Your Mother

In certain parts of New Yawk, one doesn’t speak of another’s mother unless one wishes to get grievously hurt. However, today let me talk to you about your mothers. My mother too. And my father, brother, sister, cousins, and other assorted relations. Yours too. You see, they’re the ones some folks seem to forget when they stop being people and put on their titles.
This isn’t about politics although the lessons apply. This is about business and, hopefully, making smart business decisions. You see, I think the businesses that get into trouble are the ones run by people who forget they’re people. I’m not quite sure what they think of themselves as. Somehow they forget that when they decide to improve the bottom line at the expense of customers that the customer affected is – wait for it – their mom. It’s a person that denies a health claim or water damage at an insurance company, not some faceless legal entity called a corporation, and it’s a person that’s going to have to pay out of their pocket (if they can). It’s a person paying those fees that weren’t there last month, maybe a person on a fixed income (like your dad).  It’s a person who says to your mom “there’s nothing we can do” without doing anything more than looking at the script or rulebook and not really trying very hard to get the problem solved, not just resolved.

So here’s today’s tidbit. Whatever decision you’re making today or tomorrow or the next day, imagine what effect it will have on your mother if she’s your customer. Put a face to that customer or claimant. You’ll both be happier and sleep better too!

Thoughts?