Reputation for Excellence – Raising your Service Standards TOP TIP: The number one standard at Baillie and Friends is that we agree to do our best. When you make this a standard agreement that you have with yourself, you are choosing not to lose energy through guilt or shame, and to make sure that your best is always improving. This has a great effect on your clients – when they have a concern or complaint, you don’t have to take it personally – you can be professional and work with the client to help them get what they want that you can provide. It becomes easier to notice, innovate and move on. Your Success is in your Service. You are going to get a reputation if you are working, so why not make it a good one? The place to focus is on the relationship that you have with your client, and how you can continue to serve them well by adding value that is over and above why they hired you. Our challenge to you is that you not only serve your clients, you also enjoy the extraordinary relationships that this level of service gives you. Many Independent Professionals discover to their excitement that this is the most fulfilling part of their work, and build all the value into their client relationships by having standards that are sky-high. Having great standards that you keep to is also a way of making sure that you sleep at night. And give yourself some space, as well - don’t haul yourself over the coals if you slip up once or twice – just inform the client that you are not going to be able to meet your standard of …. and revise what you have promised with them. They’ll respect your honesty and style and probably let you do it the way you can, rather than stressing out about your habit of over-promising. And the chances are that they will remember your high standard, rather than your one-off mistake. As you raise your standards of service you’ll become clear and uncluttered: You’ll think more highly of yourself It will become easier to delegate work, as you will hire only people who can keep or raise your Service Standards You’ll experience more joy and reap the rewards of working relationships of integrity High Service Standards Assessment  Yes   No  I have a quarterly meeting with each client to identify how I can add value to my service I have a full ‘menu’ of all my services so that clients can see what is on offer I think for my clients, innovating ways that I can make their lives and work easier, and approach them with ideas I have established and published service standards that I guarantee to deliver, and I let a client know if I will be unable to deliver to those standards on a project well in advance I have clear and comprehensive charges for different work which I publish in advance for clients I upgrade in 3 ways whenever I lose a client or make a mistake I do work that is absolutely complete – nothing hangs over me and I focus on the present All phone messages are returned within 24 hours (or better, immediately they are heard) All emails are returned within 24 hours All client relationships and work done is 100% confidential – I never talk about clients without their permission I do my best I don’t take complaints personally – I upgrade, innovate and then let it go Do It! Make a list of all the ‘to’do’s that you have not done, and put aside as much time as you need to do ALL of these things, and any other unfinished stuff that is hanging over you. Then, make it a standard that you always finish what you are doing completely. You’ll be amazed at the amount of ‘mental hard drive space’ that was taken up by your past – and now you can focus on what’s happening today (which is where the real magic is). © Baillie and Friends Ltd

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