DANA
Can you believe this guy is doing this 
to me?

JEREMY
I don’t think it’s personal, Dana.

DANA
Oh it is personal, Jeremy.
(A scene from Sports Night – How Are Things in Glocca Mora, when Pete Sampras allowed an unknown to take him to five sets – thus delaying the airing of Sports Night)

——

Here’s the lesson.  There is no business encounter, no business transaction, that the customer does not take personally.  Thus, a company must view each business encounter, each business transaction, as a personal encounter.

In other words, humanize each and every business encounter and transaction.

I’m reading Prescription for Excellence: Leadership Lessons for Creating a World Class Customer Experience from UCLA Health System by Joseph Michelli for next Friday’s First Friday Book Synopsis.  It’s good.  (Bob Morris says it is Michelli’s best book – read his review here).

In the book, Michelli states:

It can be argued that certain business transactions, such as fueling your car or buying a product online, are impersonal.  By contrast, businesses like childcare and healthcare are high-touch industries..  In healthcare, personal connections obviously matter, and the ability of staff members to create authentic caring relationships leads to success.  However, even in businesses where service seems secondary to product, strong customer connections drive brand differentiation and other positive business outcomes.

In other words, all business encounters are taken, and experienced, personally.

So  — how are you doing?