It’s Monday morning and you’re ready to begin your week. Question: what is your client service goal for this week? Do you plan on doing anything differently or just coast through what you normally do? If you have no plan to do something more or different than what you normally do, don’t be surprised when your competition takes your client. How? Why?

When you first began working with your clients, you established a “normal” that was good for the moment. However, over time, your “normal” has grown stale by now. Your clients have become accustomed to your “normal” and are increasingly receptive to a provider who is willing to move the bar above your “normal.” Are you going to wait until they tell you they found another provider to act?

Don’t settle for the comfortable “normal!” You have to raise the bar on yourself voluntarily and find new and different ways to serve. It’s what true professionals do. That way you continue to wow your clients and make it nearly impossible for your competition to even get a sniff of interest from them.

So what could you do?

Admit it—you aren’t a perfect service provider all the time in all ways. There are things you do or don’t do that bug them. You may even know how your “normal” is insufficient, like being late with promises, or only thinking of them when they call you, or not asking about their business aspirations and goals. But the real answer lies with them—ask them for one way you could improve on your service to them. Eventually they will tell you.

Clients want to know their providers care. Anything you do that demonstrates that their business matters to you goes a long way. It opens doors for other needs they may not even know they have or should care about.

This week, determine to do something different with your clients. It doesn’t have to be large, just more than your “normal.” Do it now.