Well, the first pitch has been thrown. Baseball season officially has begun, which means spring is finally and mercifully here.
During the 2010 season, pay close attention to the relief pitchers, craftsmen of their trade and dedicated on-the-mound problem solvers.
Like the best relievers in the game, a winning service business needs to view client problems as opportunities, a chance to demonstrate why you are in the business you are in, why you feel called to do what you do in the first place and why you are driven to succeed and protect your reputation no matter the cost.
The truth is your clients will likely remember more how you solved a problem than how you successfully landed them on the front page. This solving effort has been called a lot of things in business, starting with the save, an apt description, especially when thinking of the baseball analogy.
The key to taking this from a bases-loaded situation to a no-runs outcome is recognizing what a relief pitcher does when faced with a similar predicament.
The best reliever remains calm and leans on his teammates. He talks over the challenge with his catcher and pitching coach before heading to the mound.
He has a game plan. He stays focused and does not give up. He pictures in his mind the final result and knows the responsbility rests mainly on his shoulders. He recognizes the save is not complete until every batter has flyed out, struck out or grounded out.
All of the above is needed when solving a threatening client issue. When you do it right, you will remind your client they made the best decision they could possibly make when they hired you. They will see you as the pro you are and will respect you even more. And they will tell others the story of how you saved the “game” and threw your share of strikes.
When was the last time you took a client problem and got a save? What did you do to address this potential dint in your reputation and turn into a reputation builder?
