Challenge & Selection

Storytelling is an effective weapon in understanding the customer. Especially if you work as a quality  engineer in a department that has direct interaction with the customer like me, you have to understand  the customer. It is necessary to discover deeply the wishes of the customer that they did not realize. My  clients with the largest population are truck drivers. Truck drivers can spend 3-5 months away from their  homes, only in the truck. They travel from country to country alone. It would not be wrong to say they  are like turtles carrying their houses on their backs.

Application

I received an offer from one of the leading truck companies in the Balkans to come up with an innovative  yet simple idea. This firm has had dramatic declines in sales figures in recent years. They wanted to  engage the customer with simple but effective ideas. They did not build trucks with excessive  performance or low fuel consumption, as they did not have a lot of money on their budget. So they  wanted to get counseling. But I was more knowledgeable about truck drivers in Western Europe. In every  geography, people like different things. It was a risk for me, but I still accepted the job and wanted to go  to the field and talk to the drivers on the spot. I spoke with about 20 drivers, and the part they all  highlighted was interestingly the same. The drivers did not like to wipe the floor of the cabin, but they  also wanted to step on the floor in clean socks without shoes. This made them feel at home. But there  was a problem. When they took off their shoes, there was no place to put them. Many were trying to put  it on the truck step. However, from there, rain and dust came in and dirty the shoes.

Insight & Approach

I immediately shared this new information I learned with my company. I told them that these drivers  should feel at home, that this is actually not that difficult and we will gain customers loyal to our brand.  As a solution, I would expand the metal plate of the door down. Thus, one of the steps would be closed  by the door, and there would be an area that would not come into contact with rain and mud. The next  year, customer satisfaction scores increased by 8 points from 59 to 67. This was the highest jump since  2002.

Observing the customer's problem through the eyes of the drivers gave me a different perspective. Our  brand made a difference in a market where all competitors focused only on horsepower and fuel  consumption.

The company was now aware that small elements could make a big difference. It was now a company  policy to share the customer's concerns in the field.

This course made me realize the power of storytelling and gain different perspectives.

In my daily business life, I will try to do my work with this perspective.


Challenge & Selection Storytelling is an effective weapon in understanding the customer . Especially if you work as a quality engineer in a department that has direct interaction with the customer like me , you have to understand the customer . It is necessary to discover deeply the wishes of the customer that they did not realize . My clients with the largest population are truck drivers . Truck drivers can spend 3 - 5 months away from their homes , only in the truck . They travel from country to country alone . It would not be wrong to say they are like turtles carrying their houses on their backs . Application I received an offer from one of the leading truck companies in the Balkans to come up with an innovative yet simple idea . This firm has had dramatic declines in sales figures in recent years . They wanted to engage the customer with simple but effective ideas . They did not build trucks with excessive performance or low fuel consumption , as they did not have a lot of money on their budget . So they wanted to get counseling . But I was more knowledgeable about truck drivers in Western Europe . In every geography , people like different things . It was a risk for me , but I still accepted the job and wanted to go to the field and talk to the drivers on the spot . I spoke with about 20 drivers , and the part they all highlighted was interestingly the same . The drivers did not like to wipe the floor of the cabin , but they also wanted to step on the floor in clean socks without shoes . This made them feel at home . But there was a problem . When they took off their shoes , there was no place to put them . Many were trying to put it on the truck step . However , from there , rain and dust came in and dirty the shoes . Insight & Approach I immediately shared this new information I learned with my company . I told them that these drivers should feel at home , that this is actually not that difficult and we will gain customers loyal to our brand . As a solution , I would expand the metal plate of the door down . Thus , one of the steps would be closed by the door , and there would be an area that would not come into contact with rain and mud . The next year , customer satisfaction scores increased by 8 points from 59 to 67 . This was the highest jump since 2002 . Observing the customer 's problem through the eyes of the drivers gave me a different perspective . Our brand made a difference in a market where all competitors focused only on horsepower and fuel consumption . The company was now aware that small elements could make a big difference . It was now a company policy to share the customer 's concerns in the field . This course made me realize the power of storytelling and gain different perspectives . In my daily business life , I will try to do my work with this perspective .