#14: Can Overdelivery Still Cause Trust Leaks?

Many businesses use the word “Overdeliver” loosely.

They claim they always overdeliver for their audience.

They use that as a differentiator from competitors.

But is it possible that the “overdelivery” gets perceived differently…

And turns into trust leaks?

Can a gesture of service become a source of unhappiness?

100%.

It’s totally possible because of 1 thing: Misaligned expectations.

Overdelivery may help to retain the people you serve.

Because it’s a sign of care, commitment, and passion for the work you do.

People who can’t be bothered won’t overdeliver.

Because they’re focused on extraction rather than service.

But here’s the nuance you need to know:

Even when a person truly cares…

Poor framing of the overdelivery situation can change the audience perception.

For example…

A LIVE online event is scheduled to end in 3 hours.

The speaker continued speaking for more than 3 hours.

He ended the session in 4 hours.

To him, giving the audience 1 hour more is overdelivery.

But a segment of the audience thinks otherwise.

People protested.

They claimed that the registration page stated it was to end in 3 hours.

They felt the speaker disrespected their time.

Part of the reason is this: They wanted to stay.

They didn’t want to miss out by leaving.

But due to the event extending…

And they had other commitments on schedule…

They were unable to complete the event.

They had to leave.

To make matters worse…

The way the support team handled the protests left a bitter taste in people’s mouths.

Mine included.

The support team told the audience that whoever wanted to leave could do so.

They urged the audience to buy the recordings of the event.

But the recordings will only be available after the 3-day event ends.

Some people felt the response was condescending.

Because they felt unseen, unheard, and misunderstood.

The support team didn’t get it.

People were upset because of misaligned expectations.

They expected to have all the tips and tricks by 3 hours.

Yet, the speaker began the critical parts of the presentation in the third hour.

The first hour was spent discussing his story, background, and achievements.

So he could gain credibility and authority.

The event's marketing said it's a hands-on implementation event.

We were supposed to complete the tasks together at the event.

When the support team asked people to buy the recordings and watch on their own…

It signals incongruence.
Incongruence and inconsistency are trust leaks.

When people purchase the recordings and get them after the event ends…

The component of “LIVE hands-on implementation” is already gone.

Some people sacrificed sleep to attend this event.

That already signals their commitment.

However…

Dismissing their concerns…

Asking them to leave…

Suggesting that they purchase the replays…

They are all trust leaks.

A business can claim they’ve overdelivered.

But the audience's perception of the "overdelivery" is more important.

Because businesses don’t fill their own wallets.

What the audience thinks carries more weight.

The whole experience could have been much better if they had set clear expectations.

Congruence in what they say and do would have created more trust.

Otherwise, it felt like a “bait & switch”.

It felt like manipulation.

Trust + Meaning = Retention

Misaligned expectations = Loss of trust = Loss of retention.

Situations like these tend to happen when the business focuses on Profits > People…

The audience may be just a statistic, a number, or a dollar sign to them.

When people leave…

They think they can easily acquire another one.

Promises could be more aligned with their behaviors.

Accurate expectations could have been created.

So precious leads won’t be lost unnecessarily.

Overdelivery only takes place when it’s perceived by the audience.

Overdelivery only starts when the main promises are fulfilled.

Then anything provided as an extra counts as overdelivery.

Overdelivery = Fulfilling basic promises + Value add.

If the core expectations aren’t even met…

The “Overdelivery” is simply a trust leak that leads to people leaving quietly.

- Herek