When Exception Becomes The Rule

We all love making exceptions to our processes. Sure we know there are going to be exceptions to our rules, but to work in a role supporting a high-touch organization might be so much so that I might liken it to an exercise in continually asking asking someone to stop kicking you in the backside only to find out after the 20th time you’ve been sporting a “Kick Me I’m Stupid!” sign on your back.

Wow, that was a bit harsh… but let me draw a parallel here from the industry within which I work: Does it not strike you that just about every sales person in the copier industry is wildly egotistical – at least the good ones are, don’t you think? It’s not like they are mean people, nor are they out to get everyone. No, it is just a simple matter of forgetting the sun, moon, and stars don’t really revolve around them – or did the rest of us just miss something?

A Moment of Truth:

I tried my hand at sales many years ago, selling timeshares with the Marriott of all things. Not only was I not enamored with my product and felt about as slimy as a slug in the dead of summer, but I found out I couldn’t stomach all of the “No’s”. You know, it wasn’t even all of the “No’s” either – it was the vitriol that spewed out of people’s mouths… like some busted pipe of venom. It was not a fun job and I knew that industry and sales was not for me.

So it takes a certain bravado, I suppose, to get through all of the objections customers may try and throw at you. I give you that.

But what I don’t get is how a simple process that has been proven to make your sale go smoother, make the the customer happy, and keep everyone sane can prove to be such dramatic show-stopper month-in-and-month-out?

Do you live in a high-touch environment where you service customers that are high-touch? It might not be sales people – it might be lawyers, doctors, or Ph. D.’s at a university. In other words, do you work in a place where “the talent” has to be coddled and pampered to maintain a certain order of things?

Balanced Chaos:

There has to be balance. In my previous post, Meet Me at the Intersection of Passion and Process, I waxed poetically about the fact that organizations need both passion and process. I used to believe only process was needed, but found that the coin of business had 2 sides.

It can be a death knell for a company to have all process and no passion. This leads to the company becoming disconnected to its lifeblood – the customer.

What is arguably more dangerous is to allow passion to override logic and a proven process and forge ahead on bravado and testosterone alone. The all too familiar syndrome of “over-promising and under-delivering” is the hallmark of this corporate culture.

In a high-touch environment, exceptions are the norm. However, you must have a system in place to allow for certain deviations from the critical path, but not allowing for wild variations that might cause the company, customer, or associates harm.

In other words, exceptions can be allowed to become the rule only when there is a culture of understanding when passion is warranted and when it must be reigned in, when process is needed and when it becomes stifling.

What are some of your thoughts on exception handling? How do you and your company deal with exceptions?