Bringing value to your customers should always be the focus of your business and is usually one of the top reasons why your customer returns. Value can mean different things to different people. In the dictionary three definitions of value include the following:

• “The regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something.” An example would be, “The ideas you shared are of great value to our company.”

• “A person’s principles or standards of behavior; one’s judgment of what is important in life.” An example would be, “Our life experiences contribute to our values and may change throughout our lives.”

• “Consider (someone or something) to be important or beneficial; have a high opinion of.” An example would be, “We truly value your responsiveness to our business needs and the ability to take charge with any project we turnover.”

There are many characteristics that can make up value, so every now and then it’s good for us to step back and review the value we are bringing to our customers and determine whether there are new ways we can increase our current value. We may take these for granted, but taking the following steps can be a powerful way of ensuring you continue to be a resource for your customers. My top five thoughts for evaluating whether you bring customer value include the following elements:

1. Simplification through communication – are you communicating regularly and providing ideas in advance of the need? Maybe consider an annual or semi-annual meeting to discuss their goals and objectives for the year or offer to develop a marketing plan for their business.

2. Reducing anxiety – are you easing their workload by delivering quality projects and products on time, error free and within their budget? Ask them if they have something planned for the near future that you can help them prepare for.

3. Sharing trendy and industry-related news – are you continuing to learn about new products and services you can offer and that they can integrate into their business? Sharing new ideas or an article of interest to their business can be beneficial for both parties.

4. Providing quality – are you delivering on your promises and providing quality products and solutions that help them meet their goals and build the loyalty they need from their customers? Have you vetted the recommendations in advance so they receive the quality they expect?

5. Integrating technology – are you providing your contacts with easy, simple processes, whether it is to order new products online, contact you for additional information or ensure smooth delivery of goods? Are you easily reachable and can they rely on you to handle it all?

By placing value on what we do and how we respond, we can continue to grow our business and leave a lasting impression with others. By planning ahead and identifying their needs, you can help them save time and money, and in turn they will be thrilled to refer new business because of the value you bring to them.