Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Not every business is the same and there are aspects that separate the winners from the losers, and the great from the average. These are things you want to pay attention to if you want your business to be exceptional. The following contributed post is entitled, Real World Examples Of Businesses Going The Extra Mile.
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Should you be a business owner, you will be familiar with the phrase ‘going the extra mile.’
When standing at a business conference, you will hear keynote speakers proclaiming it from the podium. When reading business blogs, you will be instructed to go the extra mile to make your business more successful. And when you’re paying attention to marketing ads, you will notice this common phrase within the pitches being offered to customers. “We go the extra mile” you will see or hear.
But what does it mean in reality? How can you relate the phrase ‘going the extra mile’ to your business?
To find out more, you need to consider real-world examples of businesses who have gone the extra mile. These are the businesses who put into practice what they preach.
They are the businesses who focus on quality
These are the businesses that are among the best in their field when it comes to quality of product.
We are thinking about companies such as Creative Motion Control who have innovated within the field of linear motion control products. They pride themselves on ‘delivering new game-changing motion control technologies,’ such as roller screw actuators that stand apart from the competitive technologies used by other businesses. They have gone the extra mile by creating products that are kinder to the environment, that have a longer life, and that have an unmatched performance when compared to others on the market.
In this example, going the extra mile refers to innovation, being better than the competition, and taking steps to protect the environment. It also refers to greater customer service as, by producing the best technnologies, customers can benefit greatly from an unrivalled product they can rely on.
They are the businesses who care about their customers
We all know that customer care is important, but some businesses go the extra mile that others wouldn’t consider. We have already alluded to this above, but we have other examples.
We are thinking about Pizza Hut who, after noticing a regular customer had gone MIA, actually called him to see if he was okay. They also sent him a ‘welcome back pizza’ to encourage his return custom. Then there is LG who discovered one of their younger customers had lost her phone after she shared the story on social media. Most companies wouldn’t bother themselves with such stories, but in this case, the higher-ups did a very honourable thing and sent her a brand new phone!
For these and similar stories of customer care, check out these customer service stories.
In these business examples, going the extra mile means surprising the customer, caring for the customer’s welfare, and taking steps to know more about the customers who buy their products.
Think about your experiences
Think about the customer service personnel you have encountered who have impressed you with their kindness, generosity, and professionalism.
Think about the products you have bought that have been better than those offered by the competition, and in some cases, innovated.
And think about those businesses that have impressed you for reasons not listed here. What did they do to meet your personal needs? And what did they do to exceed your expectations?
Going the extra mile can stand for innovation, ethical responsibility, and customer care. And it can stand for anything that you have noticed when you have been dealing with other businesses.
Finally
You don’t have to look far to find a business who has gone the extra mile, so think about our examples, think about your personal experiences, and then consider how you might relate what you have learned to your business.
How can you go the extra mile?
