YES invites opportunity; NO closes the door on it.
YES creates value; NO destroys it.
YES is human. NO is mechanical.
The leader who wants to build their business looks for ways to exchange mutual value with others; to find opportunities to respond to what others desire. To serve others in a way that will create long term relationships that prosper both the organization and the individual.
You can’t create a thriving growing business when you are constantly saying NO to customers.
My experience, however, is that most organizations try to control customers by a system of internal rules, policies and procedures that stand in the way of them from getting what they want.
Also read: What Happens When Organizations Love To Get Complaints?
How do you personally feel when confronted with statements like: “You can’t do…” or “Our policy doesn’t permit…” or “The rules say…” or “That’s simply not possible…”? Expressed positions like these effectively erect NO barriers that erode relationships with people and eventually destroy them.
Organizations do need control systems in place, but many take it too far and essentially use them to architect a customer experience that suits themselves rather than creating one that is emotionally satisfying to the customer.
Rules made to control customer activity prevent positive synergy between customers and the organization.
They create an impersonal and unfeeling organization. They drive people to their competitors. They contribute to the competitive herd of sameness, mediocrity and invisibility.
And they turn the culture of an organization to being internally focused with a follow-the-rules mentality; devoid of originality and creativity – cogs in a machine.
Also read: Do You Have A Copycat Culture?
Imagine a world where organizations are motivated to say YES to their customers. To try to do whatever it takes to satisfy their innermost wants and desires.
In this world “How can I help”is the singular focus of all people in the organization.
Problem solvers are viewed as critical to the strategy of the organization.
Policies are designed to SERVE customers not control them. Internal processes are engineered from the customer’s point of view with the objective of being easy to do business with.
How often do we ask the frontline what they need to say YES to the customer? What stands in their way? What internal dumb rules force them to say NO?
A critical component of your overall strategy and cultural journey should be how to get to YES.
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A culture of yes is appealing for customer service and similar. In companies that focus on S&T a culture of Yes can be self-destructive and lead to collapse. Science and to some extent engineering require Yeses and NOs to grow, improve, evolve. In fact, some of the greatest findings in S&T resulted because many NOs were properly addressed and therefore a pathway to success was identified by finding Yeses.