I Don't Like Pennies, But Nick Does

Nick would not likely be considered as an example of the upwardly mobile sort. He is a bit frail, has a goatee, his head is shaved-somewhat, he wears black & white low profile Converse and he works at a convenience store. I know this about Nick because I purchased a large cup of House-Blend coffee from him.

What I also learned about Nick is that he is a great compliment to the Kum & Go Convenience Store brand. My purchase was $2.77 for which I gave Nick a $5.00 bill. The coffee was $1.77 and
Nick asked me if I would like to contribute $1.00 to
Habitat for Humanity, which I was glad to do. Nick not only sold me coffee, he sold me on helping others in need.

Kum & Go has one of those point of sale devices that spits your change out into that little chute on the customer side of the counter. My change should have been $2.23. but it wasn't. It was $2.25. The reason for that is Nick had put two cents of his own money into the register so I would not have more annoying pennies. I don't like pennies. This was extremely considerate on Nick's part. Because of Nick,  I would not have to repeatedly reach into the chute to gather my pennies and I would not have more pennies in my pocket. I don't like pennies.

I submit that Nick is actually an aggressively upwardly mobile business man. He is so focused on the customer experience that he puts about $1.00 of his own change into a bowl next to his register every day so he can provide customers some change when needed, or when it lightens the penny load. Nick, apparently likes pennies and even if you don't use Nick's pennies you will get his high energy behavior delivering exceptional customer service.

How simple, yet brilliant is that.

Nick greatly and deliberately improves the customer experience by investing some of his own resources.

Delivering distinguishing and exceptional customer service does not usually require much. By adding just a few figurative pennies to your efforts you can dominate the competition. Great customer service is the competitive advantage and bad customer service is a wildfire that consumes every aspect of the business in it's path. Nick gets it, do you?

Grey Matters in Important Matters

The diagnosis is serious. The treatment protocol is complicated. The issue demands immediate action and will get worse if not attended to. The only viable option is delicate surgery. The one decision to be made is which doctor to use. The choices are a doc who has preformed about 50 of the complicated procedures and a doc who has preformed over 1,000. You, as the patient, need to choose.

You are 5-miles in the air traveling at over 500 mph when the alarm chimes sound, the seat belt sign is illuminated and the pilot announces that your flight will experience some very turbulent weather for the duration and the landing is going to be unusually rough. The pilot has over 40 years experience flying commercially, the co-pilot has 2 years experience flying commercially. You can have the pilots change seats whereby the co-pilot with 2-years exerience is flying the aircraft or you can remain in the hands of the 40-year veteran. You, as the passenger, get to choose.

You are in the wrong place at the wrong time and are caught up in a mess, whereby it appears that you are part of a massive unlawful disturbance. Today's technology has caught you on camera and law enforcement is currently tracking you down. Even though you were not intentionally part of the disturbance and left quickly when things erupted, the police think because you were there you were part of the problem and they show up at your door, with a warrant for your arrest. A friend knows two attorneys that he is recommending. One has vast experience in criminal law and one is 2-years out of law school. Choose which attorney and remember, you are sitting in a jail cell.

Now what?

Whenever there is a choice between vast experience combined with successful accomplishments and barely experienced with almost no successful accomplishments, always choose the former.

The cosmetic look may suggest to you a reason to question the capabilities with the greying temples and all, but do not judge these seasoned individuals by the maturing covers. When, matters are as important as the scenarios described earlier in this writing, you are much better off if you commit to seasoned knowledge rather than the; "I am doing the best I can for you, with the little experience I have."

The matters do not need to rise to the level of those mentioned earlier in order for you to choose the individual who has been there and done that. People who have fought the battles and won or lost have the point-of-reference and will make reasoned decisions, while they employ the knowledge acquired, by experience. This group can accelerate the process by navigating carefully.

The other group does not have the experience and has not fought the battles. They don't know what they don't know and you will pay the price.

Grey matters in important matters.