Yesterday was disappointing.
I, as a prospective buyer, had an initial meeting with a large accountancy firm in Bristol. The crucial part of the conversation went a bit like this,
“So what would you say that you do better than anyone else?” I asked, hoping my accountancy-buying decision was just about to get a whole lot simpler.
“We pride ourselves on the relationships we build with our clients.” She said, then stopped.
That old chestnut.
I inwardly groaned. And while it may be true, a statement like that is problematic for both parties.
Why?
It’s abstract.
It’s not a differentiator. It’s not proven. It’s not concrete.
Abstraction kills communication.
If you’re selling your relationship-services, bring your brilliance to life with examples. It’s all in the little details.
- What do you do better than your competitors? This isn’t about how good you are at your job. That’s a given. “We’re not the cheapest but we have a small business package that means you get xyyz”
- Put your money where your mouth is. Do you have a customer service survey that enables you to quote how happy clients are with your service? (this demonstrates you really do care what they think.)
- What are the little things you do to go the extra mile?
Abstraction kills communication. Keep it concrete.