In some environments, there’s such a focus on justifying/prioritising every feature and only building the bare essentials that you end up with something that is perfectly functional, but nothing special. Certainly nothing to talk to your friends about – nothing that would generate word of mouth adoption.
Call it the 105% Rule. From a word-of-mouth perspective, it’s virtually impossible to discuss an experience that is 5% better than the norm on all dimensions. People don’t talk like mystery shoppers, reporting diligently on each relevant feature. People talk about the exceptions, the unexpected, the highlights.
The full, interesting article in Fast Company provides a number of interesting examples – home-made cookies at a mid-level hotel chain, grannies knitting beanies for UK juice packaging. It’s worth a read.
Do we champion and strive to dream up and add that gem that’s really going to differentiate? It’s hard at times in some companies…
Most organizations systematically snuff out anything that’s distinctive enough to spark conversation, usually through processes and committees. Would woolen caps for smoothie bottles have survived a committee decision at Coca-Cola? Could a formal market-research process have justified the VW Beetle’s bud vase? (“Our conjoint analysis has revealed that customers’ willingness to pay increases by $112 with the bud vase.”) When people with different opinions compromise, they meet in the middle, not at the edge. But the edge is what sparks conversation.
