There's an old Indian (Native American) proverb which states that you should never judge a man until you've walked a mile in his moccasins. It's a common request by consultants to 'walk through' processes - although sometimes, they should wear the moccasins instead, of only because they're then a mile away - with their shoes!
Of course, it means that it's tough to understand how another might feel without understanding their position - and how better to do that than be the 'other side' once in a while. My contention is that people ought to do that more often, because you can't really beat real-life experience.
So - to this week. In the last three days I've seen, and suffered two instances where things might have been so much better if the provider of services had actually travelled the journey.
Firstly, we're working with clients to identify a software provider for a major shift in operations and customer management. It's a big call for us, and will impact on the business for years to come. SO it's important that we get it as right as is possible. We prepared a PQQ describing what we are, what we're looking for, and four mandatory requirements. Of almost twenty sent out, we chose six to present to the Project Team. In the interests of transparency and to ensure consistency, we sent out the same presentation brief to those suppliers, clearly outlining our objectives and stressing the issues that would help us decide who and how to go forward.
Four presented straight to the brief. Their structure involved few PowerPoint slides focusing on how and what they can do for us, as requested. They detailed their Project Management approach, as requested. They spend a huge amount of time showing live software processes, as requested. They showed changes and outputs, as requested. They showed real changes they'd made to other clients on our sector. They made for easy choices.
Sadly two others didn't. We saw corporate buildings on turgid PowerPoint slides; we saw busy PowerPoint slides which were read out; we saw screen shots of processes; we had long descriptions of irrelevant issues. And given that every presenter had fixed and limited time, we found ourselves getting frustrated at the waste. So, we cut the presentations even shorter, and let them go. Actually, that was easy, too.
How is this relevant to walking miles? Because if they'd though about the brief, and had someone sit through the demos, they'd have realised they were off the pace. And maybe, just maybe, they'd have a better chance of convincing us that our needs were at the front of their minds.
It's like the train journey I'm suffering as I write this blog. Up until just after I bought my ticket from Milton Keynes to Exeter, I was looking forward to spending four hours on trains, catching up with reading and writing stuff.
Then the little inconveniences started. Small things that those designing processes should have thought through, and would have, maybe, if they'd walked through the journey.
Things like my ticket, which is a supersaver fare, won't pass through the automatic stiles because it's a supersaver. So, it meant that I got held up at the mainline train station barrier, frustrating me and those immediately behind as I had to move past them with a heavy case. Apparently, it's to ensure these tickets are not used inappropriately. Some programming of the barriers, perhaps...or just having the ticket clerk tell me I'd have to go to the side for assistance at every gate.
T'was the same on the Underground. This time, with more people to push past to get out and find an attendant. Could have been the same four people standing around chatting instead of looking out for customers. Obviously hadn't recently suffered the same problems themselves.
Had to get to Paddington, so thought I'd walk down to Euston Square to get one of the three tube lines heading out, instead of a tube to Oxford St and then Paddington. When I got to Euston Square, a clerk told me the station was out of service, and I'd have to walk back to Euston or catch a bus. And my supersaver wasn't valid. Just having a sign at Euston mainline informing passengers that the station was closed would have avoided that frustration. And if someone from London Transport had stepped the same way, he would have thought of a better solution than wasting people's time.
So, I walked to Warren St to get down to Oxford St and Bakerloo to Paddington. The same route as I would have taken fifteen minutes earlier if someone had been alert to the process. Guess what. The ticket wouldn't open the gate - although this time, there were no attendants. So, the Ticket Officer, when he deigned to look up from his paper and crossword, told me to go through the open gate. The same gate, presumably, as those without a ticket could have gone through. See above...
Then to Paddington. This time, straight to the attendant, behind someone searching every pocket for his ticket, who told me I could have gone straight through the barriers. Until I showed him otherwise.
Fortunately, the train is clean and comfortable. If only their Wi-Fi worked properly.
So - please - if you deal with someone paying you for a product or service, don't just think about it from a cost perspective; don't just plan it with an efficiency angle; walk it through. Think about those buying - and their options going forward.
Which might not include you, if they feel unloved, or a nuisance. Or a commodity.
Just saying!
John Wade
Director
Oakview Consulting Ltd
http://www.oakviewconsulting.co.uk
John is an experienced business leader who works with SME/SMB owners to improve profits by planning for success, delivering change, and implementing projects and process improvement. If you're looking for practical, no-nonsense delivery of business change and improvement, along with people and process management, call him now on +44 8448 484853, or email him at johnwade@oakviewconsulting.co.uk.
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