Somewhere, on a thousand corporate websites, a thousand companies proudly proclaim: "We strive to exceed your expectations!"
It sounds noble. Aspirational. Like a company full of overachievers just waiting to shower you with unexpected delights.
Except... it's a lie.
Not because they don’t try, but because striving to exceed expectations is a fundamentally broken strategy. And worse—it’s probably costing you work.
Let’s break this down.
Surprises are for Birthdays, Not Business
Imagine you’re shopping for a car. You compare features, prices, and warranties. You choose a model that checks all your boxes, sign the paperwork, and drive off the lot. A week later, a friend shows up at your house with the same car, bought from a competitive dealer you had also visited. Imagine how you feel when they tell you "Oh, by the way, that dealer threw in a premium sound system for free! They had a special all month I didn't even know about until we drove off."
Nice, right? Maybe for your friend. But not for you. Would that surprise have changed your purchase decision? Probably! — but you didn’t know about it, so how could it?
Now imagine if the dealership had told you upfront: "We include a premium sound system standard, while our competitors charge extra." That could have changed everything. They would have earned your business! Instead, you went across town to a competitor.
This is what most companies get wrong. If you're delivering value that clients don’t know about before they hire you, you're wasting it.
How Elevating Expectations Wins You Work
Let’s talk about reality: buyers choose based on what they expect, not what you secretly plan to exceed.
Think about a client evaluating proposals from three firms. Two firms promise solid, dependable service at a fair price. The third? They boldly set a higher bar—not just in their deliverables, but in their approach:
- “We don’t just complete projects—we build processes that make future work easier for you.”
- “Our team isn’t just highly skilled—we proactively train your internal staff so you get lasting value.”
- “We guarantee response times within four hours because your time matters.”
The first two firms may have planned to do some of this anyway, but the client couldn’t factor it in because they didn't say it. The third firm? They just elevated expectations—and probably justified a higher price doing it.
Clients don’t want to be “wowed” after the deal is done; they want to be confident in their decision before they sign.
The Follow-Through: Nailing What You Promised
Now, let’s be clear—this isn’t about overpromising and praying you can deliver. This is about precision.
Once you’ve set a high bar, you need to hit it with ruthless consistency—not just for one project or one client, but every single time. That’s how expectations turn into a brand reputation.
Here’s where most firms slip: they chase moments of overperformance instead of building systems of excellence. They swing for the fences when they should be refining their mechanics.
High-performing firms don’t “wow” their clients randomly. They make “wow” the baseline.
The Secret Weapon: Measuring and Pushing Farther
Here’s the kicker: even when you think you’ve dialed in the perfect experience, you must measure if you’re still ahead of the curve.
- Use client feedback obsessively to ensure your elevated expectations still hold weight.
- If clients say you exceeded expectations, don't celebrate—push further. That means you’re still undervaluing what you bring to the table.
- Look for patterns in feedback. Where is your team innovating? What unexpected value keeps coming up? That’s your next expectation to elevate.
And remember—raising the bar isn’t just about luxury service. It can come from:
- Impeccable logistics and delivery.
- Clarity and transparency in process.
- Warmth, empathy, and ease of doing business.
- Cutting-edge technical innovation.
Expectations don’t have to be exceeded if they’re already elevated. And when you elevate expectations beyond your competition, you'll win more, for a higher fee. This financial success not only brings in more ideal clients and satisfying work, but helps you attract and retain key talent by offering meaningful work from appreciative clients while being able to pay top of market wages afforded by your premium fees. It's a virtuous cycle of continuously improving the clients' experience and the health of your services firm.
The Bottom Line
Companies that “strive to exceed expectations” are setting themselves up for failure. They’re hoping their clients will be pleasantly surprised instead of deliberately confident in choosing them.
If you want to win more work—especially at a premium price—stop wasting wins. Elevate expectations before the deal is done. Then, execute with precision and measure relentlessly.
And for the love of all things reasonable, go check your website. If you find "We strive to exceed expectations" anywhere on it… you know what to do.
