Go ahead and chuckle. The title was meant to draw attention and give you a bit of a smile. :)
This is about customer service and the part of Constructive Disruption that I call "discovering the need." For example, in 2001, I was allowed to participate in an executive survival clinic while working at PricewaterhouseCoopers. The class was for Partners and PwC executives who lived life on the road with high-stress jobs. We went through a whole battery of physical, psychological, and other health-related tests, followed by a weekend of coaching. One of my outcomes was to change parts of my diet. I wasn't unhealthy, but I wanted to cut out the excess. So, among other things, I stopped drinking soda and pretty much anything else except water (lots!), coffee (before 8:30 AM), and the occasional adult beverage (which we were told had moderate health benefits) in the evening.
Since 2001 I only drink water or seltzer (technically a "soda," yes, but no additives except for carbonation) and usually order it with a lemon or lime wedge. Therein lies my story. I've asked for water with lemon or lime at restaurants, cafes, airplanes, and bars on nearly every continent. The math suggests I've ordered thousands of drinks this way. In my estimation, less than 1% had the fruit been squeezed for me to enjoy the benefits of some refreshing citrus. In most cases, the fruit is trapped under a layer of ice. If I want to enjoy the flavor, I need to dredge out the lemon myself and squeeze it. It generally makes a mess. Did the person who constructed the product for me do as I asked? Yes… was it practical, does it leave me with a great experience? No.
Very rarely does the person serving my drink take care of this for me. I had to ask myself why. The challenge is that we often need help understanding the question being asked, and we need to take the time to break it down. If I ask for a drink with lemon, the most probable thought should be
- I am thirsty.
- I want something to help me digest my meal.
- The lemon is there to provide a taste that I enjoy.
None of the instances brought me a shot glass or tub of water. There is always some element of understanding the need for a drink rather than a place to wash my hands. Nor did I ever get a glass of boiling water; suitable for making tea.
So why not squeeze the lemon? Is it because people are lazy? Unlikely, career service people are selected for a "do it right" and customer satisfaction attitude. It's critical to take a question/problem, identify the minor elements, and play them back to ensure you understand each one and its meaning. Of course, all this must be done in the context of the situation. I call this part A/P (Active and Passive) Learning.
Good customer service should prepare the drink for me to enjoy. Too often, we fail to ask ourselves, "Do we understand the question being asked?" Here is another example. I am in the process of finding someone to redesign my website. I made a request using my social media network and received many responses. I asked for two things. The first was to have the designer explain their working style. The second was to provide me with two or three examples of other sites they had done for consulting or professional services.
I received excellent examples of product catalogs, dentistry, power tools, family vacations, and various unrelated designs. Some sent me samples of (paper) product brochures. Unfortunately, only some had taken the time to break down and understand my request. "I am looking for an expert in web design that can provide examples of their work in my industry." In their haste to pitch me, few provided good customer service, they lost the opportunity to work with me, and they needed to demonstrate a desire or ability to understand the particular needs of my business.
Taking the time to understand the context, discover needs, observe how it's being done (less than a handful of design firms looked at my site before responding), and organize a response are the foundations of the methodology and superior customer service.
So I ask you, "Do you squeeze the lemon?"
