I've had interesting experiences with two retailers that gave me insight into their thinking. These examples are a perfect illustration of unintended consequences when we try to do something good.
One grocery store near my house has a big sign out front informing people they must wear a cloth face covering to enter the store. As I was entering, another patron stopped at the sign because she didn't have a face covering. An employee came out and said, "It's ok, you really don't need a mask to come in." Not sure I'll go back anytime soon. They tried to be empathetic and compassionate to others while creating a safe shopping experience and failed because there was no alignment, training or communication.
Example 2: Last night, I went to pick up food at a Chinese restaurant. I called to see if they have curbside pick up. They said they don't but they have a contactless pick up system. What they had done was blocked off the inner entrance to the restaurant with a table and put up a window through which to hand food. The problem - everyone waiting to pick up their food was standing in their 4' x 6' portico. Maybe it was safe for the restaurant workers but clearly not for their patrons. What a disconnect!
What unintended consequences is your company creating for your customers?
