You may be familiar with the term “butterfly effect.” You may even have a bit of an understanding about what that implies. The term was made popular by mathematician and meteorologist, Edward Norton Lorenz. In its most basic form, the term is used to describe how a very small event occurring in the atmosphere will ripple and cause disturbances over time; and can ultimately result in a catastrophic event, like a tornado, several weeks later. That is to say, a very small change in weather conditions (like from the flutter of a butterfly’s wings) could end up causing very different outcomes in weather models.
The longer I think about something like that, the more it makes my head hurt. Of course, the same principle is going to apply in many situations in all areas of our lives. Have you ever considered that in your business? What are some things you are doing that might seem like nothing, but really do mean something?
“Are we doing little things that seem insignificant, but in the long-term they compound into a big deal? Simple things like encouragement, taking a few minutes to listen to a coworker or customer, giving that part a little extra polish before it is in the customer’s hands, or buying lunch for the crew is all it takes. There is literally no limit to the number of small things you can do that will pay big dividends one way or another.”
Let me share the example I remember from Consumer Math in high school. Now, I like a good cup of coffee. In fact, I really like good coffee enough that on a daily basis I make sure I have one or two cups of it. When I’m traveling, I will stop where I know I am going to get a good coffee, even though I know it’s going to cost more than I would like to spend. Some might say I have an addiction, and I suppose there may be a little something to that, but I like to tell myself that what I have is good taste and I can stop anytime I want – but I don’t want to right now.
This has been going on since high school, and if we sit down and add it all up, the total paid for just a beverage is more than I want to admit. Was it worth it? Probably not. But we cannot deny ourselves every little pleasure in the name of saving a buck. However, we must also consider where I could be financially had I not spent all that money on coffee and invested it instead. A conservative calculation (I didn’t spend a lot of time trying to adjust for things like interest rate changes or inflation) still puts me at about $100K between what I spent and what I could have potentially earned since high school from interest in a mutual fund with compounding interest. I do this knowingly and willingly. It seems foolish when we look at it in those terms.
What are we doing that could also have long-term implications in our business? Do we have a regular expenditure that seems like nothing, but week in and week out it is dripping away with no real return? Are we frittering away our precious time on wasteful actions? On a more positive note, are we doing little things that seem insignificant, but in the long-term they compound into a big deal? Simple things like encouragement, taking a few minutes to listen to a coworker or customer, giving that part a little extra polish before it is in the customer’s hands, or buying lunch for the crew is all it takes. There is literally no limit to the number of small things you can do that will pay big dividends one way or another.
Answering the phone grumpy and abruptly telling a customer “we don’t have that” without even trying to help them is a big one. The part they are looking for is probably some trinket, so even if you tell them twice what it is worth, it is going to be less than your company’s minimum price policy. (I am a huge unbeliever in minimum price policies, by the way, but that’s for another time.) Even if you know you don’t have it and/or don’t want to waste the time messing with it, and the very least, let the customer feel like you gave it a try.
I am simply amazed at how many times I have called a fellow recycler, and was rudely informed that they don’t have that, even when I see it in Eden or Car-Part. Now, I understand that it probably was sold earlier that day, but just takes a few seconds to say, “sorry buddy, you just missed it.” That goes down a lot more nicely. I know for salespeople in our industry, there is a lot of pressure to keep things moving lightning fast and always selling; but I feel in this area, a little courtesy will go a long, long way.
In the same way, taking a few minutes to go the extra mile for the customer is huge. Offering to carry the part out to their vehicle, telling them you want to find them a piece of cardboard because they forgot to bring something to set the differential on in the back of the minivan, or asking a coworker if they want you to bring them back a cup of coffee from the break room – these things people remember.
I know it takes precious time. I know it isn’t always convenient. But disciplining ourselves to do things like that will come back to us in a big way. The biggest reward? It will come from within. The change in us, if we do things like this, will be only positive. And, how much it improves your attitude may even surprise you. We can all grow in this way. Let’s do so together. Let’s work as a team to make the reputation of our industry something other industries want to model. We got this.
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