For some reason I wanted to close savings account operated by three-joint-holders; me, my wife and my son based more than 500 kilometers away from us.
Bank officer checked our account and advised that all the three holders must sign an account-closing form. Accordingly, my son collected a blank form locally and couriered it to me. We signed it and went to submit it to the bank.
The bank officer says: You should have closed the fixed deposits linked with the account before closing the savings account.
How can you expect customer to know this technical procedure?
"I am sorry madam, but I should have told you about this", apologizes the officer.
Damage is already done: rework, delay, etc.
Real apology could have been the officer going beyond first-aid that of giving additional form in above case.
Why can't people use simple checklists associated with a given step in a process or a procedure such as (titled) 'Checklist items to check before closing a savings account' in above case.
But yes! This is what happened in a leading private sector bank in India. In fact, the technology they already had with them could have been harnessed to create a mistake-proof pop-up (as a Pokayoke Kaizen as in Japanese-Management or rather The Toyota-Way to work). It should have reminded the user to 'check' the items in-lieu of the manual 'checklist' as above.
Why do people over-depend on their memory? Why can't they reserve it as a ram (in computer) for processing rather than to memorize?
Same was the case in a leading telephone company. The customer attendant asked me to wait because he didn't know exact details of the 'plan on offer'.
After 10-minutes waiting, a spiky-hair-styled man walked in, 'smelling' cigarette as he explained the plan without even looking at computer or a paper. "Leaflet stock-out" was the reply when asked.
He was touted as a 'memory-freak'. Perhaps he too seemed to enjoy it taking it as a pride.
A false pride seemed to got nurtured by himself or by people surrounding him at home or at work.
While writing this blogpost, a service mechanic from the above telephone company enters my home with 'smelling socks'. Had the smell been little stronger, I would have vomited if not fainted.
An excellent company would keep and train their visiting staff on a 'Do-Don't Checklist such as follows:
Before entering Indian homes
Don't gate-crash. Take appointment and be on time (not in-time).
Press door bell just once. Don't keep it pressed too long.
Gently knock the door if bell is non-functional. Don't hammer it impatiently (treating it like a nail).
Wear identity card and show it.
Remove shoes. Remove smelling socks.
Greet before entering.
Don't keep your bags, tools, etc. on furniture.
Take permission before sitting on sofa.
Actively and completely listen to customer complaints.
Check if job is completed to the customer's satisfaction.
I would like to add visual-aids in support of checklists wherever possible & in particular in support of the last point above.
Visual-aids such as in picture depict certain principles that can be practised to benefit in various situations. A typical visual-aid might contain a sketch sequencing a job to be done in order to prevent forgetfulness or might color-code wires to be connected in order to prevent wrong connections or might provide PEEP slots in a frequent-travelers bag, etc.
When there is a Place-(SLOT)-for-Everything and if Everything-is-(NOT)-in-Place (PEEP), the empty SLOT, if any, reminds user of the 'missing things'. This idea is a part of Five-S (Seiton) practice for continual improvement.
Bank officer checked our account and advised that all the three holders must sign an account-closing form. Accordingly, my son collected a blank form locally and couriered it to me. We signed it and went to submit it to the bank.
The bank officer says: You should have closed the fixed deposits linked with the account before closing the savings account.
How can you expect customer to know this technical procedure?
"I am sorry madam, but I should have told you about this", apologizes the officer.
Damage is already done: rework, delay, etc.
Real apology could have been the officer going beyond first-aid that of giving additional form in above case.
Why can't people use simple checklists associated with a given step in a process or a procedure such as (titled) 'Checklist items to check before closing a savings account' in above case.
But yes! This is what happened in a leading private sector bank in India. In fact, the technology they already had with them could have been harnessed to create a mistake-proof pop-up (as a Pokayoke Kaizen as in Japanese-Management or rather The Toyota-Way to work). It should have reminded the user to 'check' the items in-lieu of the manual 'checklist' as above.
Why do people over-depend on their memory? Why can't they reserve it as a ram (in computer) for processing rather than to memorize?
Same was the case in a leading telephone company. The customer attendant asked me to wait because he didn't know exact details of the 'plan on offer'.
After 10-minutes waiting, a spiky-hair-styled man walked in, 'smelling' cigarette as he explained the plan without even looking at computer or a paper. "Leaflet stock-out" was the reply when asked.
He was touted as a 'memory-freak'. Perhaps he too seemed to enjoy it taking it as a pride.
A false pride seemed to got nurtured by himself or by people surrounding him at home or at work.
While writing this blogpost, a service mechanic from the above telephone company enters my home with 'smelling socks'. Had the smell been little stronger, I would have vomited if not fainted.
An excellent company would keep and train their visiting staff on a 'Do-Don't Checklist such as follows:
Before entering Indian homes
Don't gate-crash. Take appointment and be on time (not in-time).
Press door bell just once. Don't keep it pressed too long.
Gently knock the door if bell is non-functional. Don't hammer it impatiently (treating it like a nail).
Wear identity card and show it.
Remove shoes. Remove smelling socks.
Greet before entering.
Don't keep your bags, tools, etc. on furniture.
Take permission before sitting on sofa.
Actively and completely listen to customer complaints.
Check if job is completed to the customer's satisfaction.
I would like to add visual-aids in support of checklists wherever possible & in particular in support of the last point above.
Visual-aids such as in picture depict certain principles that can be practised to benefit in various situations. A typical visual-aid might contain a sketch sequencing a job to be done in order to prevent forgetfulness or might color-code wires to be connected in order to prevent wrong connections or might provide PEEP slots in a frequent-travelers bag, etc.
When there is a Place-(SLOT)-for-Everything and if Everything-is-(NOT)-in-Place (PEEP), the empty SLOT, if any, reminds user of the 'missing things'. This idea is a part of Five-S (Seiton) practice for continual improvement.
At individual level, a person with a passion to excel (and wishing not to regret the result of forgetfulness later) would keep an individualized 'Do-Don't Checklist & visual-aids' on him as and when needed, be it while going to the market or while going to work or play. He does this although others may consider this as an idiosyncratic practice.
At individual level, a person with a passion to excel (and wishing not to regret the result of forgetfulness later) would keep an individualized 'Do-Don't Checklist on him as and when needed, be it while going to the market or while going to work or play.
Like an enemy, memory behaves funny exactly when you are in need
Like a friend-in-need, checklists make you productive indeed
Also read a few relevant blogposts hereunder: Please do consider leaving a comment or sharing this post.
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Hoarders Of Filthy Hoardings
Treat Root-causes, Not Symptoms !
Nauseous Communication Gaps
Do You Cleanup-After-Crisis
Will It Work Here?
Some Moron ! Some Great !!!
That's How Morons Work
You seem Reasonable if you appear Un-reasonable
Smart-Moron Who Breaks Your Glass
WOW Work-Culture: By Telling or Selling
Suggestions On-Sale, None-To-Buy
Can-changing-thoughts-change-a-nation
Ridiculous Poison-culture versus Maverick Kaizen-culture
Technology in-place, security dis-placed
IQ-EQ-or-SQ: What-is-more-important?
Customer or Custo-Mer?
Experienced A Delightful Payment !
Less With More And More Gets Sore
Should one care for value?
Hoarders Of Filthy Hoardings
So very true! Every single person on Earth must have had a first-hand experience on the very points mentioned above...
ReplyDeleteSimple things often lead to big differences and we always tend to overlook these simple things.
ReplyDeleteIn mahabharata maybe karna should have adopted this principle to backfire the curse..!!!