Service or Assistance

You see the title, so what comes to mind? Would you consider service and assistance to be the same? In a meeting today we discussed this very topic in detail. It's important to understand where you are as a business, and where you exist in the 2 categories. Yes, in the world of S&L iMAGINATIONS, service and assistance hold differences but still cross paths very often. 

Service, well, it's provided daily, under appreciated, misunderstood, and it's created such a high demand that it's basically expected.  Assistance, sometimes can be provided daily, appreciated more than it's not, why it's needed is understood, and it's created a culture of only providing it to those who are deserving. Now of course stating it this way, it almost sounds as if the words service and assistance are complete opposites. 

If you're in any industry that accepts money for something you provide, you're providing a service, I say it to clients on a daily basis in the office. However, what I'm delivering is assistance. The end result may be a completed service, but I did more than service you. I helped and assisted you get to a better position. Let me explain. 

HR Firm (True story, no names)
Speaking to a company, who spends many hours of their working day, recruiting, interviewing and hiring employees for one of their new clients. This new client took over their business resources, and now they didn't have the team members or time to handle everything on their schedule, nor were they were not meeting goals. Sadly the new business revenue was needed, so they accepted the job, but they went about it the the wrong way. Yet there was still hope. 

With my assistance, we were able to review time spent sifting through potential clients, conversions made from time spent, and their overall recruiting goals, then came up with a plan. S&L prescreened all candidates, and only provided the HR Firm with recruits ready for hire based on their qualifications, this ballooned the conversion rate numbers, and I helped them gain recruits at a faster rate. In one month, they cut time spent by 47%, their conversion rate increased by 112%, and the company saved over $1,500! 

Why? How? The why is easy, with the right system, we took the work off their plate, charged a fee less than what they were paying, and provided them with pre-screened recruits ready for hire. The Why is simple. I able to be the assistance and was there to help. They were in a position where they didn't need just a service, they needed assistance with very specific details, tailor made, and not just a basic cookie cutter plan. I was willing to do what was needed to assist and help them through a time that could have affected their business long term... 

So yes, I provide a service to clients, but my assistance is what provides results. The best money spent is money well spent. This HR Firm understands that what we did for them felt like a secret weapon. We all should have goals, and it's even better when someone is there to help you achieve them. One day that service we receive may be the assistance we need to succeed.