Wanting to check my Internet cap yesterday I went to visit my ISP (no they could not do it over the phone and their online platform does not work). Walking in I found a mass of people who were facing post-Christmas issues (mainly with new cellphone settings)-there was no signage to show me which of the 4 queues I should join. I had time so I engaged in a little experiment-I joined a queue at random and waited to see what might happen. Finally after 10 minutees a staff member came down the queue checking if we were in the right one.
This was in the offices of a large international cellular provider: quite frankly I expected better service.
Two quick pointers. Either a reception desk/point or very clear signage. Second point, if you know you are expecting large numbers of people with new cellphones after the holiday then manage your staff leave better to make sure there more than one person operating the IT desk (or create some VERY CLEAR 'do it yourself' instructions for different phones).
Friday 30 December 2011
Friday 16 December 2011
Optimise Your Product Instructions
"The inverse flow of the anti-linear advance of the pivotal device must be accurately advanced in order to facilitate the realignment of oneself with current chronology."
What was that again? Who cares anyway? You may as well be talking Russian.
Incomprehensible instructions, poor tag line creation, and sheer incompetent use of English frustrate and confuse clients.
The influx of Chinese goods into Zimbabwe has seen a number of great examples of poorly translated (often literally) English pamphlets arrive with your new purchase.
Consider these instructions from a recently obtained water dispenser.
"With freshing (sic) keeper cabinet of water dispenser can be put fruits, tea appliance. Need preservation, cleaning, rotating boards regularly switch on the preservation, preservation work at the end of the regular switch automatically return to the 0 position. At this time, the doors still closed 1-3 hours, until the cabinet automatic decomposition of ozone."
This is a real quote I promise (I can't make up something that bad)!
Needless to say my model does not possess a "freshing keeper cabinet" anyway. Perhaps they mean refrigerator and it got sent with the wrong model?
I guess I will never know. Other than that the water dispenser works fine, thank you very much.
Last week, I walked into the office of a reputable local firm to pay a bill. At 1630 hours I walked through their still open doors, was directed to a queue and spent 10 minutes waiting to be served.
Greeted by an attractive sales assistant, I stated my desire to pay. Wait, no they did not want my money as banking was done at 1630 hours even though they only closed at five.
There was no sign to indicate this, in fact no opening hours displayed anywhere. I had wasted a good 15 minutes of precious time that could have been saved by a simple notice. I wonder how many people go through the same process day after day at the same shop without anything changing.
Correct and concise communication means everything. Use clear and simple diagrams if you have to (my water dispenser has a red handle and a little logo of a cup with steam coming out it to indicate the hot water outlet).
Airports are often very good at this with their signage designed for slightly lost, first-time flyers to use. The symbols for baggage, immigration and customs are basic if not almost universal in design to aid those who may not speak the local language.
The London Underground and Hong Kong MTR rely heavily on simple diagrams to help millions of tourists navigate their cities along with the massive local population who need to get to work. Programmes like Skype have simple ‘1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . .' set-up instructions to get you signed up and logged in.
When it comes to operating instructions, get the spelling, grammar and translation checked and double-checked.
Then find some ignorant and, preferably, technically challenged person and get them to follow the instructions. Or better still, invent something that is so obvious in its function that does not need instructions-merely a small diagram on the front of the packaging (think the paper-clip).
Remember that the font on the manual may need to be read by an 80-year-old with fading eyesight (drug companies could learn something here).
The best directions in the world do not work if they are unreadable. Have you ever seen an elderly person trying to read the numbers on a "Buddie" card? I appreciate that there is only so much information you can fit on a small space, but small, complex fonts are unreadable-on text cards and on your product.
While our population is skewed in the young direction the rest of the world is not. If you are marketing a product to the older portion of the consumer base please do them a favour and increase the font size a little.
Finally, bear in mind the old joke of the woman who presents to the emergency room with severe burns on her feet. In her hands she is clutching a tin of tomato soup.
On being asked what happened she explains that she was merely following the instructions on the tin. It said "Stand in boiling water for 10 minutes."
For some people there is no help.
What was that again? Who cares anyway? You may as well be talking Russian.
Incomprehensible instructions, poor tag line creation, and sheer incompetent use of English frustrate and confuse clients.
The influx of Chinese goods into Zimbabwe has seen a number of great examples of poorly translated (often literally) English pamphlets arrive with your new purchase.
