SDP-005. Every Customer Mistake, Is Your Mistake

Guy: Five. Every customer mistake is your mistake.mistake.

Guy: Welcome to Service Design Principles. I'm Guy Martin, joined by the author of the ServiceGuy Martin, joined by the author of the Service

Design Principles series of Books, founder of the Swiss Innovation Academy and Service Designthe Swiss Innovation Academy and Service Design

Practitioner, The Essential Daniele Catalanotto. Hi, Daniele.Hi, Daniele.

Daniele: Hi, Guy. Pleasure to be with you today.

Guy: Same here. So each episode we're looking at one of the principles from your book, Serviceone of the principles from your book, Service

Design Principles, one to 100. And today it's principle number five. Every customer mistake isprinciple number five. Every customer mistake is

your mistake. I worked a lot in corporate training and education, and this feels relatedtraining and education, and this feels related

to the curse of knowledge where I might fail to explain some things because I assume everyoneexplain some things because I assume everyone

has the same background knowledge as me, so they may not understand the same jargon ormay not understand the same jargon or

abbreviations I'm using, and I end up more confused than from when when I started. So isconfused than from when when I started. So is

that what this is about?

Daniele: Yeah. And it's also, you know, kind of this thing wherethis thing where

I feel sometimes as creators of services, business owners and this kind of stuff, you know,business owners and this kind of stuff, you know,

we might be blocked by blaming others, you know, thinking, oh, they just don't get it. You know,thinking, oh, they just don't get it. You know,

they are they are too stupid to go to to get it. Or they did this mistake, you know, and and notOr they did this mistake, you know, and and not

thinking like, what can I do? And so it's kind of reversing the fact that you can't changeof reversing the fact that you can't change

people. And so there is no value in the blame because the problem will just repeat. But if youbecause the problem will just repeat. But if you

believe that, you say, oh, this problem happened because we didn't do something to avoid it. Andbecause we didn't do something to avoid it. And

so it's kind of giving us back to the passivity, to change things, to make change happen. Butto change things, to make change happen. But

when we are in a blame position towards others, then we just say, Hey, it's their problem.then we just say, Hey, it's their problem.

They're stupid. I can't I can't solve their their, their stupidity. But if we say, Oh, thistheir, their stupidity. But if we say, Oh, this

is on us, then oh, let me find ways to to help people to not get into that problempeople to not get into that problem

Guy: Right. So it's a it's a mindset for saying, okay, I can't change the environment. I can'tokay, I can't change the environment. I can't

change necessarily how the customer feels, but I can change what I'm doing about itcan change what I'm doing about it

Daniele: yeah. And I have power on it. And, and if there is something that is happening, youif there is something that is happening, you

know, where sometimes it's also just recognizing which is a bit philosophical, but recognizingwhich is a bit philosophical, but recognizing

that there are mistakes that you choose that they will happen because you say, okay, Ithey will happen because you say, okay, I

recognize that this is a mistake that we want to happen because at the end of the day,happen because at the end of the day,

it's not our responsibility there. But we are very clear on it that it's a mistake that isvery clear on it that it's a mistake that is

happening and that we have decided that this is not our responsibility. So it's still ournot our responsibility. So it's still our

responsibility to decide that we don't want to fix the problem.fix the problem.

Guy: Right. Making it conscious

Daniele: Yeah, exactly. And not just, oh, it's a problem. People do that. I say, okay, we weproblem. People do that. I say, okay, we we

really have decided that this is something that is happening and which is might be bad foris happening and which is might be bad for

people, but we know we don't want to solve it for X and y reason and therefore we are in afor X and y reason and therefore we are in a

position of

being a bit more respectful. You know, also.

Guy: So do you have an example to hand of of something that sort of shows this in action?something that sort of shows this in action?

Daniele: So one example that I would give is one very personal is,very personal is,

you know, my books, they are sometimes a bit colorful in the in the language.colorful in the in the language.

Guy: Yes, We'll find that out very soon.

Daniele: Exactly. which is, which is a thing that you know I learned English in on Netflixthat you know I learned English in on Netflix

and YouTube which might be something that has influenced that but and so therefore my languageinfluenced that but and so therefore my language

was always that one. And what happened is that some people bought my books and then wrote mesome people bought my books and then wrote me

back and said, but then yelling the language, it's very terrible. You say shit and fuck a fewit's very terrible. You say shit and fuck a few

times. It's I'm offended by it, you know, And, and, and at first I was like, But yeah, sure,and, and at first I was like, But yeah, sure,

why is this a problem? You know? And then I was like, But this is just you being, you know, notlike, But this is just you being, you know, not

having imagined that there is other people in the world that have maybe another way ofthe world that have maybe another way of

expressing themselves. And then suddenly I realized, okay, but what can I do about it? Yourealized, okay, but what can I do about it? You

know, And there's simple thing. I was like, okay, I need to be more clear on my website. Use thisI need to be more clear on my website. Use this

kind of language much more. So that's even just on the website. When people arrive, you know,on the website. When people arrive, you know,

they see shades I can and this kind of stuff so that they already kind of know this guy doesn'tthat they already kind of know this guy doesn't

speak in a very academic way. He speaks like a like a normal guy who had a drink with you. Andlike a normal guy who had a drink with you. And

and so knowing that it's not like just oh, people are giving me are going through a mistake,people are giving me are going through a mistake,

which is I bought this thinking it's going to be academic, but it is not. And you swear in it,academic, but it is not. And you swear in it,

which is a mistake that happened and don't it's my mistake because I didn't communicate wellmy mistake because I didn't communicate well

enough that this is not for them.

Guy: Right.

Daniele: And so that now I'm able to do a lot of work on that, which helps me to just attract thework on that, which helps me to just attract the

right people and to avoid those who would do a mistake by buying my book.mistake by buying my book.

Guy: Yeah. So, I mean, you could have reacted by saying, okay, well, I'm going to make an extrasaying, okay, well, I'm going to make an extra

effort not to swear anymore. But you decided you made that conscious decision to say, well, let'smade that conscious decision to say, well, let's

use it as a filter. Let's. Let's filter out the people that that I can resonate with better. Andpeople that that I can resonate with better. And

those that want to see something more academic than maybe they'll go somewhere else. And andthan maybe they'll go somewhere else. And and

and I can have more fun doing my work.

Daniele: exactly. Exactly.

Guy: Well, shit, That sounds great!

Daniele: But yeah, it's it's taking responsibility. I think that's really the pointresponsibility. I think that's really the point

here. It's taking responsibility on what is happening and taking responsibility sometimeshappening and taking responsibility sometimes

means that you're fixing the mistake. Sometimes it means that you are avoiding that people fallit means that you are avoiding that people fall

into mistake and sometimes it's agreeing that you will have to live with it because you haveyou will have to live with it because you have

decided to make it happen.

Guy: Thank you very much. We'll see you on the next one.next one.