The Importance of Under Promise and Over Deliver

Under promise and over deliver helps you to keep your commitment and build integrity in the environment you live and work in. 

A hardware/building supply store sells used railroad cross ties for landscaping purposes. The company they buy from is in another state and there are many factors that can hinder a delivery between the starting and ending point. 

When an order is called in the cross tie company will always say it is a two week lead time. This means that it can take up to two weeks to get the truck to the buyer. 

The cross tie company uses the principle of under promise and over deliver because most times the delivery comes within 7 days.  On occasion it will be 10 days.  

Commitment is a two way trust building characteristic of a person and a company.  

First, when you under promise something this give you time to be sure that if this go wrong you still have time to correct it and keep the promise. 

Second, when you deliver on time or over deliver the receiving party says this person or company keeps their commitments.  

This will produce a reputation of...

"This person does what he says, you can count on him!"

Integrity seems to have been lost in many areas of life. Therefore when you see it in a person or company it can have a great impact on how you react to its' presents. 

Integrity has been defined as doing what is right even when no one is looking.  

This will translate in you doing what is right when people are looking. And people are looking all the time, you just may not see it... but they are watching. 

Learning the art of under promise and over deliver with integrity can send a message that you are not just spouting out words.  But, it will convey sincerity, concern and truthfulness that you will keep your commitment.

Then when you do over deliver the customer response will help to send more customers your way.    

to your success

Baxter Cribbs