Most of us include some variation of the words "we will exceed your expectations" in our client communications. It sounds good - and is a great promise to make - but all too often it is a cxhallenge to execute.

That's why I want to share this brief story with you. Earlier this week  I ordered imprinted envelopes from our local PIP Printers  in NJ. They sent me the draft version, which I approved. About an hour later I had a call from the owner asking for a jpeg of our logo. He explained that he thought the envelopes didn't look 'crisp' enough. After I e-mailed the logo he immediately sent me a new draft PDF, explaining, "Our previous product did not meet up to our standards. Please review this version and let me know if you approve."

In truth, the newer version was an improvement. I was pretty surprised - and my expectations were indeed exceeded - because the owner had, on his own, determined the envelopes were not of a high enough quality.  I had not complained; he made this determination on his own. He was concerned, proactive, and interested in getting his customer the best possible results.

I am not sure how often you have the chance to go beyond the clients' expectations to deliver services that meet your own high standards, but this was a great reminder for me of the importance of constantly raising the bar.