Surface Ripples

"Salami Slicing"

I first learned about the other meaning of the phrase “salami slicing” during a negotiation course some years ago.  The phrase is used to describe a situation where either you or your counterparty ask for something and, when it is agreed, ask for something else and after that’s agreed, something else and so on.  By the end of the process, you end up with one party that may have gained a major advantage though requesting “small” extras and a counterparty who has lost patience with the endless stream of requests for “just one more thing” …

This happens not only in negotiating or sales meetings, but also in the way we businesses deal with customers. Generally, it boils down to terms and conditions and/or documentation.   Whilst seasoned negotiators may enjoy the cat-and-mouse game that is negotiating, customers’ needs are different.  They want to get in, get the product/service and get out with the least amount of “hassle”.  Requests for ID, proof of residence, eligibility for whatever it is and so on are acceptable, but ONLY if handled correctly.

Many of us will remember occasions when we were told that, in order to obtain something, we had to meet conditions 1, 2 and 3 (say).  On meeting them, we go to the store, counter, office or bureau in question to complete our business, only to be told there’s a condition 4 as well that we weren’t told about (or that has just been implemented). Even worse, having met condition 4 (after more effort) on our return, there’s condition 5…

So, if this happens to us, how often does it happen to our customers?  How many do we annoy through “our way” of doing things?  Could we do better?  

The essence of a good “Customer Experience” is that it should:

1. Meet customers’ needs;
2. Be easy to use;
3. Be enjoyable.

If we don’t meet these conditions, we risk losing business.

I understand that laws and regulations may demand that we follow certain procedures and request certain documents or other items, but how often do we look at the situation from the customer’s  point of view?  We can hide behind “the law” or “policy”, but that’s only doing half our job.  How do customers feel about being asked to comply with "yet another" requirement?

One solution that frequently strikes me is that we take insufficient time to “think it through” – often because we have little time at our disposal anyway in our busy lives, or again because it’s easier to hide behind “the law” or “policy”.   The next time we find ourselves looking to implement a change in processes, our first question needs to be, “Will this benefit our customers?”  If the answer’s no, but the change is still needed, how do we make it as “painless” as possible?

I’ve spent more than half my life delivering change in different world markets from the most developed to “emerging” economies. With more than 20 years in international financial services around the world running different operations and lending businesses, I started my own Consultancy to provide solutions for improving performance, productivity and risk management.  I work with individuals, small businesses, charities, quoted companies and academic institutions across the world. An international speaker, trainer, author and fund-raiser, I can be contacted by email. My website  provides a full picture of my portfolio of services.  For strategic questions that you should be asking yourself, follow me at @wkm610.

Labels: Customer Care, Regulation, Selling, Strategy

posted by William Martin @ 11:35