Yes, this is related to photography, or more specifically professional photography and pretty much every other client facing industry or role out there. If you’re serious about improving your client service there is a lesson to be learned from Mother Nature.
Meerkats and Ostriches
This is a concept I stumbled upon quite by accident a couple of hours ago when I took my wife, the long suffering Mrs. LightMatters for a cup of tea at M&S. On the wall they had a weekly chart for the staff to fill out whether they’d had an ostrich day or a meerkat day. It took me a few moments before I realised what it was all about. It’s a parallel that some clever person in the organisation has made to encourage the staff to focus on client service and how they can best engage with them.
What’s the difference?
Ostriches bury their heads in the sand. Meerkats are nosey little critters. The ostrich will run and hide and avoid a problem. The meerkat will sit up, take notice and be very alert to what’s going on. If they don’t they die.
Now for the big question: when you deal with a client are you more like an ostrich or a meerkat? Honest answers only please! There is another way to look at this – when you are the client would you prefer the supplier to be an ostrich or a meerkat when dealing with your enquiry?
I can’t for one minute claim that this is my idea. It’s something I can identify and relate to though. It’s also something I’m going to be wary of when dealing with my clients in future.
