In business, sometimes the best advice is to say, “Stop it!”
gettyOn July 18, Bob Newhart, a famous comedian and actor, passed away. For those unfamiliar with him—which might mean you’re too young to remember him—Newhart compiled a number of awards for his comedy and TV shows including three Grammys, an Emmy, a Golden Globe and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
In 1960, his comedy record, The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart, hit the No. 1 spot on the Billboard pop album chart. His follow-up album, The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back, was also a huge success, and the two albums held Billboard’s No. 1 and 2 spots simultaneously. Note: This was a comedy album, not music, that hit the pop charts. What’s even more impressive is that in 1961, he was the first comedian to ever win a Grammy for Best New Artist, and if that wasn’t enough, he also won Album of the Year.
Enough with the history lesson. Let’s jump into business. Why am I writing about Bob Newhart? Seven years ago, I came across a sketch he recorded for a comedy special titled Stop It. The short version of this hilarious comedy sketch is that Newhart is a therapist helping a patient. When she explains her problem, he shares his advice in two words: “Stop it!”
I immediately saw the value of this advice in business and wrote about it in my weekly customer service and CX newsletter. With Newhart’s passing, it reminded me of the concept. I did an updated version in my newsletter and wanted to add a few more ideas for the Forbes audience.
In business, sometimes the best advice is to say, “Stop it!”
Stop It: Part One
In our customer service training programs, we ask the employees to make a list of the most common mistakes customers complain about. These aren’t highly complex issues. Most often, these problems are easily fixed once the customer contacts the company, and the customer goes away happy. But why do the same problems keep happening again and again? The question doesn’t need an answer. It needs a team to take action and find a way to eliminate the problem—or at least mitigate it.
So, your homework for Stop It: Part One is to analyze the three most common problems, complaints or issues customers have with your products or services and find a way to make them disappear. In other words, rather than fix the problem when the customer calls, find the root cause of the problem so the customer never has to call.
Stop It: Part Two
In my sequel to the original article I wrote about Newhart’s comedy sketch, I came up with a list of things that companies tend to do that frustrate customers and make leaders want to say, “Stop it!” The list was a result of bad rules or policies that create friction and irritate customers. For example:
· Stop making customers wait on hold for unreasonably long periods of time.
· Stop asking for feedback if you’re not going to take advantage of it.
· Stop making promises you can’t keep.
· Stop using technology or automation that frustrates the customer.
These “Stop It” ideas and others on the list aren’t rocket science. They are common sense. But in some organizations, they keep happening.
Your homework for Stop It: Part Two is to look at all the things your organization does that might disappoint or anger a customer. They don’t necessarily call in or mention these issues. They just experience these bad processes, systems and unfriendly policies. Use the list above as a conversation starter of things to stop doing. This may require thick skin as you cringe at some of the things your company might be guilty of. But don’t feel bad. Even the best-of-the-best brands occasionally lapse into some of these bad habits.
In honoring the late, great Bob Newhart’s simple message, “Stop it,” we recognize that eliminating bad habits, policies and systems is, in the long run, a better solution than just dealing with the complaint or problem when a customer calls. It’s about actively creating experiences that eliminate friction and make it easy for a customer to do business with you. So when you discover a friction point that customers experience, whether they call you about it or not, take Bob Newhart’s advice and just Stop It!