  2. Proposal or contract arrives the day you said it would.
  3. Reported back progress when stipulated.
  4. Delivered exactly what is expected.
  5. Clear pricing that does not go up for this and that.
  6. Built an ongoing, valueable relationship
  7. Failed to thank client for referral
  8. Did not follow up after delivery
  9. Miss a scheduled meeting or lunch
  10. Back-peddle on promises after sale

You cannot create buzz when you are creating regret.  I have been guilty of most of these at one time or another, especially when we were doing custom IT work (Which is why I do not pursue that work anymore).  The best you can doing is focus on the issue and work hard to eliminate it with better processes and customer service.  Great customer service does create great buzz.

- Thank You!

Posted by Ron McDaniel | Filed Under Blog, Small Business 

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Comments

5 Responses to “The 1st Promise You Break is your Last Chance”

  1. Phil Gerbyshak on January 6th, 2008 12:08 am

    Wow Ron, this is powerful stuff to think about. One other thing to remember is clients don’t care WHY we broke our promise, just that we did.

    Make 2008 the year you set honest expectations, and meet or exceed everyone one of them!

  2. Rachael Smithe on January 7th, 2008 8:48 pm

    I agree with the first promise you make is your last chance. I totally agree with the information provided in this article.I think of it this way, if I were a customer, I would treat my clients the same way I would like to be treated. I would give them my best quality service,and give my 101% effort to accomplish my services to the best of my clients needs.

  3. olivier blanchard on January 9th, 2008 10:59 pm

    That is one fine post, my friend.

  4. Bert Balliss on January 11th, 2008 1:09 pm

    This article is spot on, and I can give my view from the client side. I’ve recently engaged a new article writer. The quality of her work is outstanding and her price is fantastic, BUT she just won’t or can’t deliver on time.

    Even when I let her set her own timescales, she consistently misses deadlines. It’s sad, but I’ve going to have to let her go, simply because she can’t keep a promise.

  5. Rhei, writer Surefirewealth.com on February 5th, 2008 5:56 am

    Right! A promise should always be kept, if not you’ll lose the trust of the people that surrounds you or your clients. It’s kinda irritating when someone break his promise, so to avoid problems and misunderstanding one should value his words.

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