Under promise and over deliver is not simply falling over the goal line--its blowing through the back of the endzone!

Interesting post by Dan Hull taking issue with the "under promise and over deliver" philosophy of client service.  As I understand Dan's argument, the philosophy doesn't apply to lawyers because client expectations are so low that "over delivering" doesn't really accomplish much.  Sort of like being the tallest midget.

Dan's argument continues that lawyers really need to change the way people think about lawyers by "communicating in all aspects of your work that you care deeply about your lawyering for them, you want to serve their interests on an ongoing basis and that it's a privilege to be their lawyer."

I guess I don't see the difference here. The "under promise and over deliver" philosophy is not a suggestion to promise "2" and deliver "3".  It is a philosophy that says deliver something that defies expectations, not merely surpasses them.  Its not a negotiated set of expectations, but rather a belief that doing something radically different--better--than what is expected is the surest way to draw positive attention to yourself.  Its Harry Beckwith 101.