Almost all human interaction is about making and keeping promises. For a company that delivers services to its clients, it is ONLY about making and keeping promises.
A promise to someone is the setting of an expectation in the mind of that someone that something will happen at a certain time. Typically, that something, and that certain time, are variables, and can be negotiated, with more being done faster for a higher price.
What are the categories of promises?
1. Voluntary promises – No one is asking, or forcing one to make it.It is volunteered to a client, with the expectation of getting something back from the client (increase in relationship 'equity').
2. Discretionary promises – one agrees to do something that is asked for. It is not required by the client by way of contractual obligation, or to meet a committed service level and you can say not without compromising the relationship with the client.One could say no to either the content, or the deadline of the promise.