The impact of going the extra mile

When last can you say that someone went the extra mile for you in business or in your personal life? It’s a sad truth that in this modern, digital era, more people have forgotten what it means to put the extra effort in. We’ve lost connection to people and it’s seldom that we find individuals or businesses that truly care. However, having a sense of care is the very thing that could actually give you a competitive advantage.

As the agency market in particular booms, it’s more important than ever to differentiate your offering! To get ahead it can’t be all about the money. A lot of agencies lose sight of this, charging big retainers, adding huge mark-ups, delivering only according to what was outlined in the service level agreement and charging for any out of scope activities. With most projects or retainers, there will always be a degree of scope creep, but it’s learning how to manage it that’s the trick.

From my experience, charging like a wounded buffalo for every extra service is not going to set you up for a long-term, sustainable partnership. This applies to any service environment. For example, isn’t it nice when you’re given a biscotti with your cappuccino or you’re offered a complementary bottle of wine when staying at a hotel or when the cashier in the local grocery store greets you with a smile and enthusiasm? It’s these simple touches, the attention to detail and extra effort that sticks in your mind and influences whether you will go back again.

Across all industries, I strongly feel that the more effort we all put in, the bigger the rewards are for everyone. Working in a PR environment, I know that when a client wants extra copies of podcast recordings, I won’t charge them, or when they request a press release to be sent out after-hours, I am more than happy to do so – because in the long-term it’s building relationships and going the extra mile that will count the most and ensure sustained, repeat business.