Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

It’s Only Common Sense: Success—The Devil's in the Details

To achieve business success, we often focus on the big picture—market share, revenue growth, and innovation. However, success is not simply about grand strategies or groundbreaking ideas. It’s the small, often overlooked touches that set the best businesses apart. As the saying goes, "The devil is in the details." I’d argue the angel is there, too. Here’s why details matter and how they can lead to success.

Excellence Is in the Details
Consider personalized service, thoughtful product design, or a handwritten thank-you note to a loyal customer. These small touches show that you care, you’ve thought about your customers’ needs, and you are willing to go the extra mile. I’ve seen companies succeed not because they offered the cheapest or fastest solutions but because they delivered an experience. It could be how you package a product (with care and attention), or following up after a sale. These details make you memorable and keep customers coming back. When you obsess over the small things, the big things care for themselves.

Customers Notice Everything
Customers are perceptive. Every detail, no matter how minor, contributes to their overall perception of your brand. When details are wrong, that chips away at their trust. Is your website easy to navigate? Are your emails professional and free from typos? Is your staff friendly and knowledgeable? Even the font on your marketing materials or the cleanliness of your facilities affects a customer’s impression. Consider the unboxing experience of a premium product. Apple understands this concept. Opening an Apple product feels like unwrapping a gift. That level of detail creates an emotional connection with customers and reinforces that they’ve made the right choice.

Details Build Trust
We build trust through consistent attention to detail. Customers trust companies that are reliable, professional, and committed to excellence. A sloppy invoice, a missed deadline, or a poor customer service interaction can undo months or years of hard work. Businesses that consistently deliver on promises—down to the smallest detail—earn a reputation for being dependable.

Trust is the foundation of any successful relationship, and in business, details are the bricks and mortar of that foundation. Every time you get the details right, you show your customers they can count on you. That’s a message worth sending repeatedly.

Prevent Problems Before They Happen
Details are also about avoiding negative impressions. A miscalculation in a design, a missed step in a manufacturing process, or a typo in a contract can create major problems. Sweat the small stuff upfront, and you’ll avoid larger issues later.

Addressing minor issues allows you to prevent problems. That’s a hallmark of a well-run business. This work separates good from great companies. The effort you put into double-checking and fine-tuning today can save you a mountain of trouble tomorrow.

Details Reflect Your Values
The care you put into the small things reflects your pride and commitment to your work. Cutting corners on the little things often means cutting corners on the big things. Customers sense that. However, businesses that demonstrate care and precision in everything exude professionalism and pride. It’s not simply about doing things correctly; it’s about showing that you care enough to do them correctly. When your values align with your actions, customers notice and appreciate it.

Create Lasting Impressions
Never underestimate the power of a lasting impression. People might forget the price they paid for your product or the exact details of their interaction, but they’ll remember how you made them feel. Think about a restaurant that goes out of its way to celebrate your birthday, a hotel that leaves a welcome note in your room, or a store that remembers your preferences. These small gestures create powerful emotional connections.

Lasting impressions are about creating memories. When customers associate your brand with a positive experience, they’re more likely to return and recommend you to others.

Making It Happen
So, how do you put this into practice? Care about the details and instill that care in your team. Here are a few tips:

• Create a checklist: Standardize the little things that matter—whether that’s how you package your product, greet your customers, or follow up after a sale.
• Ask for feedback: Customers will tell you where you’re excelling and where you’re falling short. Listen to them. They’re your best source of information.
• Empower your team: Encourage them to think about the details and give them the tools to address them. A culture of excellence starts at the top and thrives when everyone is involved.
• Continuously improve: Pay attention to the small things and find ways to improve. This is an ongoing commitment.
• Celebrate the details: Recognize and reward employees who go the extra mile on the little things. That’s how you build a culture of excellence.
• Details matter. Those seemingly insignificant touches separate the good from the great. What details are you overlooking? What small improvements can you make today that will have an impact tomorrow?

We build success over time by doing the little things correctly, every single time. When you focus on the details, everything else falls into place. 

It’s only common sense.

Dan Beaulieu is president of D.B. Management Group.