The Gas Can Mystery... Jumping To Conclusions

Today I saw a truck pulling a trailer make a left turn. The trailer was filled with all sorts of gas powered landscaping tools. It’s a familiar sight in South Florida but then something unexpected happened. As the trailer was turning, a large can of gasoline fell off the truck and landed in the intersection. I’m guessing that it hadn’t been tied down properly.

The truck continued to drive down the road, the driver unaware of what just happened. There was no way to signal him.

Now I can only guess what happened next. The landscaping crew will likely arrive at their destination and discover they have either no gas or not enough. This will likely lead them to some conclusions:

The gas tank was stolen.
The tank was filled but left at the gas station.
The tank fell out of the truck.

If it was me, I’d probably think the first two were the most obvious choices and the last was unlikely because it’s seems hard to imagine. I might act act on the first two theories and blame someone or myself for something that didn’t happen.

Every day in the workplace we come to a lot of conclusions even though they may be based on a small amount of data. Those decisions can be colored by our attitudes and experiences. But sometimes, the unlikely is the actual occurance.

Think About Ink

Do you put out pens for your customers to use? Do those pens tend to vanish over time? Whether intentionally or not, it's easy for people to use them and then leave with them.

If the pen is branded then you don't mind seeing it walk out the door as it's an advertisement. You could use those pens that are anchored to a desk with a cord. Yes, the pen doesn't go anywhere but the plastic chain seems to suggest that pen stealing is premeditated. If the loss of office supplies gives you angst, then try taking the cap off the pens. Suddenly it's less desirable to take because there's a chance you might get ink on yourself or your clothes if you put in in your pocket.

You're not changing the basic function of the pen but rather one detail that changes its perception. Think about how you can flip this to your advantage. What little thing can you change about your products and services that suddenly makes them more desirable. Keep in mind that from cars to iPods, people will buy a particular model because of its color, rather than what it does. A small change can have a big impact.