 ‘Every McDonald’s is the same, except that it isn’t.’ (Shirley Moorse) Nothing beats a dazzling encounter. The global Mc-giant prides itself on brand consistency, yet the actual customer experience is influenced as much by what she or he encounters in real, individual members of staff as whatever is on the menu. The same is true for any organisation or business that depends on interpersonal interface between people. One stroppy glance or unhelpful remark and you’ll hear the door clunk/phone click as the person leaves. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. A boss can’t instruct staff or team what mood to be in any more than a person can herd cats. A supervisor can’t maintain a constant watch for any slightest shift in facial expression, subtle gesture or tone of voice that could result in delighted customer on the one hand, or one lost to the eager competition on the other. The tighter the grip, the higher the risk of rupture. A stranglehold always suffocates. Positive spirit can be invited and influenced but never managed or controlled. Apple guru, Steve Jobs remarked, ‘It doesn't make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.’ That’s about releasing magic, human, talent and potential. I had a dazzling encounter with Emma this week, an estate agent from Harper & Co in the UK. Bright natural smile, listening ear, creative ideas – and a stunning personal and professional style that lives and breathes passion, integrity and effectiveness. You can’t order that with fries. What have been your most dazzling encounters? How do you release this talent and potential in others?
6 Comments
Tony Nudd
25/2/2022 06:36:55 am
Its definitely the individual human element which makes or breaks.
Nick Wright
26/2/2022 12:02:44 pm
Thank you, Tony. That's a great illustration of the influence of the human element in customer experience. 'How do we capture, bottle, analyse and reproduce the "soul"..?' is such an important and challenging question.
Andrea Johnson
26/3/2022 12:59:00 pm
Thanks Nick. When I go into a McDonald's, it's not just the staff that make a difference. It's the attitude and behaviour of other customers. It's also about how easy it is to get there, whether they have a kids playground and whether I can find a place to park my car.
Nick Wright
26/3/2022 01:06:23 pm
Thank you, Andrea. I really like how you identified so many different contextual factors that can make a big difference. You have also illustrated well why it's so important for organisations to ask and listen very carefully to what customers value most - and to act accordingly based on what they hear.
Paul Meadows
26/3/2022 01:03:19 pm
Hi Nick. Thank you for writing this blog. When we think about big businesses, we sometimes forget how important individuals are to business' success. This is why it upsets me when bosses in whatever sector pay themselves big salaries, as if their work is most important, where the actual value is experienced by the customer at the front line.
Nick Wright
27/3/2022 02:23:02 pm
Thank you, Paul. As I read your comment, I was immediately reminded of a mechanic, Steve, that I used to call upon when I needed any work on my car. Along with his friendly manner and technical expertise, his ethics were outstanding. He rarely had to advertise his services because he was known locally to be so trustworthy on pricing, quality of work etc. Leave a Reply. |
Nick WrightI'm a psychological coach, trainer and OD consultant. Curious to discover how can I help you? Get in touch! 
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