{"id":32003,"date":"2019-09-11T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-09-11T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hyken.com\/that-something-extra-you-offer-to-make-customers-love-you\/"},"modified":"2024-01-18T19:19:39","modified_gmt":"2024-01-18T19:19:39","slug":"something-extra-you-offer-make-customers-love-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hyken.com\/customer-service-strategies\/something-extra-you-offer-make-customers-love-you\/","title":{"rendered":"That \u201cSomething Extra\u201d You Offer to Make Customers Love You"},"content":{"rendered":"\"That<\/a>In the realm of business\u2014and especially customer service\u2014we often talk about how to differentiate yourself from your competition. It\u2019s those companies that manage to stand out from the crowd that end up being successful. When I work with companies, I urge them to find what makes them unique and use it as a competitive advantage<\/a>. It\u2019s always a treat when I meet people who not only agree with my philosophies but take them a step further. That\u2019s where Rodney Gaddis comes in.\r\n\r\nI met Rodney at a conference where I was speaking about customer service. Rodney is in the very competitive field of lawn care as a Spring-Green franchisee, and he\u2019s very successful. I asked him to share a little wisdom about his success and he immediately responded with the following:\r\n\r\nAnyone can make a grilled cheese sandwich, but can they make it like your grandmother?<\/em>\r\n\r\nI smiled when he shared that witty nugget of wisdom. I knew exactly what he meant. Anyone can do what we do, so what do we do to make it special or maybe a little different so we stand out?\r\n\r\nAlmost all business is competitive<\/a> in that most of us, and the organizations we work for, sell something that our customers can most likely buy from someone else. In some cases, the business sells a commodity. There is little, if any, differentiation from one company to the next. Often, the customer chooses one company over another because of their relationship with the salespeople or employees. Or, it may be that one store is more convenient than the other. And of course, price often plays a role in this \u201cnatural selection\u201d as well. Despite all promising more or less the same thing, there will be differences between companies.\r\n\r\nFor instance, Rodney competes with national companies, such as TruGreen, in addition to many local competitors. They all promise their customers a lush green lawn green devoid of weeds. But Rodney not only gets the business, he keeps the business, as evidenced by one of the lowest customer defection numbers in the industry.\r\n\r\nHis competition may be able to do a comparable job, but as Rodney says, anyone can make a grilled cheese sandwich. When you add the extras, like butter, salt and pepper, and even a little love\u2026 well, that\u2019s what makes you stand out. Rodney stands out because he puts those \u201cextras\u201d into what he does every day. It\u2019s about more than just doing a great job. It\u2019s about the passion and love he puts into his profession. His customers can feel that. That\u2019s what makes Rodney stand out to them over the competition. That\u2019s what makes the grilled cheese\u2026 as good as your grandmother\u2019s.\r\n\r\n