Designworx- Designing and Building the Experience

"Plussing the Gag" for better client experiences.

I was having lunch with my friend Joe Finazzo last week; Joe is a full-blooded Italian whose grandparents emigrated to America. Joe's father became fairly well off selling produce in the Midwest where he oft related the tome, "Young Joseph... if you always deliver more than your client asks for; then your business will always be successful". We're familiar with variations of this. How many of us do it?

At a National Speakers Association meeting I attended, a budding comedian described how he enhances a joke by adding a follow up bit that adds to it. We've all seen it -- the shtick has more at the end. He called it 'plussing the gag'. I'll 'plus the gag' in the following while relating something that happened to me.

Years ago I was out to purchase a new compact car model at a local dealership. After the customary drive of this basic auto we had our 'sit-down' at the sales desk. The fellow related that it was a wondrous fine car; I related that it was a plain-white-toaster-appliance with wheels. Off to this tactful start, I wrote my well-researched offer on a slip of paper and slid it across to him. He looked at it, paused and said "Sir, you have more chance of seeing Jesus at 3 o'clock than getting this car - at this price". He said that! - No kidding. Our tactful exchange continued, we haggled some more - I didn't budge. It turns out that: Jesus is a black man ... I indeed met him at 3 o'clock ... he works in finance.

Without deconstructing the preceding paragraph, it is the additional bits that give the story more impact.

Are you plussing your experience? Are you delivering more than your clients expect? Seek ways to make your product service or brand more authentic, more memorable, more engaging more positive. Conceive take-aways that enhance your message. These are the elements of an experience.

If you would like additional insights...contact us *grin*.

Plus the gag.

:-)

Patrick Scofield
www.designworx.com

We've Been Silent for Too Long!

Welcome to our little slice of blog heaven. We've waited too long, been too busy or even, too private. Weeell, the offenders have been reassigned.

I will write regularly to tell you about product design innovation and perspectives. My goal to provide you with information tools that make you a better decision maker in the product development market.

And perhaps, -- perhaps you might contact us and see how we can assist you in your journey to better experiences for your product and brand.

Patrick Scofield
President
www.designworx.com

Managing experiences; a smack upside the head!

We all enjoy a performance, a movie or a product more if our prior expectations are exceeded or at least - met.

A smack upside the head is oft needed to bring perspective. A new vendor provided this essential reminder recently.

As a product design firm that also prototypes and manufactures limited runs, we were making some aluminum teaching tools for a new client. We had a four week total manufacturing window and had used the first two for fabrication, a week was left in process for a new anodize vendor and a week for a laser marking vendor. Nice margins that have us delivering on time to satisfied clients.

I met the anodizer and toured the shop. Anodizing is a dirty business that involves a delightful coterie of acids and dyes that are harmful to the unwary. It is apparent to me now, that this industry has participants that are either highly certified for aviation style work; or companies working the cost curve and on the border of having a bad EPA investigation. This firm was likely the latter. Others had informed me they had been in business for 25 years. It appeared so.

The parts delivered, we expected them completed in four days. A week later we had only 30% of the parts. After much gnashing of teeth, a reject rate of 50% and constant re-prep we were finally done. A painful job involving more time than any savings I might have made by using them. After griping considerably I was asked by a friend if I would use them again. Curiously, yes.

On the fourth visit I spied several familiar hi-tech and some current clients' manufacturing work in for anodizing - AHA! The results seemed consistent on the industrial grade work. And the value is there. I would have been helped if someone would have held my hands and-managed my expectations . If someone had said " Sir, cost, quality or speed -- pick one" I could have chosen to go elsewhere or stay put.

I remind myself that my gracious clients allow me to charge in and solve design challenges for them. Trusting that they will get a result they perceive.

Are you doing enough in your industry? Do you have a mechanism for finding out the hidden messages you impart in your brand? This is one of the things that product ethnography can ferret out, and that is another discussion.

Patrick Scofield
President
www.designworx.com