I recently returned from working in Singapore with a client in the chemical dye industry. I was there for a week in early November, and I was struck by two things…first, the cleanliness of the city. It was absolutely spotless. I couldn’t find trash in the street, parks, buildings or anywhere. Everyone puts trash in the trash receptacles. What a concept!

The second thing that struck me was the service attitude of the Singaporean people. It’s an attitude of delivering exceptional service way beyond expectations. For example, I took a cab from the client’s office to the hotel. The cab driver missed a turn and had to go around the block, so he knocked a dollar off the fare. Again, what a concept!

All I could think about is how each scenario would be played out in the United States. You don’t need me to explain the difference to you, right? The bottom line is it’s all about ATTITUDE and PRIDE.

The attitude of the people in Singapore is exceptional, and they take pride in their job-whether it’s as a trash collector (by the way, their trash trucks look brand-new and even their cover-alls are clean), a waiter, cab driver, concierge or manager. It’s a culture of pride and respect.

As sales professionals we talk about “differentiation” and “positioning.” Whenever anyone tells me in the future about an experience of exceptional service or cleanliness, I will immediately think of Singapore because it will have my top-of-mind awareness. What do you do as a sales professional to position you as “top-of-mind” when your clients think about your product or service? Do you give exceptional service, or are you “too busy” to go the extra mile for your clients?

I recently had a client tell me that it was “refreshing” to have a sales rep who “does what they say they will do.” I was shocked! It’s sad that just doing what I promise will position me ahead of my competition, but at the same time, what an opportunity for me, huh? It’s all about attitude and pride. What makes you exceptional and top of mind to your clients … you are, aren’t you?

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