The Better Claim

“Our standards beat their extras,” read the headline on the brochure. The body copy below elaborated, “the most legroom in coach,” it said.

When I read the claim on the jetBlue in-flight brochure, I, like most people, thought when they said “the most legroom in coach” that they meant that they actually have the most legroom in coach. Until, that is, I read the fine print: “Based on the average fleet-wide seat pitch of U.S. airlines.”  In other words, jetBlue does not, in fact, have the “most” legroom in coach and their standards do not beat others’ extras. More accurately, based on their own legal type, jetBlue beats everyone else’s average. The facts, it seems, render their claim of “most” a bit of an exaggeration. Though the claim may have been “legally” or “technically” true, they are misleading. Manipulative. And this is the problem with absolute claims; they are, at best, rubbish, and, at worst, manipulative.

Sadly, this is not exclusive to jetBlue. It is, in fact, more common than most companies would like to admit. It’s amazing how many businesses claim to be the “best,” offer the “most” or be the “strongest,” when they aren’t. For one, such absolute claims are nearly impossible to verify. The best or the most is a very high standard…the highest, in fact. It means that not a single other company offers a single measurable unit that would make them even the slightest bit better. And even if the claim is true…for most companies it’s unsustainable for very long because competition has a funny way of…well… competing. In other words, claiming you’re best isn’t best…claiming your better, however, is much better.

Firstly, a claim of “better” can in fact be true without any need to slice numbers or make legal disclaimers, which makes them more credible. More importantly, by being better, it suggests that the company is constantly working to improve.  And that’s always better. For example, if I claimed I was the best doctor in the country, you wouldn’t believe me. For one, how can I prove it? In contrast, if I said I was a better doctor than most doctors in the country, not only is it more believable, but I can also say, “and I’m always working to get even better.” If I were the best, there would be no room for improvement. And who wants a doctor who thinks they are the best? Wouldn’t we rather have one who is striving to be better? So why would the companies we do business with be any different?

I know I’ve been beating up on jetBlue lately. I don’t have anything against them, per se. I guess I’m just disappointed how a company that used to be better became a company that is just average but is claiming to be the best. And to convince us they are the “best” they focused on finding numbers or comparisons that let them legally make their claim as opposed to focusing on working on actually being better again.  Now that I think about it, that sounds like a description of most companies today.

Companies that claim to be the best rarely are. Companies that strive to be better, almost always are.

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Comments

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both with gastric flu which afflicts us all at this time of year - so this is the first moment I've had to get to the computer

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If you wish to be the best man, you must suffer the bitterest of the bitter.

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That was very mean of the paparazzi to snap pictures when he was vulnerable and uh- exposed...!
There is more of the story. The police can over to bam and novak. Bam told novak to leave. Novak did leave.

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That is more focused as i can see.

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Many people are tricked into hiring a wrong candidate because they overlook the fact.

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I always refer patients who need those treatments to an ophthalmologist since the medicines will enter the eyes and I want an ophthalmologist supervising the status of the precious eyes.

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Thank you for making me and my organization better. Your book, Ted talk, Kairos Society talk in Ny, and your blog all make me better. I realized that the pursuit of being the best helps me live better.

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wonder how a company could possibly say they are the best? I say we're trying to the be the best and we'll let our users/customers decide. I like how Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant respond when people say they are the greatest above Bird, Majic, Dr. J, and so on. They both humbly say thank you and are proud to have their names in the same breathe as those guys. They never say, "yeah you're right, I'm the best ever." Sure they might tell themselves that, but I've never heard them scream it like other companies!

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With these regular talks, the fundamentals of investing and finance should always be remembered during the operation.

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This scenario will lead in financial shortcomings and other due bills that must be paid immediately.

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You write good articles, I love it. . .

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Simon,

Thank you for making me and my organization better. Your book, Ted talk, Kairos Society talk in Ny, and your blog all make me better. I realized that the pursuit of being the best helps me live better.

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ok I just liked yo on fb...and your blog is my new FAV!!!!!! and those charms I fear are going to become an obsession!!!!

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Claims don't spread (unless we find them empty), but stories do.Then they join the rat-race, competing with the others on price and hype.

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I like how Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant respond when people say they are the greatest above Bird, Majic, Dr. J, and so on. They both humbly say thank you and are proud to have their names in the same breathe as those guys. They never say, "yeah you're right, I'm the best ever." Sure they might tell themselves that, but I've never heard them scream it like other companies!

[Justin Mitchel]

Simon,

Thank you for making me and my organization better. Your book, Ted talk, Kairos Society talk in Ny, and your blog all make me better. I realized that the pursuit of being the best helps me live better.

I wonder how a company could possibly say they are the best? I say we're trying to the be the best and we'll let our users/customers decide. I like how Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant respond when people say they are the greatest above Bird, Majic, Dr. J, and so on. They both humbly say thank you and are proud to have their names in the same breathe as those guys. They never say, "yeah you're right, I'm the best ever." Sure they might tell themselves that, but I've never heard them scream it like other companies!

I love how you said being the best implies completion. Being better, implies constant improvement and reevaluation.

MJ was famous for saying he always competed against what his best could possibly be. He got better and better and will be remembered as the best by hundreds of millions around the world.

Cheers to being better!

Justin Mitchel
@justinmitchel
Http://www.ServiceHands.com

[David Lapin]

Thanks for this Simon. So many companies start with something really good, better or best. Then, not seeing immediate results on the bottom line nor sitting it out to reap the rewards from loyalty built over time and with trust, they forget their "why" and give up their edge. Then they join the rat-race, competing with the others on price and hype. This is why i salute people like Steve Jobs, Howard Schultz and a handful of others who "get" it.

David Lapin
Author: Lead by Greatness
CEO: Lapin International, Inc.

[Venkat,India]

Best can never make sense when the numbers compared are infinite and when the instant is not defined.

'Better' is a better language to use in selling as this will not offend any body.
Best offends a lot.

[Andrew Thorp]

The problem with these claims is they're asking us to take their word for it, and because we live in a noisy world of competing claims, we tend to be sceptical. I agree with Simon that the "we're good but we're striving to be better" is more trustworthy, but to my mind the best way of all is to have a great story that allows your audience to make their own mind up. Claims don't spread (unless we find them empty), but stories do.

[Richard Carter]

It's sad companies still feel the need to do this - when I read smallprint like that, I simply think 'they don't have a genuine selling point so they have to create their own'. Pathetic, really!

A sad world where you have to point out that 'better is better than best'!