If Your Service Were an Animal

It was a cool interview question in the 70’s—if you could come back as an animal, which one would you choose.  It was used in team building to help participants peel back the emotional veneer.  I recall one hard-nosed manager revealing he would come back as a duck.  Those who knew him were quite surprised.  “Not just any duck,” he continued.  “You know when they fly in formation and one duck is out front?  That duck!”  Then, it all fit.

What if your customers were asked to select an animal to characterize your service?  Would they pick an aggressive lion, a colorful peacock, sleepy like your dog, or distant like your neighbor’s cat? 

Customers might not give you face-to-face candor but if asked to use a metaphor they might teach you a lot about the service experience you’re creating.  So, if your service were a cartoon character…