Friday Reflections

Customers of different industries were asked: "Why did you stop trading with a company?"

Source: Boardroom report, as published in Mortgage Banking magazine (June, 1987). From my collections

Story Line: The above survey was done over 20 years ago, but the underlying key message about customer orientation holds true 20 years later. Here are a few real life experiences from two industries:

1. Just a month ago, there was a conference in a five star hotel, attended by people from many companies around the globe. During the lunch break, I joined visitors from another company on their dining table. Noticing that there was no napkin in my dining spot, I requested the waiter to bring me one. The waiter replied, “Sir, there is a napkin on another table (pointing at that table). Why don’t you move there?” Everyone on our table was stunned. I even got a guilty feeling that it must be me until the visitors shared their similar encounter at the breakfast time.

2. In 1985, the company I was working for made a change in the process (called marking) that printed our company name and product identification on the top side of our plastic packages. We had moved from white ink marking (printing) to laser marking (etching) process.

On one summer Saturday morning, some members of our Laser Mark team (Engineering and Quality Managers.) received phone calls from none other than the CEO of the company. During his visit to a major customer on the previous day, he had witnessed first the legibility problem on the laser marked plastic packages supplied by our company.

After informing his managers about the problem, the CEO patiently listened to their explanation about the merits of the laser mark process and how it had resulted in substantial increase in the output; in our quest to be "The World Class Manufacturer". The managers emphasized that the manufacturing group had bought magnifying glasses to read laser marks and the benefits of output increase had far outweighed the cost of magnifying glasses. One of the managers even offered to call the customer and assist him in procuring magnifying glasses.

The CEO, in his normal soft voice, told his managers, "Effective solutions do not create problems for customers. The previous process of Ink Mark created perfectly legible prints and it was OK with the customer. Our process change had slowed the customer's manufacturing line and he should not have to buy magnifying glasses to compensate for poor quality of our laser marking." The awakened team spent next few months to improve laser mark legibility.

Reflection: So many times, people make decisions based on what is good for them and fail to understand the impact on the customer. My collection book is full of many such real life experiences. In most cases, customers had made a choice to stay with or choose a supplier that was easy to work with. This was particularly important in industries which were pushing the envelope every day to create breakthroughs and innovation.

16. “I make the difference” Administrative Assistants Day (April 25th)

Remember the people who are instrumental in your and your organization’s success. A sincere and timely appreciation goes a long way.

Story Line:
In the early 1990s, while looking for a source of supply for our new design, I visited a potential supplier in Mountain View, California. As I entered the lobby and went to the receptionist to announce my arrival and register for entry inside the building, something on her desk caught my eye. It was a plaque that stated, “I make the difference.”

Soon after, when our host escorted us into the building, I noticed again that the secretary of a CEO also had the plaque on her desk stating, “I make the difference.” Somehow, I could not get those images out of my mind and spent the drive back thinking, “Do they really make the difference?”

Secretaries, receptionists and many other administrative employees are the first line of defense or offense, whichever way one wants to call it, when external people call or visit your company. In many cases, they create the first impression about your company, your organization and your team.

Additionally, administrative assistants keep office logistics in order and keep things organized. This allows other people to focus on their core jobs without interruptions.

I remembered what one great leader had told me in my early age, “They are the backbones of your organization. Having a good administrative assistant is having a big asset in your portfolio.”
So remember these people behind the scene. What they do makes the big difference.

Reflection:
In the first year in Industry in 1983, during one emergency need, my boss asked me to hand carry a purchase order all the way through management ranks for signatures. That was my first exposure to the hierarchy of organizations.

My curious nature caught on to two interesting learnings through that expedition…. The higher up I went in the chain, I noticed that the offices looked very organized. Further research revealed that the higher-ups had very good administrative assistants and they relied, or in other words, depended, heavily on them to manage daily office logistics. Yes, they do make the difference.

Source: Friday Reflections book by Book Surge an Amazon.com company. Copyright Analisa Enterprises. Printed with permission.

What does it take to get your idea or a company off the ground or keep on soaring? Lessons from the flight of a plane.

Points to Ponder:

“The secret of success is constancy of purpose.” Benjamin Disraeli

Story Line: One childhood habit (fascination) that I have not been able to get rid of is to watch planes take off and fly. Even after all these years of growing up, I still go to San Francisco Airport a few times a month (on a weekend) and spend couple of hours watching planes take off and land.

What makes this magnificent creation of human mind and efforts; weighing more than half a million pounds (ex. 777, 747); soaring at 35000 feet; and traveling over 7000 miles without stopping; to take hundreds of passengers safely to their destination?

