Walton's 10 Rules of Business Success - Rule 8 - Exceed your customer's expectations.
It's funny, in the odd sort of way, when you read Sam Walton's 10 'Rules of Business Success,' how they line up with the theme of the posts on Walton on relating to common sense.
For example, here's his Rule No. 8, everybody pretty much hears this every day - he said it like this: "Exceed your customer's expectations. If you do they'll come back over and over. Give them what they want - and a little more. Let them know you appreciate them. Make good on all your mistakes - and don't make excuses - 
apologise. Stand behind everything you do. "Satisfaction Guaranteed" will make all the difference."
Obviously this is simple in its understanding but extremely difficult in its execution. I think a little hint in his words 'and a little more' are helpful. Have you ever seen someone that really tries to outperform and do great things for a customer? There's no way that anyone can go so far beyond what a customer wants that it could be done on a consistent basis without burning out.
When you really focus on it, the great majority of people are thrilled just to get what is promised, let alone something a little more than that.
The things he says are really true though. I've worked with big box stores that have all the same guarantees that Walton mentions here, and yet I've seen them make people jump through hoops to simply be taken care of in the promised way. This shouldn't be happening in any company.
What's the simple reality behind all the customer service problems? Usually it's focusing on trying to be too great to be a hero, rather than being a hero by taking care of all the little things, which in the end, are really what's important to the customer.
If businesses would do these simply, common sense things that Walton suggests, how many people would be thrilled to do business with you over and over again?
Give them what they want - and a little more.
Let them know you appreciate them.
Make good on all your mistakes -
and don't make excuses -
apologise.
Stand behind everything you do
All of these are very effective and work. Still we see over and over again the horror stories of terrible customer service and dissatisfaction every day. Knowing something is one thing, doing it is another. Why else would this be such a difficult way of doing business, when it's really the way you would treat any friend that you're trying to help out; which your customers should be to you?
Those that successfully execute the answer to that question will be huge winners. It's just a matter of ferocious commitment that you won't allow your people to ignore.
Sam Walton: 10 Rules for Building a Successful Business
Sam Walton - Retail Success Story
Sam Walton: King Of The Discounters
Sam Walton: Great From the Start
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