Tie goes to the runner

February 25, 2017 1:02 PM

One of my clients is an insurance company who specializes in writing policies for farms. Their claims department abides by the motto:

If it’s grey, we pay.

Meaning, if there’s ambiguity whether the policy covers a claim or not, the priority favors the customer, not the company. If it’s not clear from the available evidence whether an insurance claim is genuine or not, the company still pays out.

This motto is reminiscent of the classic but controversial baseball rule, tie goes to the runner. When a player is tagged at the same moment he reaches the base, he’s considered safe. The runner gets the benefit of the doubt.

After all, there are so many close plays in baseball that the human eyes and ears cannot possibly resolve. That’s why it’s helpful to have a rule that pays heed to the umpire’s imperfect humanity. Especially when instant replay isn’t available or appropriate.

The question is, where are the grey areas in your business? What are the moments and situations and interactions with your customers in which the results are simply too close to make a definitive decision?

Every company has them. It’s part and parcel of doing business. And organizations must be willing to create policies that allow their balance of probabilities to fall in the customer’s favor.

It’s power to the people. Peace of mind for the buyer. Proof that you’re strongly aligned with marketplace interests.

And a statement to your competitors that your company is dedicated to true customer centricity.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

How does your company make the tie go to the runner?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…

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Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Author. Speaker. Strategist. Inventor. Filmmaker. Publisher. Songwriter.

[email protected]

www.nametagscott.com