Conversation Starters are single page documents that are designed to catalyse Conversations That Matter in your workplace or organisation. This edition: If you want to provide great service, exceed expectations. For more information or to share how you used this Conversation Starter, please visit http://orgsthatmatter.com

1.
If you want to provide great service, exceed
expectations!
People expect good service. Period. Often, their expectations are not met. Too often. Just think
about your own experiences as a customer. How often are your expectations met? How often are
they exceeded?
Customers expect their expectations to be met. You expect your pay to arrive when it is due. You
expect your food to be delivered as ordered within a reasonable timeframe and at the appropriate
temperature when you order food at a restaurant or cafe. You expect finance reports to be
delivered and inclusive of all appropriate information as scheduled. You expect to be treated as a
human being when you visit a government agency, education institution or medical facility.
In order to be able to consistently meet expectations, your organisation must aim to exceed
expectations. It is likely that there will nearly always be a lag between when you last checked the
expectations of those you serve and the actual service that you are providing them. The lag time
may include a change in the level of expectations of those you serve.
Unless you are aiming to exceed the expectations at the level that you understand them to be, you
may not achieve a consistent level of meeting the expectations that you do know exist. This never-
ending journey means that exceeding expectations is a challenge. A real challenge. A challenge
worthy of your commitment. Is your organisation currently worthy of your commitment?
Quote
Consistently exceeding the expectations of the customer, personalizing his or her service
experience, and continuously improving your product or service so that it creates greater value for
the customer produces a level of customer loyalty that cannot be matched by your competitor.
Theo Gilbert-Jamison, service excellence expert/author
Organisations That Matter®
©Copyright Organisations That Matter®. All Rights Reserved.
Level 8, 350 Collins Street Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: +61 3 8676 0637 Fax: +61 3 8601 1180 Web: www.orgsthatmatter.com Email: info@orgsthatmatter.com