Be the Customer, Literally

“One way, as mentioned earlier, is to take active measures to seek out and reward bearers of bad news, the corporate versions of Sun Tzu’s spies. Here’s another, even simpler idea: Be the customer. I don’t mean “identify with the customer,” or “respond to customer desires,” or some other inane canard. All business is people buying from people. You’re on the selling side, so to understand what happens on the buying side, walk around the table and sit in the buyer’s seat. If you’re in retail of some type, buy your own product or service just the way the paying public does and use it just they way they do.”

“you’re a high roller with some airline, call your 1-800 telephone number to make a reservation. Try your web site. Stand in line to check in. Check a suitcase. Fly coach. Try to change a reservation. What do you think? Excited by your own stuff? Any sign of magical pizzazz there? Any reason anybody with a choice would do it again? And while you’re back there in coach, talk to people. Don’t limit your observations to fishing for what’s wrong, since that’s a shortfall in meeting their expectations. Important stuff, but cheng, not ch’i. You have to be much more subtle and creative. Somewhere there’s a spark, some “Eureka!” that will cause people to choose you over Continental or even Southwest and pay more to do it.”