Why the Client Experience IS the Product

Stop Competing on the Quality of Your Work

As professionals, we believe we’re being judged on the quality of our work.

But we’re not.

We’re being judged on the quality of the human exchange and what Paddy Lund calls the “critical non-essentials.”

I like to use the “dentist test” to explain this.

If I ask you, “How good is your dentist?” you’ll probably say, “Pretty good!”

And then I’ll ask, “How do you know?”

That’s when things get interesting.

Because here’s the truth: you don’t know. Unless you’re a dentist yourself, you have no idea whether that crown or filling was technically excellent or barely passable.

If I took your mouth and the work your dentist did, and showed it to a dental professor—what grade would they give it?

You have no clue.

We assume technical excellence, but we have no way to measure it.

So, we judge based on how we were treated.

Were you greeted warmly? Was the space clean? Did the dentist explain what they were doing? Did they seem to care about your comfort? Were you treated with respect?

Or were you handed a clipboard, rushed through, and left flipping through six-month-old tattered magazines in the waiting room?

The experience is the product.

This is true in every professional service. Physiotherapists. Lawyers. Advisors. HVAC companies. You name it.

Clients and customers evaluate the experience as a proxy for the work itself. Because it’s the only part they actually see.

Want to be the best in your field? Start by being the best in how you treat people.

Creating a great client experience is a skill—and one that’s often overlooked.

One of my clients, a very successful clinic owner, makes this a core part of training.

He teaches his team not just how to treat patients, but how to talk to them.

How to build trust. How to build rapport. How to explain the “why” behind coming back for a second or third visit without it sounding like pushing for a sale.

Most new professionals aren’t trained to have those conversations.

And they’re uncomfortable having them. But that’s what makes the difference.

Technical ability may get you hired. But the experience you create is what keeps people coming back.

5 Questions to Help You Improve the Experience your Business Delivers

Here are a few questions to reflect on. These work whether you’re a solo professional or leading a team:

• What does it feel like to be a first-time client here?
  Walk through it step by step. From the website to the first phone call to the first visit. Where are the friction points? Where are the trust-building moments?
• How do you make people feel seen and heard?
  What small moments or habits build connection? Is it eye contact? Is it how you explain what’s happening? Is it the tone of your follow-up email?
• Do you (and your team) know what a great experience looks like?
  Have you defined it? Talked about it? Shared examples? If not, you’re relying on luck—and standards vary wildly person to person.
• Where are your staff members watching and learning?
  Are you giving them access to your conversations, not just your technique? Are they hearing how you explain, how you reassure, how you inspire confidence?
• What stories do clients tell after working with you?
  Are they talking about how skilled you were—or how comfortable, cared for, and understood they felt?

Get curious.

Zoom out and look at your business through the eyes of the people you serve.

Because a great customer experience builds trust and loyalty.

It turns one-time clients into raving fans.

If you want to grow your business, start paying attention to what it feels like to be on the receiving end of your service.

Because if you don’t define that experience intentionally, you’re leaving it up to chance—and chances are, it’s not as good as it could be.

If you’re great at what you do but struggling to turn that into consistent referrals and repeat business, let’s fix that. I’ll help you design a client experience that builds trust, loyalty, and momentum.
Book a free 15-minute call to get started.