Let the Customer Pick the Flavor

I had a conversation today that reminded me of a lesson learned years ago:

You don't want to be pushing Rocky Road when the customer wants plain vanilla.

That concept is simple but it can be baffling for those of us who have a passion for certain topics. As quality zealots, we find it difficult to understand why a person of discernment would prefer plain old anything when they can also have a new, improved version.

The typical exchange goes like this:

Customer: "I'd like some vanilla ice cream, please."

Zealot: "That's a good choice but our chocolate is fantastic and it is even better with marshmallows."

Customer: "I think vanilla will hit the spot."

Zealot: "The nuts! Did I forget to mention the nuts? Rocky Road also has nuts in it! The total taste combination is really quite amazing. Let me get you some Rocky Road."

Customer (Still patient but glancing at the door): "No thanks. Vanilla will be very nice."

So we give a small sigh and scoop up the vanilla and worry about the customer's judgment.

It's our own judgment we need to consider.

After all, the customer didn't request rat poison or ground glass. We were not attempting to push them out of the way of a speeding train. A person asks for a perfectly fine product and, like a dolt, we keep insisting on our choice, not the customer's.

And then one day we finally realize a core business truth:

The customer determines the market for a particular product. Not the professors. Not the critics. Not the scientists or analysts. It is the customer's choice.

You'll find plenty of people who will want Rocky Road, but always be prepared to sell vanilla.