How to Manage Customer Expectations

Recently, a team of four students and I have been working to help a local coffee shop overcome their stubborn writer's block. It was hard at first; the coffee shop is understaffed and there's only so much that can be done within the span of a single day. But now it's easy: our regulars know not to expect any new flavors or exciting additions to their drinks, but they still come back for one thing: consistency.

Customer expectations are tricky, especially with so many competitors soliciting us every day. We can't always deliver the perfect product and at the same time meet our customers' demands.

But on top of that, isn't it hard to actually understand what customers want? What they expect. What they need? How are you supposed to know if something is missing when you're trying to please so many people, let alone each of them individually?

My goal here is not to give advice on how to manage customer expectations, but rather on how NOT to manage them. I will lay out six different mistakes that teams make with regard to their customer's expectations and how not responding in any way might get it right for you.

#1 – Expectation: A series of updates on the project's status

Keeping your customers up-to-date is so important. If they feel left in the dark, they will revolt! I'm a huge supporter of transparency and actively trying to bring more information to customers that haven't asked for it. But then you have to acknowledge when a customer doesn't want any more information.

How to Manage Expectations: Responding with updates on your progress is fine, but if they're only interested in once-weekly updates maximum, don't send them as many as you would your other customers. If a customer is expecting to get updates, respond with as many deliverables as possible. But don't over do it.

#2 – Expectation: New ideas for bringing in new customers

Just ask yourself "is this idea going to bring us any new customers?" And remember, keep in mind that the audience for this blog isn't the men who like to "hit the after party" but those who want no part of it. So asking for ideas on how to get more men into your cafe or bar is just not worth it. It's too much work and won't bring you any new customers from those annoying groups that are always out of place at your bar during happy hour.

How to Manage Expectations: Think of all the ideas you already have and run with them. And if they're not too painful, actually follow through on at least one of them.

#3 – Expectation: A strong social media presence

You don't need a huge presence in social media's to win over customers (our little coffee shop has 27 followers on Instagram). But it is nice to have a presence. You can work your way up from there but one thing you're not doing is hiring someone full time for social media. It's not realistic and it would ultimately stress you out.

How to Manage Expectations: If you have a "social media guy/girl" who can update your social media accounts multiple times per day, you're overdoing it. Remember, less is more. And here's another tip: if you don't know what you're doing with social media, or don't like the idea of it, just go with Instagram and make sure that the first picture of your account is something eye catching and interesting. If a customer or potential customer scrolls past it and doesn't stop to look at it then you've lost that sale.

#4 – Expectation: A successful launch of our service

There's no such thing as a perfect launch. If you have a solid product with a great team behind it, you'll be fine. If not, then you might need to start over. The idea of a perfect launch is just that: an idea. It's not something I encourage anyone to strive for unless they have the right backing and support.

How to Manage Expectations: Be realistic. Don't go for a launch that is perfect; go for something that you can be proud of and will satisfy your customers. And remember, it's also not wise to try and launch something you don't fully understand yourself since it will end up costing you more money in the long run.

#5 – Expectation: Constant communication

It just doesn't make sense to manage the expectations of your customers once or twice a week when they're expecting constant communication with you all the time. If you're already spending so much time talking to your customers, why are you posting on social media?

How to Manage Expectations: Don't be afraid to spend a little more time talking to your customers if they feel that they're not getting enough communication. But also don't feel bad if they want more communication with you when you're already occupied with other things.

#6 – Expectation: Constant change when nothing is broken.

As a writer and editor myself, I'm guilty of this one too often. I'm constantly disheartened by what I write and then try and fix it or get rid of it altogether without realizing that my work has never been as good as it is now. I've worked hard to get here and I've gotten a lot better; I should be happy with that.

How to Manage Expectations: When your customers think you're not making enough changes, remind them how good things already are. Thank them for their suggestions and praise them for their honesty but don't let negative criticism get you down. If your business is still doing well and you're happy with its current state, why try to fix something that isn't broken?

Anything else? What is your philosophy on managing customer expectations? Leave a comment below! 🙂

Featured image from here. Picture taken from here. Other images by Coffee Startups' own photographer Nina Blanchfield.

Conclusion

Customer expectations are something that we should all be aware of when it comes to running a business. But I would advise you to take this article with a grain of salt, as it isn't good practice to manage your customer's expectations in the ways described above. Always do what you think is best for your business and don't let customers tell you how to run your company! ~Rebecca

How to Manage Customer Expectations

How to Manage Customer Expectations

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