This is part of a multi-article series on the book Made to Stick.
Photo by caribb
If you’ve ever been on a plane, you’re familiar with the safety announcement that flight attendants are required to make before the plane takes off. And if you’re like most people, you probably tune the flight attendant out. The information is pretty important, but no one cares.
What if you were asked to make the safety announcement? And what if you actually needed people to listen to you? What would you do?
If you haven’t been in an automobile since 1965…
A flight attendant named Karen Wood came up with a rather creative solution to this very problem. On a flight from Dallas to San Diego, she made the following announcement:
If I could have your attention for a few moments, we sure would love to point out these safety features. If you haven’t been in an automobile since 1965, the proper way to fasten your seat belt is to slide the flat end into the buckle. To unfasten, lift up on the buckle and it will release.
And as the song goes, there might be fifty ways to leave your lover, but there are only six ways to leave this aircraft: two forward exit doors, two over-wing removable window exits, and two aft exit doors. The location of each exit is clearly marked with signs overhead, as well as red and white disco lights along the floor of the aisle.
Made ya look!
It didn’t take long before passengers started actually paying attention. When she finished, the plane actually broke into applause!1
Karen Wood used a simple principle to get – and keep – people’s attention: Unexpectedness. Today, I’m going to talk about how you can do the same thing.
Tire Chains at Nordstrom
Nordstrom is an expensive place to shop. When people shop at Nordstrom, they’re not just paying for high-quality merchandise. They’re paying for exceptional customer service. Customer service is Nordstrom’s UVP.
In order for this strategy to work, they need employees who are customer service zealots. Unfortunately, many people with retail experience don’t walk in the door that way.
Many retail environments are focused on getting as many people in and out the door as quickly as possible. Nordstrom puts a great deal of effort into training new employees.
How do they do they do it? They surprise them!
Nordie Stories
Nordstrom breaks people’s schemas – their current thought patterns – by telling them unexpected stories of other Nordies (what Nordstrom employees call themselves).2
- The Nordie who ironed a new shirt for a customer who needed it for a meeting that afternoon.
- The Nordie who cheerfully gift wrapped products a customer bought at Macy’s.
- The Nordie who refunded money for a set of tire chains – even thought Nordstrom doesn’t sell tire chains!
These stories are surprising. They break unspoken assumptions of customer service. And they get people’s attention.
These short stories are far more effective than simply saying, “You should go out of your way to provide exceptional customer service.”
Ideas in Action
So how can you start putting these ideas in action today?
Get people’s attention by surprising them. Break their mental schemas. Think Nordstrom and their “Nordie Stories.”
Next week, I’ll get into how to keep people’s attention. To learn more about Made to Stick, check out the full series of articles.
Buy Made to Stick (Amazon affiliate link)
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