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Discover The Easiest Way To Improve A Business Relationship

Tom Peters. "Underpromise; overdeliver." [Motivational Quotes of the Day]

This is the one thing you can do to improve business relationships that won't cost you a single penny. Yes, that's right, when you under promise and overdeliver you earn the right to continue the connection that brought two parties together.

Whether it's a boss and an employee, or a sales representative and a customer, practice this simple philosophy where ever you can.

• Underpromise. The act of promising something demonstrates a commitment to perform. A certain level of expectation in established in the promise, but by scaling down this expectation you can more easily create a positive outcome.
• Over deliver. By providing more than what was expected in the areas of interest to the other party, you enhance those good feelings they have about you. Show the other party how important your relationship with them really is by giving a little extra.

How much should you under promise and overdeliver? If you had to put a number on the amount of under promise, or over delivery, use 10%.

Try to provide yourself a 10% spread between what is promised and what you can deliver. If you can delivery a product in 10 days to a customer, offer it in 11 days; you know you can approve an employees raise for 5 percent, then offer 4.5 percent. Be careful about this padding, it must be realistic and shouldn't be used in roll ups.

In most cases, something unexpected will come up and you'll break even. However, if all goes well, you'll be able to provide those extras that really demonstrate powerful results. Just don't overdeliver by an unrealistic amount, they might just think you were bluffing estimate and expect these extras in the future.

/ customer-service | magic-one /

By Justin Hitt at July 17, 2003 4:05 AM  Subscribe in a reader