There’s an apple tree in the local park. And at this time of year, it attracts a lot of attention because the apples are ripening and dropping to the ground. Some people see the apples as something to gather or pick and eat. Some of the kids see a ball and toss it around or hit it with a stick. Other kids see the apples as a game like whack-a-mole, jumping on one after another and crushing them. The tree sees the apples as a means to spread its seeds. And if I just said Apple, you might think about the company.

In business, what people see depends on the lens they are looking through. As leaders, part of our job is to understand what people see.

The Olympics has been fantastic. It’s been eight years since we last saw all the pomp and circumstance, the crowds, the proud family members cheering their athlete on.  And not all of it can be condensed down to the nightly primetime broadcast. So, I set specific events to record only to find that a different event was recorded in its place. Surfing through the various places that might have the video on demand only came up short. I signed up for something I didn’t get. And it was disappointing.

Unfortunately, not getting what you signed up for happens too often in business. And when it does, there should be an avenue for the customer/client to share what went wrong and provide an opportunity for the business to make it right. That gives the business a chance not only to deliver on the promise, but also to fix the process that led to the miss.

Something new appeared in the stream by the bridge. A male duck. It didn’t fly away as I approached. One day is swam under the bridge. Another it stood on a rock next to the bridge. And yet another day, it swam behind a branch by the bridge. It was as if it was guarding something under the bridge. Maybe a nesting female?  I may never know.

Creating intrigue can be tough to do in business when people see the same thing every day. Sometimes it is just a matter of introducing something new that catches the eye and makes people want to look more.

She greeted me with a huge smile. It was my first time to the wildlife refuge. And as I shared that with her while walking up the sidewalk, she got up from the window and came outside with a map. She showed me all the highlights, how to get the most out of the visit and even some tips on binoculars. Then she shared why she loved it so much. The volunteering, the community, the people, learning about the birds. All of it.

When people have a passion for their job, it shows. It lifts up the entire experience for customers and employees. And because of their passion, the work product is typically much better. It’s worth considering passion when hiring.

For several years now, I’ve had Hulu Live with No Ads.  No Ads costs a bit more, but was worth it when I signed up. Lately though, everything has ads. Most recently the ads have morphed into interactive ads. 30 seconds of commercials with interaction or two minutes if I don’t. Provide data or watch more commercials.

Do what you said you were going to do is one of the basic tenets in business. In a commodity business, people will put up with broken promises to a point to have the lowest cost. For most businesses, at some point, lack of trust will diminish the ability to do business. It’s just a matter of when.

The waste management company recently changed its collection vehicles from a two person vehicle that required one person to dump the contents of the trash can into the truck and the other to drive, to the automated version requiring only one person who drives and operates the collection arm. It makes sense from a cost perspective when the labor market is tight. However, the trucks are much bigger and are too big to navigate cul de sacs. So, the driver spends time going forward and backward to navigate the cul de sac and all the bends in the road.

When making decisions, it’s important to look at real life situations to see how well suited a product is for the user.  Sometimes ideas look great on paper, but don’t fare well when it is put into real life conditions. Other times, when it is designed well, it takes off beyond expectations.  And that’s the trick. Testing products to see how well they work for the end customer.

Recently, I was speaking with a woman who shared an experience with a landlord. He was frustrated that she wasn’t contributing more and she was frustrated that he raised her rent. When we talked further, it became clear she had a significantly below market rent. It was clear the landlord was frustrated she didn’t appreciate what he was doing for her. She does a lot of upkeep and provides services that are not normal in a rental relationship. She thinks he may not be aware or appreciate all she does.

These sorts of situations happen all the time in business. Each party feels like they are making significant contributions to the relationship that aren’t appreciated by the other side. Many times, the other party may not even be aware of those contributions. And other times, the contributions aren’t valued because they aren’t needed or wanted. The key to a balanced relationship is understanding the contributions of each party and how those contributions are valued.

The people who designed my house really paid attention to the details. Arches appear throughout the house to divide spaces. They also appear on the doors and above the tv/fireplace. Elements repeat through sinks, faucets, trim and molding, and kitchen cabinets. Same with color schemes and tiles. The attention to detail makes the house feel cohesive.

While people don’t always know why, they notice when details are in place or when they are missing. They feel something is off or that they are getting a complete package. Details matter. They elevate the experience and create an environment where people want to be or create products people want to have.

After years and years of buying avocados, I’ve recently had a run of quality issues. Somehow they manage to be spoiled and hard at the same time. So I explained what was going on to the produce manager at the store. She shared that I wasn’t the only one who was having problems and that they would continue to replace them until it was right. Great!

There’s a balance between customer service and quality control in business. If quality is poor, continuing to replace a product can get very expensive.  And frustrating for customers who continue to experience defects. Over the long run, businesses that have quality controls on the front end and customer feedback loops on the backend will eliminate defects and become more profitable.