Consider these instructions from a recently obtained water dispenser.
"With freshing (sic) keeper cabinet of water dispenser can be put fruits, tea appliance. Need preservation, cleaning, rotating boards regularly switch on the preservation, preservation work at the end of the regular switch automatically return to the 0 position. At this time, the doors still closed 1-3 hours, until the cabinet automatic decomposition of ozone."
This is a real quote I promise (I can't make up something that bad)!
Needless to say my model does not possess a "freshing keeper cabinet" anyway. Perhaps they mean refrigerator and it got sent with the wrong model?
I guess I will never know. Other than that the water dispenser works fine, thank you very much.
Last week, I walked into the office of a reputable local firm to pay a bill. At 1630 hours I walked through their still open doors, was directed to a queue and spent 10 minutes waiting to be served.
Greeted by an attractive sales assistant, I stated my desire to pay. Wait, no they did not want my money as banking was done at 1630 hours even though they only closed at five.
There was no sign to indicate this, in fact no opening hours displayed anywhere. I had wasted a good 15 minutes of precious time that could have been saved by a simple notice. I wonder how many people go through the same process day after day at the same shop without anything changing.
Correct and concise communication means everything. Use clear and simple diagrams if you have to (my water dispenser has a red handle and a little logo of a cup with steam coming out it to indicate the hot water outlet).
Airports are often very good at this with their signage designed for slightly lost, first-time flyers to use. The symbols for baggage, immigration and customs are basic if not almost universal in design to aid those who may not speak the local language.
The London Underground and Hong Kong MTR rely heavily on simple diagrams to help millions of tourists navigate their cities along with the massive local population who need to get to work. Programmes like Skype have simple ‘1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . .' set-up instructions to get you signed up and logged in.
When it comes to operating instructions, get the spelling, grammar and translation checked and double-checked.
Then find some ignorant and, preferably, technically challenged person and get them to follow the instructions. Or better still, invent something that is so obvious in its function that does not need instructions-merely a small diagram on the front of the packaging (think the paper-clip).
Remember that the font on the manual may need to be read by an 80-year-old with fading eyesight (drug companies could learn something here).
The best directions in the world do not work if they are unreadable. Have you ever seen an elderly person trying to read the numbers on a "Buddie" card? I appreciate that there is only so much information you can fit on a small space, but small, complex fonts are unreadable-on text cards and on your product.
While our population is skewed in the young direction the rest of the world is not. If you are marketing a product to the older portion of the consumer base please do them a favour and increase the font size a little.
Finally, bear in mind the old joke of the woman who presents to the emergency room with severe burns on her feet. In her hands she is clutching a tin of tomato soup.
On being asked what happened she explains that she was merely following the instructions on the tin. It said "Stand in boiling water for 10 minutes."
For some people there is no help.
Friday 9 December 2011
Planning Your People
In Harry Beckwith's book "Selling the Invisible" there is a chapter that highlights a strong premise "Don't plan your future plan your people".
Harry's books are always a good read because many of his bottom line messages viciously contest common thought practices.
Why would you plan your people? People always disappoint you! ALWAYS! That's what your father said, just before he disappointed you.
And now a list of faces pop through your head of bright-eyed individuals that have looked so good on that initial meeting but have ended up becoming a deep insidious poison in your bones.
Now you think of stolen money, arguments, legal letters, court cases and swear words.
We have all been disappointed in some way or another.
It rings a bell doesn't it? For some people the ring of the bell is an uneasy minor chord. What if that chord could be transformed into a glorious symphony?
Harry Beckwith's "plan your people" theory is not so easy, but if you can learn from each letdown and somehow keep your heart from turning into hardened lava you'll begin to create a team.
One that will tackle any economic change, inflation flux and industry shift without you really having to worry about it.
The world is unstable and a 120-page business plan planning the future of your business cannot navigate around all of the unseen obstacles . . . but people can.
U2's guitarist Edge said this about their drummer Larry.
"Larry is the one that keeps our ship from smashing against the rocks, while I'm looking through the telescope in the wrong direction and Bono is hanging off the rigging somewhere . . ."
What an incredible comment to be given and one that probably goes against a common teaching that states: "People will always let you down."
You plan your people so that you can have a solid team when things shift in your business.
Your accounts person is not someone
that will charge you for a call and every meeting but is someone that you can build
not only one business with but many businesses.
