Cats Don't Like Water.

Credit: Jean Hull

I think it’s safe to say that customers don’t like surprises. Exceeding expectations is a good thing, but it really shouldn’t fall into the “surprise” category. Go with me and concede that surprises are generally bad.

I got surprised a while back. I fell asleep on the sofa. When I awoke, I found the house dark and everyone in bed.

As I started to stir, I decided to visit the half bath in the hallway. I stumbled into the room and prepared to find my seat. The peaceful calm of the quiet, dark house was about to be shattered.

When I sat down, I discovered that our cat was taking a drink from the toilet. Why do they do that? I mean honestly, this cat has finer dishes than we do. Why would any animal that elects to use a litter box in private choose to drink out of a family toilet? Doesn’t that seem strange?

I sat down and knocked the cat into the toilet. Cats don’t like water, so he wanted out. There was only one problem. His exit was blocked!

I’m not able to tell this next part as fast as it happened. I experienced a rapid succession of textures and sensations. There was fur, movement, a splash and razor sharp claws in exactly that order.

I’m convinced that nobody has ever moved as fast as I did. I screamed at the top of my lungs as the wet and angry cat flew out of the bathroom. My wife shouted from upstairs and warned me about waking the neighbors. The kids, now grown and gone, wanted to know how their cat got wet. Nobody cared anything about me.

I got surprised! This was not what I expected when I stumbled into the room. The result was not at all what I had in mind. It was a surprise that hurt.

Now, turn this into a business. Do we let our clients get surprised? If we do, do they end up disappointed. Was there was some detail or issue that we’ve failed to explain. Do we allow them to get bitten in the dark?

We have a sacred role as salespeople. Most of us will agree that our competitor’s product is pretty much the same as ours. Real Estate agents compete for the same listings and show each other’s properties. Insurance professionals sell similar products and have to comply with identical regulations. The tax codes are the same for every accountant and attorney. And for us print folks…our world is a sea of details and promises. We have more opportunity and risk than most.

The reason a customer chooses you is you! It is your integrity, commitment and skill. They trust you and believe you’ll keep them from getting bit. It’s our job and the most significant value we bring to any client or prospect.

I take calls from people every week that have been surprised. They contact me frustrated and hope I can help them get the cart out of the ditch. Often, they have spent money only to be disappointed by a limitation or possible pitfall that wasn’t shared in the beginning. They ask me to suggest a source that can fix something someone else has broken.

We need to be mindful of this when we meet with our customers. We have the opportunity to deliver results to an informed and trusting client. Or we can end up apologizing and making excuses for the surprises that present themselves. The choice is ours. Which do you think the customer expects? Prevent surprises and you’ll be the go-to source.

I always end the cat story the same way. He quit drinking out of the toilet, and I never enter the bathroom without turning on the light. Once surprised, I learned to never do business in the dark. The cat didn’t enjoy his surprise either.

The preceding content was provided by a contributor unaffiliated with Printing Impressions. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of Printing Impressions.