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THE
PERCEPTION OF VALUE
Article 9
What is your customers’ perception of you? Do they see you as one who delivers value, or do they think they’re getting ripped off? Beware—perception often becomes reality. Let’s say, for example, that you take your lawn mower in for repair. The technician starts the engine and determines that the carburetor needs a siml;e adjustment. Two minutes later, your mower is fixed and you’re on your way—to the tune of $25! Are you in the wrong business or what? Perhaps your customers experience a similar shock when they receive your invoice. To avoid this negative perception, you need to show customers that you’re putting forth a reasonable amount of effort to resolve their problems. Let me share with you what an attorney friend of mine does. Regardless of the question, he usually has the answer right off the top of his head. If he gives an immediate answer and hands the client a bill for $125, however, the client feels ripped off. This attorney has learned that it’s best to sit the client down and start asking questions. Once he indicates that he has a complete understanding of the situation, he gets up, walks over to the law library, pulls out a book, and proceeds to search for an answer. He might look at several books before he renders an answer or an opinion to create a certain perception in the client’s mind. The result: The client gets an answer—the same answer. But what’s important is that the client has seen the attorney put forth effort to solve the problem. At this point, the $125 invoice doesn’t have such a negative impact. The Solution: Make sure that your customers perceive that you have put a certain amount of effort into resolving their problems or answering their questions. They will then perceive you as bringing value to them and to their company. Bottom Line:
When you are perceived as doing good work and adding value to your product
or service, the reality is that you will get more business.
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By
Terry Booton, President