The Curious Incident of Human Experience.
John Sills is a genius.
Well, to avoid hyperbole, he is probably of “above average intelligence”.
And he makes me laugh. Extra points for that 😉
He has a knack of “touching a nerve” on issues that are at the root of improving business outcomes and customer experience.
It seems to me that the key is to think clearly about our perspective and “which end of the telescope” through which we choose to look at the world, or our business.
I have commented on John’s work many times before. He is a perceptive commentator on Customer Experience (CX) and the author of “The Human Experience”.
Recently I shared his insights in “The Myths of Customer Experience & Satisfaction”.
He has now introduced me, via the Rory Sutherland podcast, to the 100 year old book, “Obvious Adams” by Robert Updegraff, just 60 pages, that is the story of paying attention to the “simple obvious things” that everyone else ignores . . . .
There is a lesson in transformation here . . .
Suffice to say, I have now downloaded “Obvious Adams” on Audible for illumination during my “trains, planes and automobiles” moments.
This week, he stopped me in my tracks with his thoughts on “Spa Visits, Warm Beer and Tom Hanks in The Terminal”.
His commentary on 3 blokes going to the spa on the recommendation of their wives had me in stitches.
But it also shines a light on the need to understand the customer, the real customer . . .
John tells the story of three women who went for an evening in the spa together, and came back suitably relaxed.
When it was suggested that their partners might do the same, they did.
After the event, when asked “how they found it”, the response from the three men was “It was great, we completed the whole thing!”. 😂
As part of his job, John had to visit an airport to make recommendations to improve the customer experience.
He describes a specific example that brings to life the saying that “nothing is as invisible as the obvious”.
You can read it at the link below. It is worth a read if you are in the business of improving customer experience and the business processes and behaviours that create them.
The spa is probably not going to find out that, for John and his friends, the approach to a nice relaxing spa is to try and get through every room in the allotted time, as if it were something to “succeed at”. 😉
“Customer Experience” is “Human Experience”.
You can listen to Rory Sutherland introducing “Obvious Adams” here . . .
You can read John’s full story “Spa Visits, Warm Beer and Tom Hanks in The Terminal” here . . .
You can find “Obvious Adams” here, as a book or download . . .
John Sills, thank you. You made me laugh and think at the same time – I almost spilled my beer! 😂
The Curious Incident of Human Experience.
