Kill Stupid Rules!
03/03/03
John Manning, VP of the WOW Department at Commerce Bank, works to shatter roadblocks for its customers one idea at a time: "One way to deliver smart service is to stop doing dumb things. That's why at Commerce Bank we have a 'Kill a Stupid Rule' Program. If you identify a rule that prevents you from wowing customers, we'll pay you fifty bucks."
There is a magazine now with a very compelling name, "Real Simple." That title makes us want to pick it up and read. In an age of complexity, we crave simple answers, simple processes, and simple encounters with all the complex companies and organizations we are forced to deal with. We want a real person to talk to but are forced to go through menus of automated options only to find that it is not the answer we needed. We resist starting over; we want simpler solutions. A fellow speaker, whenever confronted by a worker who says "That is not our policy," immediately replies, "Well, I have my policy manual with me, and it says right here, and I quote, that it is my policy not to be limited by stupid rules! Now that we have competing policies, let's see if we can discuss our way through this to find a simple solution that works for everyone!" This is not a time to upset customers; it's a time to serve them. Do you have any stupid rules worth killing? Get started WOWing your people and your customers by killing a few of those rules of your own. Simple solutions sell.
A PAULSON QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"Care enough to confront early. Instead of avoiding confrontations, try seeing feedback as course-correction data on the road to a profitable destination. The goal is not conviction; the goal is positive, enabling change that helps people get more of what they want." --Terry L. Paulson, PhD, CSP, CPAE
MONDAY'S MIRTHFUL MOMENT
Linda Barry provides this week's mirth--The Washington Post's Style Invitational asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are some winners worth using!
Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.
Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.
Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.
Karmageddon: It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.
Glibido: All talk and no action.
Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
When you keep your eyes open for mirth, you just may find it! Hope this kicks off your morning and helps get your mood adjusted for the week. Now, get busy MAKING CHANGE WORK and have some fun along the way!...