Barack Obama is the country’s president-elect. Whatever your politics, you have to acknowledge the fact that he has fostered hope in America. One reason he was able to transform apathy into action (shattering voting records across the country) is that he understands that politics is about service—service to the people and service to the United States. (Perhaps he read my April 2008 Service and Politics: Not-so-Strange Bedfellows blog.)
What everyone seems to be talking about, now, however, is will President Obama fulfill the promises he made on the campaign trail? In my opinion, he has already demonstrated great judgment; not only does he understand that politicians are service providers, but he seems to understand that managing expectations is critical to optimal service delivery.
Case in point? His victory speech. On November 4, 2008, Obama said “The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful…that we will get there…There will be setbacks and false starts…And we know the government can’t solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face.”
Obama was setting realistic expectations for his presidency. And, in a nation that expects everything right away, working with your clients and customers to set realistic expectations and manage their expectations is essential to providing top-shelf service. Communicate with your clients. Be honest about projects, timeframes, and challenges. Be clear about project and service parameters. Be fair to yourselves and your organization, but also to the people for whom you are providing the service. After all, who thinks cable companies could provide a smaller window for service calls to better manage customer dissatisfaction? I do. And I do believe client and customer satisfaction is best enhanced by straight talk and clear expectation management.
We want to hear from you! Respond to one, all or none of the questions below. We just want to hear your thoughts!
Do you agree? Do you think expectation management is key to premium service? Have you been a victim of a service provider that does not manage expectations well? Which organizations or companies manage expectations well? Post your response!
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