To Be Distinctive, Be Different

There are many ways for a business to stand out from the crowd. One approach is to give your customers more of what they ask for. If others are fast, you go faster. If others are clean, you be cleaner. If others are cheap, you can discount deeper. If your competitors offer a lot, you offer even more.

This approach has obvious problems. First, your top position can be overtaken by anyone else offering even more. Second, the cost of escalation can become overwhelming. You need happy customers but healthy profits, too.

A different approach is worth your time and effort: Find completely new and different ways to surprise, intrigue, support, nurture and delight your customers.

For example, international airlines compete on big seats, quality service, good wine and movies. But Virgin Atlantic was first to offer neck and shoulder massages on all long-distance flights. They stand out in the airline crowd.

Most quick-service restaurants provide clean counters, fast delivery and low prices. But McDonalds put enormous, colorful slides for children inside their restaurant buildings. McDonalds french fries are made from potatoes, much like everyone elses. Their play space stands out in the fast-food crowd.

How many times have you left your tube of toothpaste wet, wrinkled and gooey on the bathroom sink? Procter & Gamble helped solve the problem with the first standup toothpaste tube. Their toothpaste container stands out from the crowd.

The Garden Caf in Dubai serves many customers who are bachelors, always on the move and short of time. So the Caf provides a lunch and dinner buffet of good food and drinks, but also irons your shirts and shines your shoes while you eat!

You can do this, too. (Stand out from the crowd, not the laundry.)

Key Learning Point
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Anyone can compete by doing more of whats already expected. But theres another way to be distinctive: Be different!

Action Steps
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Make a list of all the usual ways your organization offers good customer service. Now think of totally different ways you could surprise, intrigue or delight.

What bothers your customers? How can you fix it? What do they do before or after your service? How can you integrate it? What do they bring, carry or take away? How can you replace it?

The first bookstore to offer plush chairs and fresh coffee changed the industry completely. The first bank that offered drive-through service transformed our expectations. What can YOU do to stand out, stand up be different?

Ron Kaufman is an internationally acclaimed educator and motivator for partnerships and quality customer service. He is author of the bestselling "UP Your Service!" and founder of "UP Your Service College". Visit http://www.UpYourService.com for more such Customer Service articles, subscribe to his Newsletter, or to buy his bestselling Books, Videos, Audio CDs on Customer Service from his secure Online Store. You can also watch Ron live or listen to him at http://www.RonKaufman.com.

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