Yeah I Noticed That

Yeah I noticed that.

That’s the last thing I want to hear a service provider say to me about a problem he noticed but didn’t fix. I took a “product” to be repaired on another issue and forgot to mention this other thing. When I picked it up and brought it home I remembered and called him about it.

That was his response. He noticed it. But he didn’t fix it.

And…why not?

It’s like a big red pimple on the nose of a middle-aged man. Quite apparent and obviously in need of therapeutic attention. He didn’t even need to take a minute to call me and ask if I wanted it fixed. Of course I do! Who wants to go around with a big red pimple on their nose?

Maybe it’s just me and I’m short on grace, but this one little thing really messes with me. We were early in our customer/vendor relationship, so there’s not much history established. A “miss” like this can negate any amount of trust that’s formed in the short period of time and plant a seed of doubt about this vendor.

This experience taught me a lesson. If I held this unspoken expectation of someone, then others probably have it of me, too. If not, I can blow their doors off by going an extra mile. Not just in business, but also in personal relationships. If my mom needs her lawn cut, I can do it and if I notice that her bushes look a little shaggy, well, I can trim them, too. If a client has an important rush order he needs in 3 days, I can return it in one.

So this transaction did serve a purpose by sharpening my iron. I am grateful.

In addition to showing me what I can do, it highlighted something not to do. If I don’t fix the pimple, I will not say, “yeah, I noticed that.”