Introduction
In our service businesses, our customers expect us to perform exactly as we (our company, our brand, and our people) promise. This means having a Say:Do ratio of 1! Nothing more and certainly nothing less.
Customers are paying us for more than value for money. They are paying for peace of mind, which is another way to describe reliability. As we prove ourselves reliable, we gain their trust, leading to referrals and rebuying.
If we say we will arrive to fix a down machine at 1200 hours, they start looking at the building entrance at 1145. When our technician walks in at 1157, she gets a warm greeting and is shown to the broken machine with a smile and light conversation.
But if she shows up at 1203, she gets a grimace and a negative comment as she is escorted to the machine.
The results can have a difference of two points out of five – top box or neutral! Five minutes can make a difference in how our customers feel about doing business with us. And they will tell us when they fill out the post-visit survey.
Think about when you agree to meet someone for lunch at noon in a restaurant you both like. What time do you arrive? What time does your associate arrive? Some of us automatically arrive a few minutes early to make sure we are on time. Others do their best to be on time, but if they are late, they make an insincere excuse and move on. This is business as usual in the U.S., but it is a significant insult in Germany.
How to create and maintain a culture of reliability
When sensitizing people about soft skills, there are two frequently used approaches:
- Coach each person individually
- Lead by example and make sure everyone in the organization is sensitized simultaneously
The advantage of the second option is that everyone gets the same message, and people who are reluctant to join in are subjected to subtle peer pressure.
Use the say:do ratio to deliver the reliability message in a few words
The key to being perceived as a reliable company or person is to do what you say you will do. This means having a Say:Do ratio of 1!
According to Business Analyst:
“The Say:Do ratio is a concept that seeks to rate a person’s reliability by comparing what they say they’ll do to what they actually do: The ‘Say: Do’ ratio. It’s all about keeping your promises and doing what you say you’ll do. Once you do what you say you’ll do consistently, stakeholders will see you as reliable and are better able to count on you.”
If you are detail orientated or work in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) space, you quickly realize a few things about the Say:Do ratio:
- There is no way you can have a ratio greater than 1.
- Doing something quicker than promised is usually a good thing, yet since you did not do it when you promised, it reduces your ratio.
- If you did not commit to a precise “moment” when you will do something, you do not know how to score that particular action.
- How do you score a situation where you cannot meet your original promise, but you contact the other person and make a new promise?
I recently discussed, say:do with a friend – Phil Verghis. Phil is the CEO and Co-Founder of Klever Insight. Phil told me two concepts must be agreed upon when working to change the organization’s culture to communicate reliability. They are:
- Intent and context
- Guardrails
Intent and context
When you commit to doing something, you know why you saved (intent) and what happened when you committed (context). Meaning and context go together like peanut butter and jelly. Here is an easy-to-understand example:
You are in a meeting when you pitch your new service contract offering to someone who has always been a time and materials customer. She shows more than expected interest in your message and asks you a particular three-part question.
Customer: How many service calls have I had on each of my installed units, what did I spend for parts, labor, and travel, and how long was each team non-operational after we called you?
You: Great question. I have that data in our service management system. When I am back in my office about two hours after we part company, I will start collecting the data and putting it into a format you can easily understand. I will also include any descriptions of unusual circumstances that might have affected the downtime. Since a few unknowns could add extra time for me, I suggest we schedule a one-hour web conference call tomorrow at 10 AM. Does that work for you?
Customer: That would be perfect, but I have a hard stop at 11 AM.
You: One hour should be all we need.
You and your customer clearly understand the context and intent, and you take the 10 AM web conference call as a firm commitment that will begin on time.
Guardrails
This definition from SpamCast clearly defines this software development term that fits right into this discussion.
“Guardrails define a range of acceptable behavior. The range between the guardrails allows teams and individuals to determine their own course. Self-determination empowers people who are closest to the work to react to the situation.”
For example, you can tell your team, “If you are dealing with a situation where a decision that will affect our customer is imminent, then you must fulfill your commitment perfectly. On the other hand, if you met someone you know casually, had a short conversation, and parted saying, “let’s meet for coffee sometime,” then following up later with some information, a quick phone call, or a meeting request for the coffee are all appropriate.
Summary
By showing your team how being reliable and favorable impacts their customers and your business and discussing context, intent, and guardrails, you have an excellent chance of reinforcing the value your company delivers to your customers while building the positive reputations of each team member. And for an article about how customer trust impacts customer loyalty, read this article.
About Middlesex Consulting
Middlesex Consulting is an experienced team of professionals with the primary goal of helping capital equipment companies create more value for their clients and stakeholders. Middlesex Consulting continues to provide superior solutions to meet the needs of its clients by focusing on our strengths in Services, Manufacturing, Customer Experience, and Engineering. If you want to learn more about how we can help your organization become more sensitive to how your customers view your business, please get in touch with us or check out some of our free articles and white papers here.