Add a Service Layer: The Overlooked Key to Standing Out in Any Industry

Service is the secret ingredient most businesses underplay. When International Correspondence Schools started 'ICS Online,' it wasn’t about adding more stuff to their home-study kits—it was about making students feel part of a supportive, round-the-clock community. This service wasn’t a flashy add-on but became a reason hundreds of thousands valued the core product even more.

That’s a pattern everywhere successful firms look for leverage: a meal kit company offering live cooking helplines, a consulting firm giving aftercare calls, or a car dealership arranging free introductory maintenance workshops. The logic is simple but easily missed: products are easy to price-shop; service feels personal and sticky.

Behaviorally, these touches exploit two powerful forces—reciprocity (people appreciate help) and sunk cost fallacy (they’re less likely to stop being your customer if they feel invested or included). Small, affordable elements—access, attention, or feedback—can transform a transaction into a relationship.

Think about your field and write down something extra you can do—not as a hassle but as a way to really help your audience use what you sell. Maybe it’s as simple as a once-a-month office hour call, a fast-response email help line, or updates and check-ins after purchase. Promote this service in every conversation and ad. Give it a month, and chances are you’ll have a group of customers that feels seen, not just sold.