The Centrifuge Effect
I have been swimming since the beginning of the year at this fantastic gym located in a shopping center in São Paulo. It is the biggest gym in Latin America, with over 9,000 square meters. The structure of the place is phenomenal: brand new top-of-line equipment, two semi-Olympic pools, and classes that range from yoga and Pilates to spinning and mixed martial arts. I could keep on going saying the staff is also very attentive and courteous, location is excellent and many other things. All true. In the midst of all this greatness, there’s one small thing that makes all the difference to me: a centrifuge.
Wait, what?
I have a very busy agenda. Since São Paulo is so big, I spend much time going from one client to another and back to our studio. Also, sometimes I teach at night or have to be present on client workshops in the evenings. All that makes it hard for me to have a fixed time to go swimming. So, every day, I look at my agenda and see how I can free up 2-hours of my day to be in the pool. So this is where the centrifuge comes in handy. Once I get out of the pool, shower and get dressed, I can make sure all my swimming clothes are dry before putting them in my backpack. Can you imagine having to go home to change or be obliged to carry wet (and smelly) clothes all day long?
Moreover, my question is: how much does a centrifuge cost if compared to all the rest in the gym? Staff, equipment, rent, maintenance, etc. Of course, everything seems essential, but there is not one time that I don’t thank that centrifuge for being there for me!
You don’t necessarily get what you give!
Investment does not necessarily turn directly into business results or customer satisfaction. On the contrary, one is hardly proportionate to the other. You can make a few changes and have a great outcome or make a complete make-over and go out of business. The truth is, though, in every service, there are many opportunities for simple fixes that require small investments and have a significant impact on the customer journey (and satisfaction.) You have to pay attention.
“God is in the details.” — Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
To someone that doesn’t swim this centrifuge surely doesn’t make any difference (probably something else and minuscule does.) But by enabling me to get in and out easily from the gym, this small centrifuge has a big and positive impact on my customer journey.
By putting the focus on the customer, understanding its needs and barriers before, during and after a relationship happens we are able to find opportunities like that for brands. Of course it is very interesting to shoot for the moon, but sometimes coming up with relevant tweaks that require low-investment and have high-impact, saving money and raising customer loyalty, is all that matters for organizations. And that is what Service Design is all about.
