Dying a thousand deaths

By Michael Feuer

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It’s been said, “Life isn’t always fair,” when it comes to how we’re judged. Profound words, but no great revelation for anyone in business. Even the glory of unique innovation and head-turning results is ephemeral, evaporating all too quickly as it becomes yesterday’s news. The public’s mindset today is, “What have you done for me lately?”

Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, but when was the last time you acknowledged this life-altering invention? Have you ever exclaimed, “Let there be light,” as you entered a dark room and flipped the switch, while giving thanks to this holder of more than 1,093 patents? Conversely, when you flip that same light switch and night does not instantly turn into day, you’re likely to mutter expletives about the unreliability of this basic utility.

Then there’s the example of the company that paid 200 consecutive quarterly dividends with the precision of a fine Swiss watch. One day, out of the blue, that company has a shortfall, and the dividend is reduced or eliminated.

The morning paper will plaster this “omission” in a banner headline, followed by predictions of gloom and doom for the offending company. No one cares that for the previous 50 years, the dividend was barely noted with a one-line notice hidden in the back pages of the paper. Worse yet, when each dividend check was received by the shareholder, it probably rated a big yawn, if any reaction at all.

We’re constantly being measured by what we don’t do or neglect to do. Companies spend billions of dollars devising programs simply to meet customers’ expectations.

Some of the most successful businesses really don’t deliver anything very astonishing. Instead, they provide consistency, be it a good hot cup of coffee or a safe, clean hotel room in every location around the corner or around the world.

When these companies miss one time, the customer goes bananas. Vitriolic correspondences are launched, accusing the company of incompetence and apathy.

How can your business minimize the risk of being chastised for what it doesn’t do? First, you need to set standards below which the company cannot fall — no way, no how. Second, promulgate these goals as the holy grail of your company’s entire reason for existing.

Make them part of your mission statement, ensuring that everyone from the janitor to the CEO knows what is expected and, more important, what role each plays in delivering on the promise, all the while knowing that being taken for granted is the price of admission.

Fail once, and you will die 1,000 deaths for what you neglected to do. The harsh reality is that if you do it right 99.99 percent of the time, no one gives it a second thought. Do it wrong once, and your customers will indelibly etch the transgression into their memories.

Organizations can improve their odds of survival and success by paying attention to basics and by dealing with details. For example, as a salesperson, you make a prospecting call on a potential new client, and the next day, you send a thank-you note.

You won’t get much credit for doing this. It is a zero sum game. You’ll be remembered only for the note or call you didn’t make when your competitor sends the thank-you letter or follows up verbally.

Here’s another scenario: A subordinate’s 90-year-old great-grandmother passes away, and your company forgets to send flowers. If you send the flowers, they’ll blend in with the others, but if you neglect to do so, your missing bouquet will be conspicuous by its absence.

This same discipline applies to your personal life. Have you ever missed sending a lousy $2 Valentine’s Day card to your spouse or significant other? If you do participate in this ritual and you’re lucky, you might get a peck on the cheek. If you don’t, be assured it’s the start of World War III, and your partner will never let you forget it.

Make your own list of must-dos and have your employees do the same. Sometimes, the big winner can be the company that doesn’t stand out for the wrong reasons.

Many great businesses have been built on reliability, and too many companies have ultimately failed for errors of omission. Being invisible at the right times can be a strategic advantage.

MICHAEL FEUER co-founded OfficeMax in 1988 with a friend and partner. Starting with one store during a 16-year span, Feuer, as CEO, grew the company to almost 1,000 stores worldwide, with annual sales approximating $5 billion before selling this retail giant for almost $1.5 billion in 2003 to Boise Cascade Corp. Feuer immediately launched another start-up, Max-Ventures, a retail/consumer products venture capital operating and consulting firm headquartered in suburban Cleveland, Ohio. Feuer serves on a number of corporate and philanthropic boards and is a frequent speaker on business, marketing and building entrepreneurial enterprises. Reach him with comments at mfeuer@max-ventures.com.