Tip 342) Over-servicing versus over-delivering

I think there is a fine line between over-servicing a client and over-delivering—it's a line that's easy to cross. Many moons ago, when I first started Business Coaching, I was very uncomfortable with the fees I was charging, so massively over-serviced with pretty much every client!

​While we all want to go the extra mile, there is a real danger of creating a level of expectation that is simply not sustainable. I realised quite quickly that spending an extra half an hour with each client was dramatically impacting my ability to earn, therefore negatively impacting my turnover and profit. 

If you spend too long with a client or customer because you want to justify your fees or be nice, or you go above and beyond and back again too often, chances are you are over-servicing.

Here are some tips on how to stop over-servicing a client:

• Manage their expectations from the start. Be clear on the ground rules. Explain to each client how you do business and remind them often. 
• For those of you that are in B2B, show clients how your over-servicing could be impacting their day as well. Time is your most valuable commodity, whatever your business. 
• Track the time you are spending per client and work out your hourly rate. That is often enough to make you stop! 
• Work on being comfortable with your fees. Write a list of the value you add and the benefits of working with you. Not just monetary gains, think about the hidden gains. For example, one client told me recently that the hidden gain of working with me was that his relationship with his family improved dramatically. He was less stressed as he now has a great team he can rely on, and so can spend more time at home. 
• Work on your "value beliefs" with a hypnotherapist or EFT practitioner. 
• Aim to reduce the time per client each month by 10%. Track it. Remember what gets measured improves. 10% is not a lot. That's only 6 minutes less per hour. 
• Use a timer in sessions. I always do this with face-to-face clients. I tell them up front that I am going to set the timer on my phone as I can chat for England (which I can!). 
• If they are particularly needy, put their prices up to allow for the extra time.

Over-delivering works best when it is unexpected. When you say it will be there in five days but deliver in three. Or you say you will be there at 10am but always arrive by 9.50am. Sending them a hand-written thank you note. Anticipating their needs and offering advice, tools or resources that may help them in other ways, not just in relation to the services or products they buy from you.
 
Think about the ways you can add value to your clients that do not cost you a lot of time or money. 

​Enthusiastically, 

Jo x