To find him you may have to be burned by four different accountants but when you do - it's all worth it.
Two perfect C's to use in planning your people is get them on Competence and Character.
That seems to be the general tug-of-war. Once you've got signals of competence and character then unleash this person into their area of ability.
Leave them. You should have a team that you can go to bed and sleep well knowing that your vision is safe in their hands.
Obviously have a standard reporting system and keep tabs on the dollars, but let them be the CEO of their area.
One of the greatest gifts you can ever have is someone who bears the markings of your heart's desires, a person who is an extension of your personality and the projector of the company's image.
This person pre-empts your wishes, not because he is butt kissing but because he understands what needs to be done and understands that he is part of a team.
You don't have to fire him every day because he is already implementing activities beyond your expectations.
His passionate flame does not go out because the roof caved in, he's already found a construction company that will repair it within 24 hours and he assures you that there's nothing to worry about.
Your planned people need targeted and honest affirmation, and they'll be a team-member for life.
Planning people is also about learning to let go of the reins and cutting some slack . . . a team needs to be refreshed by you, and encouraged to perform.
They will hold themselves to a standard and a level of ethics so you don't have to. What a relief!
It might mean you drill the rocks (a few useless people) to get to the gold (solid teammates), but when you finally find the gold it will add the untold value to your company that can't be accounted for with a salary or perks!
Find your team, and enjoy them. If you don't have a solid team - identify the kinds of people you'd like them to be and start looking.
A higher level of business lies in planning your people.
Harry's books are always a good read because many of his bottom line messages viciously contest common thought practices.
Why would you plan your people? People always disappoint you! ALWAYS! That's what your father said, just before he disappointed you.
And now a list of faces pop through your head of bright-eyed individuals that have looked so good on that initial meeting but have ended up becoming a deep insidious poison in your bones.
Now you think of stolen money, arguments, legal letters, court cases and swear words.
We have all been disappointed in some way or another.
It rings a bell doesn't it? For some people the ring of the bell is an uneasy minor chord. What if that chord could be transformed into a glorious symphony?
Harry Beckwith's "plan your people" theory is not so easy, but if you can learn from each letdown and somehow keep your heart from turning into hardened lava you'll begin to create a team.
One that will tackle any economic change, inflation flux and industry shift without you really having to worry about it.
The world is unstable and a 120-page business plan planning the future of your business cannot navigate around all of the unseen obstacles . . . but people can.
U2's guitarist Edge said this about their drummer Larry.
"Larry is the one that keeps our ship from smashing against the rocks, while I'm looking through the telescope in the wrong direction and Bono is hanging off the rigging somewhere . . ."
What an incredible comment to be given and one that probably goes against a common teaching that states: "People will always let you down."
You plan your people so that you can have a solid team when things shift in your business.
Your accounts person is not someone
that will charge you for a call and every meeting but is someone that you can build
not only one business with but many businesses.
To find him you may have to be burned by four different accountants but when you do - it's all worth it.
Two perfect C's to use in planning your people is get them on Competence and Character.
That seems to be the general tug-of-war. Once you've got signals of competence and character then unleash this person into their area of ability.
Leave them. You should have a team that you can go to bed and sleep well knowing that your vision is safe in their hands.
Obviously have a standard reporting system and keep tabs on the dollars, but let them be the CEO of their area.
One of the greatest gifts you can ever have is someone who bears the markings of your heart's desires, a person who is an extension of your personality and the projector of the company's image.
This person pre-empts your wishes, not because he is butt kissing but because he understands what needs to be done and understands that he is part of a team.
You don't have to fire him every day because he is already implementing activities beyond your expectations.
His passionate flame does not go out because the roof caved in, he's already found a construction company that will repair it within 24 hours and he assures you that there's nothing to worry about.
Your planned people need targeted and honest affirmation, and they'll be a team-member for life.
Planning people is also about learning to let go of the reins and cutting some slack . . . a team needs to be refreshed by you, and encouraged to perform.
They will hold themselves to a standard and a level of ethics so you don't have to. What a relief!
It might mean you drill the rocks (a few useless people) to get to the gold (solid teammates), but when you finally find the gold it will add the untold value to your company that can't be accounted for with a salary or perks!
Find your team, and enjoy them. If you don't have a solid team - identify the kinds of people you'd like them to be and start looking.
A higher level of business lies in planning your people.
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