You know that one box that hangs out long after a move? For me, it was in the garage and had a bunch of old work swag. This weekend, I finally got around to dealing with it. Tucked inside, was a box with a bunch of old pens, pencils and highlighters. They had been there a really, really long time. So, they must be dead, right? But to my surprise, most of them worked like new. They were designed to last.

So many things these days have a short life span. And for some things, that approach makes sense. But other times, customers expect the quality and longevity they think they are paying for. Those that deliver on it will be successful over the long term.

Socks shouldn’t be so hard. But for some reason they are. I guess it is because the sock company decided to have four sizes to fit every size for men and women. And I fall right smack in the middle of two different sizes. One is too small, the other is too big. It didn’t used to be that way. They used to fit perfectly. But now, I’m stuck in the middle with something that doesn’t really work anymore.

And that sort of situation happens all the time in business. The product maybe used to work, but doesn’t anymore. Or, it never really did and people are making due. But there’s some aspect that even with the current issues keeps them there. Until they leave. And that’s the challenge for companies. To find out what isn’t working to get any gaps or deficiencies closed.

At a recent event, lunch was sandwiches. After an untimely burst appendix while in Turkey, gluten no longer likes me. So, I asked if there was a salad or a gluten free sandwich option. A few minutes later, a gluten free sandwich appeared. And unfortunately, there was a heavy layer of mayo on the bread. Not a big deal with regular bread. But if you’ve ever had gluten free bread, you know it falls apart easily, and especially quickly with sauces and spreads. Which creates a big mess. People who work with the product regularly usually put the condiments on the side for this reason.

A lot of products look alike. And many people believe that the function is the same. But little differences in design can make a huge difference in functionality. The trick in business is understanding the needs of the customer and making sure the product is fit for use.

For months, the forest was dormant. The evergreen trees were green, but everything else that has leaves seasonally were bare. No ferns, no small plants that line the floor. Just the look of winter. Then all of a sudden, the temperature went from lows in the 30’s and highs in the 50’s to 90 degree highs with lows in the high 50’s. And the forest exploded. What was bare filled in within a two week timeframe. The conditions were present for explosive growth and that’s what happened.

The same conditions can happen in business too. Things chug along at with a regular, predictable pace. Then something changes, creating an environment for explosive growth. The trick is watching closely enough to know when that change is about to occur and position for it.

Tom Hanks was in town last week to give a talk about his new novel. As he walked out onto the stage, people clapped and got their phones out to take a picture. The security staff and ushers swarmed the aisles telling people not to take photos. The commotion lasted about 5 minutes before everything settled down and the program got underway.

Why no pictures? It was just a curtain, two chairs, a table with the book displayed, Tom Hanks and the person discussing the book with him. The point of doing book talks is to generate a buzz and get more people to buy the book. And social media is a great way for people to share a picture and get the word out. The old rules seem to be at odds with the new way of marketing.

There’s probably some explanation for why this tradition is still in place. But sometimes old rules stick around because no-one challenges them and updates them for the current environment. And that leads to suboptimal performance.

I was in Washington DC last week and was able to see the cherry blossoms at their peak. Stunning! All of the hotels in the area were booked with people coming to see the blossoms. And yet, for the people living there, many have seen the sight for so many years, it is no longer a big deal. The extraordinary that people travel to see has become ordinary.

It’s part of human nature that people adapt to their surroundings. And as leaders, when we are in the middle of something special, it is our responsibility to remind people that what is going on is extraordinary and not to lose sight of it. Otherwise, over time, the thing that attracts people will get lost and become ordinary.

The neighborhood park has been under construction for almost a year. There was a pause in the fall and winter awaiting material deliveries. Then a couple of weeks ago, fencing went up around what will be the playground area and construction resumed. It was like a big “coming soon” sign was on display. People came by to find out what was going on and observe the installation.

There’s nothing like a “coming soon” display when people are excited by what is coming. Think about announcements you’ve heard lately that got you excited for a movie, a tv show, or a park. Are you creating that same sort of excitement in your business?

Shipment delayed-weather. That was the message about why my package was delayed. The only thing was, I could see it was at the local warehouse and there wasn’t an issue with weather in the area. So, there is sat for two days until it was delivered on the day the major snowstorm came through town, shutting the area down.

Companies set expectations about their services. We’ve come to expect deliveries to be seamless (except for the supply chain hiccups during the pandemic). When it doesn’t happen the way we expect, people take notice and they change quickly if problems persist. That’s the thing about expectations. People want the what they signed up for, whether it was written down or just a given.

Two years ago, I bought a new refrigerator. The old one had been around for 13 years until a design flaw finally caught up. The repairman said he could fix it, but the problem would resurface. I’d be better off buying a new one. Then he suggested not getting one with all the bells and whistles because the more options, the more opportunities to break. So I wasn’t surprised when I started receiving notices for extended warranty plans that are pretty expensive. A signal that after two years, things will start breaking.

The situation presented an interesting question. What are the expectations of people today about how long products will last? And are businesses making products that meet those expectations? How do you make that evaluation in your business?

The trash pickup was missed. Somehow the truck just missed going through the entire subdivision. When I called, the person I spoke with explained I could just leave extra on the side the following week at no extra charge. Then proceeded to ask me if I wanted to pay the bill that wasn’t due for two weeks.

The challenge with a one size fits all script is it leaves customers confused or angry and puts the employee in an awkward situation. And it results in more time spent because all of the steps must be accomplished. Or more time is spent because the issue isn’t being resolved. The best results come when people are hired who can resolve issues and they are empowered to do so.

How are you ditching the script and resolving issues in your business?