Knowing The Difference Between Service Features And Benefits

When service providers respond to a request for proposal and are not selected, very often they believe it is because of price. The customer, they believe, always selects the low bidder.

However, according to Ron Segura, founder and president of Segura & Associates, a consulting company working with contract service providers, suggests that "very often the real reason is that the contractor did not provide the customer with enough information that sets them apart from the competition."

He says that the essence of the problem often comes down to the fact that many contractors do not understand the difference between a feature of their service and a benefit. The differences, according to Segura, are the following:

Features are facts about products or services. They tell the customer what the contractor can provide. Benefits explain how those features can help the customer, such as improve their lives or improve the appearance and health of their facility.

“When I first start working with a client, I go through their website," says Segura. "As soon as I see features listed, I ask them, 'How do those benefit the customer?' That's the question all contractors must ask themselves. This way they can turn a feature into a benefit.”

He provides the following examples:

Feature: We’ve been in business for 20 years.
How Does That Benefit the Customer?
Benefit: In those 20 years, we have encountered all types of situations and learned how to identify the cause of an issue, find a solution and implement the solution to prevent repetitive problems.

Feature: We use the latest cleaning technologies.
How Does That Benefit the Customer?
Benefit: Because we use the latest cleaning technologies, we can create a healthier environment, be more productive, and continually raise the level of service for our clients.

Feature: We use green and sustainable products.
How Does That Benefit the Customer?
Benefit: We are not only creating a healthier environment by using green-certified products and equipment, but also contributing to the customer's zero waste initiatives.

“It’s easy to bombard your customers with the features of your service,” says Segura. “But always remember, they want to know how those features will benefit them. This will help your company stand apart from the other companies being considered.”