Based on Aerodynamics, four forces are constantly at works to enable a plane to fly: Thrust, generated by engines and propellers, is responsible for forward motion of the plane. Drag, created by air resistance, slows down the forward motion. Thrust has to be greater than Drag for a plane to move forward. This is enabled through right powered engines and streamlined design. The third force is Weight, a gravitational force responsible for downward motion. And the final force is Lift, created by a balancing force of wind beneath the wings, which counters weight and pushes plane upwards. And most of the planes need one more and very important force, a human one: A Pilot.

So what do all these have to do with your idea or a company? This is where Human dynamics comes into play. You are the Pilot (inventor or entrepreneur) who needs to convert your idea (dream) into reality (destination). You are the pilot (employee, manager or a leader) who constantly needs to create more value for your stakeholders (investors, employees, customers and suppliers). You have to have the strong Thrust (Belief in your vision, Passion, Courage to move forward) to overcome the Drag (Ney Sayers, Roadblocks). You have to have the Lift (Willpower, efficient organization design) to rise above the Weight (Bureaucracy, Resource Constraints). You have to create a flight path (charter a course) and put your ideas/projects in motion.

How many planes return to terminal after the boarding gates close? How many times, or did you ever, hear about a pilot giving up once the plane reaches V speed of 150-180 miles/hour? Once you put your idea/project in motion, it reaches a takeoff point where forces of Lift (Passion) and Thrust (Willpower) overcome the forces of Drag and Weight. Yes, it takes a lot to get a plane off the ground. And there begins your journey to your destination.

But the journey is not over yet. What happens when a plane encounters turbulence or unexpected event? The pilot looks at the monitors (data) and makes necessary adjustments to altitude or flight path. How many instances do you know where a pilot has given up on destination (goal) or start a brand new journey (a program of the month/year) or dropped the plane all together? In such cases, not only that the passengers would not reach their destination; but it would also waste tremendous resources and do a great disservice to your stakeholders. Won’t it?

And what about a situation where the plane is cruising at 35000 feet in a nice weather (project/ organization is functioning well). It is in auto pilot mode (called Empowerment in corporate world). There are real time monitors and indicators constantly flashing. There are bells and whistles to flag abnormalities. Does it mean the pilot can sit back and take it easy? (Delegate his leadership?).

Reflection: Any entrepreneur or a successful leader never takes his eye off the ball. They are constantly monitoring their flight and do make necessary course correction; but they do not give up until they reach their destination.

And guess what? There is an old Airline saying, “A plane makes money only when it is in the air.”
Similarly an entrepreneur or a good leader never rests. They are ready to take off to the next destination as soon as new passengers are on board.

Copyright 2007,  Analisa Enterprises. Printed with permission.

The Doctor Is: In

Points to Ponder:

“What we once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” Helen Keller

Story Line: The Doctor Is: In

My mother told me this amazingly touching story in either late 60s or early 70s. We don’t remember the source. However, if anyone knows the source, please let me know and I will pass on the credit where it is due. Thanks.

The story was about the doctor in a small town. He was a very kind and caring man. He loved what he did: which was to serve people who were sick and needed help. His clinic was full of people from early morning hours to late evenings; and he was always available to serve any one in need at any hour during the night as well.

Appropriately, the sign outside his office always indicated; The Doctor Is: In

The doctor was too shy and also too busy to find someone as a mate and thus a single man. He had an assistant, a very caring and good hearted nurse who had worked with him for years. She liked and respected this man’s passion for his profession and dedication to a worthy cause. Over time, they developed liking for each other and decided to get married.

Finally, came the day of the wedding ceremony. When the doctor was about to leave his house, a couple arrived to his clinic with a very sick child who needed an emergency surgery. He forgot about everything else and focused on the sick child. The bride and the guests waited for a long time and then gave up. Feeling sad and humiliated, she left the town.

For years, the doctor kept servicing people as he always did. Eventually, life took its course and this good man died of an old age.

The whole town gathered to pay homage to this man who had served them selflessly and whom they loved dearly. One big dilemma emerged at the end of the services. What should be the right epitaph for a man who lived such a great life?

While the town people were struggling to find the right words for the inscription on his tombstone, the former nurse (yes, the bride who had waited) arrived at the scene. She had heard about her former boss’ death and had rushed to the town. The town people shared their dilemma about the epitaph with her.

After paying her respect to her former boss and saying final good bye to him, she pulled out a plaque from a hand bag and put it on his tombstone.

It read- The Doctor Is: In

(Yes, that was the same plaque that had hung outside his office during his entire life)