What can we do better?

Most people say “let me know if I can help.” One leader said something way smarter—and it changed the entire conversation.

video transcript

Here’s the coolest professional networking touchpoint that I’ve heard in a very long time — here’s the setup.

I was signing up for a new SaaS platform; on a whim, I wanted to remind myself if there was anyone I knew that worked there, just to stay rekindle connections. I was surprised to find that somebody I used to work with/for 15 years ago was a senior leader there. Now, he was a big dog at the other place and he’s an even bigger dog at this place. But he was always authentic and approachable, so I sent him a quick ping just to say “Hey I’m now one of your customers”

When you’re pinging an old professional acquaintance or colleague, there are lots of ways they might reply (or not reply) to that – from thanks for your business … to let me know if I can help … but that’s not what he said.

“Let me know if I can help” can be dangerous because it’s an open offer and all kinds of crazy things could come back – from fix that sales person to can I get the friends/family discount?  And it puts the open offer burden on the guy that wasn’t really connected with you until you pinged them.

This guy did something brilliant; he said “Let us know what we can do better” 

UMMM! Let us know what we can do better

• It’s framed in a request by them, not an open offer of them, that is actionable.
• It’s clearly understood that what I bring them should be constructive and framed as a solution, not a problem.
• He said ‘us’ and ‘we’ – not ‘me’ and ‘I’ – he was representing the collective in the response.
• It also quietly signals, we are a culture that believes in iterative improvement; so even if I never act on it with him, as a customer, I want that from my vendors.

So, the professional bridge is re-kindled; it was cordial and if I act on it, then they have the potential to not only delight me but benefit their other customers and prospects too.

It’s just a smarter ask: Let us know what we can do better

See you next Monday