SMG_SoBM_Vol 26_Issue_1

Setting boundaries with customers isn’t about

Early customers tend to arrive when your processes are loose, and your offering is still evolving. That makes customization easy — and tempting. You adjust timelines, add features, tweak workflows, and handle edge cases manually because you can. The problem is that these accommodations often become invisible commitments: • Custom features/products that only one customer uses • Support expectations that bypass normal channels • Delivery timelines that depend on heroic effort As long as volume is low, this works. When growth begins, those exceptions multiply, and suddenly your team is supporting many versions of “normal.” Growth doesn’t expose bad intentions. It exposes undefined boundaries.

Many leaders worry that boundaries will frustrate customers. In reality, unclear boundaries create inconsistency — and inconsistency erodes trust.

Customers want to know: • What they can expect • What is included • How issues are handled • Where flexibility exists and where it doesn’t Clear boundaries reduce surprises. They allow you to deliver reliably, communicate confidently, and scale service without lowering quality. Good boundaries are not walls; they are guardrails. Before growth accelerates, every business should define boundaries in three areas.

at the

Inntertwined Wedding Showcase Enjoy light refreshments while browsing a variety of local vendors eager to help plan your Happily Ever After!

being rigid or unhelpful. It’s about building a business that can grow without breaking

Local vendors looking to partner with us for this event can contact Don at 902-897-8000

MAY

16

SATURDAY

12-4pm

Call Jill at 902-897-8007 for more information about the show, Catering and Events! Come Dine with us at Bistro on Prince! Monday-Saturday 5-9pm 437 Prince St. Truro, NS $5 Admission at the door

58 SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • VOL 26 ISSUE 1

BUSINESS • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE 59

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