I just got off the phone with the support arm of a large and well-known personal fitness company. That was after spending a good part of the morning involved in a Chat call with a support specialist working for the same company. Neither the call nor the Chat was particularly satisfying. In fact, both left me frustrated, angry, and upset.
That isn’t hard to understand. Especially, when you look at both events through the metaphor of reciprocal motion. That is a repetitive movement—up-and-down or back-and-forth.
All successful relationships can be viewed through the lens of reciprocal motion because most successful relationships involve some degree of give-and-take. This is particularly true of service relationships in which cash—or, resources of any kind—move in one direction and service delivery moves in the opposite direction. In other words, payment for services rendered moves in one direction while service of equal or greater value moves in the other or opposite direction. Successful service interactions require balance.
There are all kinds of things that can be experienced through this reciprocal pattern of movement. Things that can—and often will—increase or decrease the perception of value.
VALUE = the ability of a product or service to meet or exceed a customer’s wants, needs, and expectations — at a specific time. At a specific price.
Creating reasonable and realistic expectations is certainly one such example. Managing those expectations successfully—intelligently—is another. Creating a situation where the quality of service does not meet or exceed expectations—where it is not equal to or greater than that which is promised or implied—is guaranteed to destroy relationships and doom any interaction to almost certain failure. The only thing likely to grow in this kind of environment is buyer’s remorse.
BUYER’S REMORSE = regret or anxiety after making a purchase—generally, a large purchase—when the buyer is not convinced there is or was a better option.
The answer? If you are the service provider, know what is expected of you—what is promised—and then make every effort to over-deliver. If you are the consumer, know what you are buying—what you should expect and are entitled to. Do the work necessary to ensure the choice you made is the best choice based upon the best information available at the time.
Either way, recognize the movement for what it is. For what it is supposed to be! Cash (resources) to compensate for service. Service in lieu and as the result of payment received.
