Recently I purchased my first Apple computer. It’s rapidly becoming my best inanimate companion. I expected that, because Apple is renowned for making top-quality products and they have a loyal and vocal consumer base, some of whom are my friends.
What I didn’t expect was this: when I wrote about my purchase on Facebook, people were so excited that they commented on my post at some length, and more than one friend called to congratulate me.
That got me thinking. How many people post on Facebook that they have just signed on with the Best Firm Ever? How often do people call to congratulate one another on their choice of lawyer, CPA, or consultant? Rarely. Probably never.
The important question, then, is what are we doing to become the Apple among our competitors? A few thoughts:
Price to value, not to cost. Apple buyers are confident that they are buying the market leader in quality, design, and innovation. They know before they walk into the store or click “buy” on the website that they’re paying top dollar. Apple does nothing in their advertising and marketing to disabuse consumers of that notion. Professional knowledge workers, on the other hand, generally can’t tell buyers the price of their services until after the fact. They often discount their prices before the buyer ever begins to negotiate. Why? (For more in pricing to value, visit the visionaries at VeraSage Institute, www.verasage.com).
Do what you promise. Along with innovation, design, and quality of product, Apple promises great service after the sale. They deliver. Team members are knowledgeable, helpful, and polite. My services were completed exactly when I was told they would be. Apple was always there when I needed help. In contrast, clients of professional knowledge workers complain regularly that their service providers charge high rates for inexperienced people and fail to do something as simple as return phone calls promptly.
Make it easy to buy your services. Walk into an Apple store and you will see product samples beautifully displayed, ready to be test-driven. Sales people know every product inside and out. In the rare instance that they don’t, they have immediate access to a more experienced sales team member. Many clients (and perhaps employees) of professional knowledge firms don’t even know what services their firms provide. Listing your services on your website is not enough. Be sure all of your team members are educated about every service so they can discuss them with clients. In-depth knowledge is not crucial, but certainly the ability to introduce a client to another professional in the firm is vital to growth.
Operate as a team. If there was competitiveness among Apple employees, I did not notice it, and I worked with several in the process of making my purchase. All team members had ready access to my information, which was entered into their database as I stood there. Every team member knew the history of my purchase and the service received to date. Equally important, they were openly helpful, friendly, and courteous -- not just to me, but to each other. They genuinely seemed happy to be working with each other and with Apple.
Set up your customers for their next purchase from you. The only way to do this is by following the advice above. Nobody at Apple suggested that I buy an iPad, but there is no question that there’s one in my future. Why? Because Apple is Apple, and they do all the things noted here as a matter of course. So it’s perfectly logical that it’s a matter of when, not if, I buy a second product.
Invest in thinking about the future, not just reacting to the present. Apple is the market leader in innovation and creativity because they spend time, money, and intellectual effort on it. Step away from your billable hour mindset and study your firm. Are your work processes working? Is your firm creating value for clients? Are you building long-term relationships, internally and externally? Are you preparing for tomorrow’s challenges and opportunities? You can bet Apple is.
