when people talk about your talent and the impact you’ve made upon their businesses, just how ecstatic are they? do they share a single compliment? is that one point echoed by most of your customers? or — do they take a minute or two to elaborate upon just how talented you are, and how grateful they are to have you on their side? there are a few things that trigger this extreme satisfaction. if your customers are experienced, then they will always appreciate quality where it surpasses all they’ve had in the past. they have taste and can recognize greatness. if your customers are particularly intelligent or successful, then they will value just how well you read between the lines. this crowd doesn’t want to spell everything out for you, beat a dead horse or hold your hand. if your customers are blue collar farmer types, then your work ethic, passion, values, and dedication to craft will make a huge impact on the relationship.
regardless of the type of customers you have, always manage the smallest of items with care. never accept any portion of the work falling through the cracks. look for ways you can assist that are outside of what you’ve directly been asked to do. augment your role in the overall relationship. deliver more value. engineer influence. be careful as you do this — don’t add to your plate to the extent that the core reason why you were hired is slighted or ignored. there is a fine line you can cross where the best of intentions are overshadowed by an unfocused effort and less than substantial results.
