Wednesday Words
To Go Where Your VisionPoints, a few inspiration points for you and your business.
Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.
—Bill Gates
Your intrepid Experience Designer spent a good portion of yesterday wading in health insurance doo-doo. And oh, some of it was deep.
No matter what country or continent, we all think there must be a better way than the one we have, because when someone’s health is the issue, every problem is magnified, and every insensitivity seems to be a major insult. I was calm and patient (yes, I was!), trying to tell folks how to help me, but I was repeatedly shut down in my efforts to make my day go faster and all of our time go more smoothly.
It isn’t the only industry (I’m thinking of cable companies and cell phone carriers, in addition to moguls who make hard-to-install mice), but what amazes me is, why would any industry want to ignore the most vocal of Experience Design teachers, the unhappy customers?
When you’re happy you probably don’t stop to offer tips on how a company can repeat that experience or follow-up effectively. But when you have been mishandled? You’re full of ideas, right?
If you are an owner or a manager, or even a cog, watch for these folks. Listen intently, and learn. See their problem as your opportunity.
Anyone willing to stop and talk to you, hasn’t completely written you off yet. Thank them. Then get to work.
Grow and be well,
Kelly Erickson
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10 September 2008, 8:04 am
Kelly,
This is really good, you know. And thanks for the link back, too. But seriously, I read this and thought, “I’ve been there”. I’m thinking a drivers licence renewal…
-Brett
Brett Legree’s last blog post…george a. romero, inc.
10 September 2008, 8:18 am
Brett,
Thanks.
Eeek! Of course, the Department of Motor Vehicles. Didn’t think of them. A classic bad experience (ours isn’t too bad here, but I say that because I can compare it to lots of states I’ve lived in where it was a nightmare), and boy could the DMVs worldwide get feedback from those unhappy customers.
They’d get enough tips in a week to turn themselves into models of efficiency!
Regards,
Kelly
10 September 2008, 8:33 am
Hi Kelly,
I know that the Canadian health system isn’t perfect — you’re right, we all know things could be better no matter where we live — but isn’t there something inherently wrong with a system where you can equate getting health insurance with getting cable?
I really feel badly for so many people in the US who can’t go to see their doctor when they need to because they don’t have the money and they don’t have insurance. Politicians talk about “socialized” medicine like it is one step away from communism. You have “socialized” road works to repair streets and a “socialized” military to protect American soil. Why then is helping people stay healthy so evil?
Perhaps I’m straying off-topic here, but then again maybe not. Seems to me with the election coming up, people in the US have an opportunity to voice their unhappiness if they really want to… Talk about choosing your ultimate “experience designer”!
~Graham
10 September 2008, 8:46 am
@Kelly
I get so mad at organizations or businesses that act like they don’t give a flying fox what the customer thinks.
Whether it’s the local yokel restaurant, the DMV, or a company that treats its staff like crap. They don’t care, that’s the way it is, and they’re not going to change.
Dosen’t seem fair, either, because these places never seem to fail (probably because they’re often a monopoly).
But sooner or later, what goes around, comes around. Customers leave, bloated bureaucrats get laid off, a Factory shuts down…
I, on the other hand, an dancing with joy. HAH! Not like they didn’t see this coming. Serves ‘em right!
(After all, there has to be SOME justice in the world).
Friar’s last blog post…More Travels with the Bear in Northern Ontario
10 September 2008, 9:57 am
Excellent point, Kelly! It shocks me when people don’t listen to complaints in order to improve business. Outsiders usually have a better perspective, though many would doubt that because they just don’t KNOW what has to be done or what goes on. Well, perhaps, but if I’m not happy with the way this is proceeding and I can offer a solution and other customers feel like me…
I guess people just get their backs up when they hear a certain tone or a complaint in general. It’s our approach, then, and the way we word things. Offering solutions, too, makes people more open.
I imagine we can carry this over to our lives, too. When people complain about us, do we stand up and listen and try to improve, or do we ignore it and get resentful? Hmmm. It’s a great question…but I don’t feel like dealing with it right now!
10 September 2008, 1:36 pm
Graham,
Yes, there is something wrong with this system, certainly. As with many large “systems,” the industry is crushed by its own weight here and in many other parts of the world (some aren’t so sure about Canada’s system, either, eh Friar?). Problems are huge, solutions… huger. (Huger?)
The President as the ultimate Experience Designer! I love that! Geez, I could really run with that idea. Not here, though, I don’t go political here.
Friar,
More justice—companies that do get it, usually rise to the top. I don’t think Bill Gates is an unbelievazillionaire because he says stuff like this, but because he believes it and built it into the culture at MS.
Steph,
The old saying is that behind every complaint hide another 99 people who didn’t feel like hanging around to tell you the very same thing. So listening to one person’s problems has the potential to fix a heck of a lot, maybe before it gets out of control. So why do companies ignore unhappy customers? Head in sand syndrome?
The other old saying is that one happy customer tells 3 friends (on average), one unhappy customer tells 10.
With the web, one unhappy customer can tell 1,000 and outrank you in the search engines for your own company name in under a week. Poof! Reputation destroyed. To me, looks like learning from complaints is way more important than ever before.
(And I’m with you on the personal lessons. I do take comments in and analyze/ adjust myself if necessary, but not as much as I used to. I’m getting to the “I am who I am” stage. It’s a good thing.)
Regards,
Kelly
10 September 2008, 3:51 pm
@Kelly
Unless you live in small town, where if you complain, and you’re castigated by the Town Elders, because you dared question the Status Quo, and they label you “The “Letter Writer”.
But methinks that’s just a small micro-cosm, and the rest of society doesn’t necesarily work like that.
Friar’s last blog post…More Travels with the Bear in Northern Ontario
10 September 2008, 4:04 pm
Friar,
Poor Letter Writer. He’s a closet Experience Designer. Trapped in a really, really tiny closet.
Later,
Kelly
10 September 2008, 6:00 pm
That’s exactly it! I always try to remember that if I do anything to compromise myself or my biz, everyone will know! How the hell can that not be relevant, right? It’s suicide! It’s weird that people don’t think of that.
steph’s last blog post…Finding Your Voice – And Sticking with It
10 September 2008, 6:20 pm
I’m a real estate agent and at the beginning of this year, end of last year, I met a client who’s personality was unbearable. She said one thing and meant another. She was very matter of fact and negative. she would argue with her husband in front of me and verbally attacked him at times.
Also, she had no interests in building a relationship with me. I was more like a resource for her to open up when she wanted and to put back on the shelf when she didn’t need me. I never had that experience before meeting her.
My clients always liked me and the idea of working for someone that didn’t like me or care to know me, was life changing. I found out that I like to build relationships with people as a way of selling. I don’t know if that make sense to you, but relating and connecting is a sales skill and when I can’t relate or connect, I suck at my job.
I learned that to sell to someone like that I have to be precise and ignore the negativity. I guess she didn’t verbalize any compliants, but her actions were lounder than words.
She ended up buying a house from another realtor and I was a little disappointed by this because I made appointments and showed her property on Christmas Eve. I went out of my way to meet her in her home town even though she was buying somewhere else. It took me a while to get over it as well. But, I’m better for it. Excellent Article!