Make Business Simple – Four-Word Rules For Success. #4

Make Business Simple – Four-Word Rules For Success. #4 in a series.

We’ve spent the last few weeks talking about my four-word rules for business success. My goal remains simple: I want to give you easy to implement tools, tactics, and techniques to make your business better.

Each rule is only four words long because often that’s all it takes to make a huge difference when you build your brand and your business. (And it’s because four words are about all my short attention span can handle!)

Rule #1 is “Shut the @#$%!! up.” If you missed it just point your browser HERE.

Rule #2 is “Take them to lunch.” If you missed that one just point your browser HERE.

Rule #3 is “Don’t work with assholes.” If you missed #3, point your browser HERE.

Between my sophomore and junior years in college I worked as a waiter in a fine restaurant called the Grand Café. 

I enjoyed the work. I enjoyed dealing with people. And I enjoyed the novelty because I knew I wasn’t going to be doing it for the rest of my life.

One lunchtime I was serving a woman who wasn’t happy with anything. Her water was warm. Her food was cold. The A/C was blowing directly on her. The table was rocking. I brought the salad too slowly. I brought the entrée too quickly.

She finally got so exasperated she insisted I get the manager.

Back in the kitchen, the manager asked me what went wrong.

“I don’t know,” I answered. “I don’t think I’ve done anything to make her so mad. But no matter what I do, she’s not happy.”

The manager walked up to the table and introduced himself. I stood a few steps behind him.

“Good afternoon Ma’am. I’m Bernard Fish, your general manager. How can I help you?”

That was all the invitation she needed. What came next was a five-minute diatribe of everything that was wrong with the service. And the food. And me.

Mr. Fish watched and listened, nodding appropriately. Finally, the angry patron just ran out of steam and stopped complaining.

Mr. Fish paused a moment and then leaned over. He waited another agonizingly long moment before saying quietly: “I heard everything you said. And I can fix it all for you. But I have to tell you I think there’s something else bothering you. Tell me the truth. What’s really wrong?”

The patron was so enraged she couldn’t speak. She started to sputter when, like the sudden passing of a raging thunderstorm, her face softened.

She stared blankly at Mr. Fish for a long minute before erupting into tears.

“My husband left me last week and I don’t know what to do.”

Her head collapsed on her arms.

Mr. Fish turned to me. “Go grab a couple cappuccinos and a slice of our chocolate cheesecake.”

I turned and walked towards the kitchen.

“Bring two forks” he added.

Mr. Fish sat at the table and listened. When we cleaned up the lunch mess they were still talking. When all the chairs were piled on the tables and the carpet was being vacuumed, they were still talking.

Finally they got up. The formerly upset customer came over to me and apologized for her behavior. She hugged me and handed me a $100 tip.

Four-word rule #4?

Uncover the Real Problem.

The water wasn’t too warm. The food wasn’t too cold. The A/C wasn’t blowing directly on her. And the food came out when it was supposed to come out. But of course, none of that mattered. Because she wasn’t happy.

Most therapists will tell you the concern their patients first present is usually the symptom, not the problem.

I had a client who used to say, “Don’t fix problems you don’t have.”

It goes double for your customers and your clients.

Instead you’ll find real success when you uncover the real problem.

Four-word rule #4 is uncover the real problem.

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