The guarantee of success is music to our ears. That is what every customer, company and employee wants. We want security in our jobs. We want to know the products we buy will do as they promise – make us more money, make us more fit, make us more beautiful, etc.
Guarantees meet our need for reducing perceived risk. We have all been burned. We have all experienced unmet expectations. Thus, our guard goes up.
I can remember years ago when my wife and I were seduced into one of those typical honeymoon events – a timeshare presentation. Why not? We were in high spirits, our guard was down and everything was just a good time.
We were definitely entertained. It was salesmanship from the get go. There were multiple hand-offs between the street salesman to the breakfast reception to the keynote speaker. The experience was one giant show. The emotions and pressure were high. Promises were made and we bought. We bought what we thought were years of good times and a return on a small investment.
What we did was sign a guarantee. A guarantee that was for the timeshare company’s success, not ours. I learned a multi-thousand dollar business lesson and the education has served me well since then.
Now, no doubt, there are plenty of good timeshare companies out there making good on what they commit to. I happened to get the short end of the stick in my naivete and emotion in the moment. I was looking for a guarantee of happiness, comfort and a dream. In and of itself, these are good things. Whether a business delivers on it or not is another thing altogether.
I have also had great experiences with companies that give me a guarantee and then they do deliver. Everyone wins. The cost felt less risky because of the guarantee I saw delivered firsthand to help me get what I want.
As a customer, I want to feel confidence from who I buy from. I want to know they have conviction, believe they are the best and deliver. I want to know that when failure happens, they step to the plate and do two things: 1) say sorry and 2) make it right.
In business consulting, it is rigorous and hard work to put together the systems and approach to give guarantees to our customers. However, all the hard work has allowed us to have convictions and guarantees which we stand behind. If our clients apply what we implement, then they will see more sales. They will experience stronger customer relationships, and they will become more productive. It’s a guarantee.
If you want to win in the game of business and in life, dare to guarantee what you deliver. If you are having trouble doing this, then something is broken, likely your confidence that you can deliver. Tell your customers about your guarantee. Tell your friends. Let them know what you stand for and are committed to. That is what great brands and great people do. They commit, and they deliver in the midst of challenges. May you achieve higher levels of success because of your ability to guarantee results.
