Setting expectations is one of the most important tasks in relationships. Without proper communication, you don’t know what to expect from each other and can end up disappointed with how your partner acts or behaves. However, there are two types of expectations that should be avoided at all cost: those that we set for ourselves and those we impose on our partners
The “relationship expectations list” is a great way to understand what your relationships can learn from setting expectations. It’s important to set the right ones, so that you don’t end up in a situation where you’re disappointed by your partner’s actions.
Setting genuine expectations up front, whether in a professional or personal connection, may provide a solid basis for the partnership’s long-term success.
When you do something for the first time with a potential client (or partner), they will anticipate it to be the standard in the future. If you decide you can’t or don’t want to do anything, you’ll come off as a jerk.
For example, I purchase a lot of makeup from Sephora, a high-end cosmetics company. Despite the fact that their items are expensive, they first wooed me with a slew of enticing offers, including free delivery and free samples, as well as a points program and free gift packing.
They took removed the complimentary gift wrapping online at some time in the previous year or so, and it now costs $2-4 every item. This isn’t expensive in any manner, and it shouldn’t matter since I purchase more for myself than I do for presents there, but I still feel deceived. Why? They created the expectation that their offer included complimentary gift packing. The saddest part is that it didn’t have to come to this; the other incentives were sufficient to win me over as a client, but they went too far, promising something they couldn’t keep, and now it’s a flaw in my customer relationship with them.
Their expectations have an impact on a variety of different firms. I won’t go to a spa that doesn’t have a coupon, therefore I won’t attend if I can’t get a discount. Many of my pals won’t purchase high-end cosmetics until it’s “bonus time,” which is virtually always present. Customers will anticipate anything if you make it the standard.
This is something that people do all the time in their personal interactions. Early in a relationship, a woman may demonstrate her domestic abilities by cooking and doing housekeeping, while a guy may attempt to woo a woman by sending her flowers on a weekly basis. That becomes the standard. However, if you can’t maintain that level of authenticity over time, stopping is a loss.
When I first met my spouse, I made it obvious that I don’t cook, clean, or do much of anything else that might be termed “domestic.” Now, I needed to add value to the relationship, so I made a list of all the things that he would value, such as my love of sports, my independence (financially and otherwise), my low maintenance (personally, not professionally), and a few other things that my husband would not be pleased if I wrote about, but let’s just say they add a lot of value to a marriage. These are all things that are true to who I am and are not something I fight to achieve.
Now, if I ever do anything domestic (which is quite uncommon, but does happen every now and then), I become a hero since it is unusual and unexpected. This is a far different issue than if I professed to like ironing up front and then couldn’t keep up the pretense.
This is something that your company should do as well. You must provide an exceptional value offer to your customers, but it must be something you can sustain over time. Sephora didn’t have to provide complimentary gift packing as a “always” benefit. They might have done a special promotion for purchases exceeding a specific size or if you reached a certain loyalty level. Then it would have been a gain rather than a shortcoming.
Consider the expectations you establish for your consumers (and everyone else too). When someone says, “You don’t send me flowers anymore…” nothing good happens.
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Setting expectations is important in any relationship. If you want to have a healthy relationship, it’s important that you set the right expectations for yourself and your partner. Reference: unhealthy relationship expectations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it important to set expectations in a relationship?
A: Setting expectations in a relationship is important because it can help you save yourself from unwanted surprises. If the other person knows what to expect of your actions and words, then they will not be shocked by them later on down the line.
Is it good to set expectations in a relationship?
A: It is always good to set expectations in a relationship, as it shows that you are committed and willing to put effort into the relationship.
How do expectations ruin relationships?
A: It is said that expectations can ruin relationships, because you may be disappointed when something does not happen the way you expect it to. For example, if your partner goes out and doesnt call back within a specific amount of time after they said they would. If your relationship has already been established as functional or dysfunctional by how long those expectations take to manifest themselves then this might lead to an issue in terms of communication between people who are on either end of these things.
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