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Managers Exceeding Customer Expectations

Knowing what Clients and Vendors Expect From Business Management

Aug 21, 2009 Jennifer Harshman

Whether new on the job or experienced, successful managers must know, meet, and exceed the expectations of customers- both clients and vendors. Deliver what they want.

Successful job-seekers will be prepared when starting a new job as a manager. The first step to being prepared is knowing what will be expected of them in that role.

This article addresses meeting customer expectations, as well as the expectations vendors have of managers. Other articles in this series address the expectations of others. To read those articles, click the desired role: superiors, coworkers, employees.

Managers Who Don’t Meet the Expectations of Customers Do Meet Trouble

Customers expect certain things of business managers. Some common customer expectations:

quality product or service
prompt delivery of that product or service
courteous service and interactions with the company’s representatives
hassle-free transactions
satisfaction when a problem arises

To have satisfied customers, a manager must meet or exceed customer expectations. This requires being aware of the expectations a customer has. Without this knowledge, it will be difficult or impossible to meet and exceed those expectations.

If expectations are not met, the customer will perceive the manager’s performance as inadequate and her actions as insufficient. Even if she tries to provide good customer service, the customer may tell a different story and damage the manager's business. Complicating all of this is the fact that, oftentimes, the customer doesn’t even know what his expectations are.

Disappointing a Vendor is Not Good for Business, or Be Nice to the FedEx Guy

Few people realize that vendors also have expectations regarding the managers of businesses. Fewer still realize that having a good relationship with vendors can be critical to their success. Vendors are the lifeblood of a business. Without these suppliers, business would grind to a halt. Any of these people (and more) may be considered to be a company’s vendors

the main suppliers of materials
the IT technician
delivery persons (such as the Fed Ex employee)
the printer
the company’s freelance writer/editor
the coffee service.

Vendors are varied, but they all have basic expectations of managers. Reasonable expectations include expecting the manager to be on top of things such as the vendor’s invoices and other paperwork, and the flow of business. Suppliers must be paid. Drivers want to be able to make their deliveries smoothly. Vendors expect managers to prevent any issues, and when there is a difficulty that a front-line employee caused or cannot handle, vendors expect the manager to correct the problem immediately and assure that it doesn’t occur in the future.

Success in management begins with preparation; the first step is knowing what is expected, including what is expected of the manager and what the manager can expect of employees. Meeting and exceeding the expectations customers and vendors have is crucial to job success.

The copyright of the article Managers Exceeding Customer Expectations in Business Management is owned by Jennifer Harshman. Permission to republish Managers Exceeding Customer Expectations in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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