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“Well, I’ve never heard of any of these before, so I’m glad I found you,” said no one ever. If you don’t genuinely care, fail to put your customers first, miss the mark on delivering results, or fall short on trustworthiness, you shouldn’t be in business. Overused statements like “we care” or “we put clients first” — no matter how much you believe them — won’t make you stand out. I’m guilty of using one of these quite a bit myself: “we care.” But recently, I asked myself: Would a potential client ever hear another provider admit they don’t care? Of course not. So, does “IT Care” truly tell our story, reflect our approach, or communicate the value we strive to bring? No, it doesn’t. At least, not on its own.
WHAT IS YOUR SECRET SAUCE?
What truly sets you apart? A few months ago, I set out on a journey to answer these questions deeply. I’m sharing that journey now, hoping it inspires you to dig deep and uncover what makes you genuinely unique.
YOU THINK YOU KNOW?
So, where did I start? The best place to begin with anything is by admitting, “We don’t have all the answers—and when we think we do, there’s a 50% chance we’re wrong.” I recently came across an excellent article that dives into this glitch: Hidden Bias in Decisions. It emphasizes the importance of seeking answers not from within but from the outside. So, I turned to our clients and asked a bunch of them, “What makes us special?” Their answers were eye-opening—much more specific than I anticipated. Along the way, I also gathered valuable insights on areas where we can improve. Start with your existing clients. Ask them. Let them tell you where you shine and where you could put more energy to do even better.
TIME TO PUT IT INTO WORDS
When you start noticing a pattern in the answers you receive, that’s when the real work begins. For us—and to my surprise—communication emerged as the top reason our clients valued our partnership, closely followed by speed and reliability. Reflecting on the stories our clients shared, I realized their experiences illustrate how we demonstrate genuine care. The right way to communicate what makes us special is by focusing on these specifics and allowing “we care” to naturally shine through.
In other words, it’s far clearer when I say: “To truly understand you and your needs, and to resolve your issues quickly and effectively, we actively listen. To ease your burden and simplify your experience, we communicate in plain English. We know firsthand the frustration of being locked out of tech and waiting endlessly for help—like the ‘Internet provider technician’ to show up—so when it’s within our control, you can count on us to respond quickly and deliver the help you need.”
This is who we are, and this is what we stand by when we say IT Care for our clients.
NEED A FORMULA?
If you’re looking to create a concise and impactful way to describe your value proposition, here’s a useful format to consider: “75% of companies/people who invest in [our type of offering] fall short of receiving what they expect because [drawback everyone knows about, but no one wants to admit]. I overcome this with [concrete service differentiation], ensuring you get the results you rightfully deserve from your investment.”
You deliver far more than what words like results, quality, and care can convey. So, check your clients’ pulse regularly, refine and align where necessary, and take pride in highlighting the areas where you truly shine.
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