The expression "trusted advisor" has been tossed around by a lot of business people to the point where it has almost become a cliche. People use the phrase as a point of differentiation, for example, "....what makes us different is that we're trusted advisors to our clients," but they don't always think about what clients expect from one.

 

I've been thinking a lot about this recently because two such "trusted advisors" who work with my company made significant errors that have taken an enormous amount of time and effort to reverse. What has been most disappointing is that the people assigned to solve the problems aren't engaged in the resolution; they're just going through the motions.

 

Here is where the disconnect occurs: the seller of a service artfully talks about trusted advisor, while the people who actually service your business don't know what this means to you.

 

If trusted advisor is part of your positioning, here are several suggestions:

Clarity can lead to new insights. You'll reap the benefit by not just knowing what your clients expect, but by providing service that aligns with their expectations.

 

Have a great week! 

 

 

Copyright 2009 Lisa M. Aldisert

 

 

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