“No really. Believe me. I’m ah-maaa-zing!”
If a guy you’d just shook hands with at a networking party were to look you in the eyes and emphatically utter those words, would you believe him?
Belief is a funny thing. To have it you need proof, not just proclamation. And yet almost 100%* of businesses make claims on their website and in their sales material like, “we’re the best at customer service, we’re trusted, we are #1 at what we do”. All sales talk. No substance.
These statements will almost surely be ignored by your prospect.
Why?
Dependability and trust are just 2 examples of earned traits. In other words, the only way I (your not-yet-a-customer) can know if you’re great at customer service or that you can be trusted is if I’ve already handed you my money and hired you. If I haven’t yet done business with you I have no way of knowing if your claims are any more valid than your competitor’s.
Even if you’re up every night at 2am, on the phone with your clients, helping them solve the unsolvable, without proof you sound like every single one of your other competitors who also say they’re numero uno at customer service.
So the question you should be asking is, “How can I show people, before they work with me, what I’m great at?” A few examples…
. Survey Results. My client backs up their claim of relentless customer service by sharing that 98% of their customers rate them a 9 or higher out of 10
. Awards. Perhaps you’ve won a well-known award for customer service or have an exceptional Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating.
. Stories. Do you have an amazing customer service story that shows how you service better than anyone else in your industry? Have you done something that’s made an impact on your client’s business? Share it.
. Reviews. Share your review rating and testimonials from a reputable 3rd party site, like TripAdvisor, Yelp, Angie’s List, etc.
Making a claim is easy. Anyone can do it. And just about everyone does. Showing you’ve earned the right to make that claim is what will separate you from the flock.
What’s your proof?
* actual study…Believe me.
Want to see the Facebook Live I did to expand on this very topic? Here you go.