30 Years, Hundreds of Partners: What I’ve Learned About Exceptional Service
A good service provider is more than just a vendor; they are a partner who treats your success as their own. At the end of the day, technology-enabled services are delivered by people to people. While technical competence is the “entry fee” to a partnership, certain qualities distinguish a top-tier provider.
I’ve partnered with hundreds of customers and vendors over my thirty-year career in digital marketing and advertising. Here are the characteristics I’ve found that transform a service provider into an exceptional partner:
Predictable Communication: They are easy to reach over the channels you prefer and respond within a consistent timeframe. You never have to wonder if your message was received.
Proactive Transparency: Delays or glitches in technology are unavoidable. Exceptional partners provide updates on potential issues before they become emergencies. Proactivity is table stakes.
Integrity with Time: They value your time as much as their own, treating agreed-upon deadlines as firm promises rather than suggestions.
Extreme Ownership: When, not if, a mistake happens, they own it immediately. They come to the table with a solution, not an excuse.
Strategic Initiative: They don’t simply follow instructions. They use their expertise to suggest more efficient and effective ways to achieve your goals, often seeing obstacles you might have missed.
