We little guys [both boys and girls] are constantly bewailing the lack of support we receive. No matter whether it's SARS, the labour department, some other aspect of government, big business, the banks, large suppliers - we spend more than our fair share of time trying to fight them. [For what it's worth, this article was prompted by a few unproductive telephone hours trying to resolve a credit card issue with that simpler, better, faster bank.]

There are a few issues here. Firstly, we seem stuck on wanting to force others to conform to our own image of what service should be. But why waste your own life essence trying to suck service out of a structure that is usually quite incapable of delivering it - even if it understood the term? Why not simply accept that this is the nature of the big-structure-beast - and find a way around it? To me it is a little like the martial art of Judo. In Judo you learn to use the overwhelming strength and size of the opponent against him. For example, if a 800kg troll is running towards you you simply grasp his arm, do a quick sidestep, and guide him into the brick wall - using his own momentum! You DO NOT try and stand up to him. Yet isn't that what we try and do with the business trolls we face?

Large organizations have immense momentum. The person at the top a big firm is like God to the employees. When they see the boss they know it means one of two things: a promotion or the unemployment queue! The average employee is vitally concerned about the next salary cheque - unlike us little guys who have forgotten what it looks like because we draw our income long after everyone else has been paid. That person at the top has some serious momentum. Let's start using it.

Instead of fighting with the poor clerk/teleperson who has no idea how s/he fits into the company picture - or where to get answers - why not go to the seat of momentum. Simply get the contact details and then ask for the managing directors assistance via a fax or email. [Using a fax or email shows that you are serious; have thought the thing through; and are documenting everything.] In my experience the momentum tumbles quickly from the top to the bottom of the organisation - and you will get rapid answers from lots of previoously uninvolved people! Of course, you will bypass their entire structure - but that's not your problem. And in future, you will get a lot more respect from the folks in that firm who have to deal with you. After all, you have a contact somewhere 'up there'! Where in the book of business does it say that the people you deal with should like you?

Interestingly enough, about the only way to wreak any change in a large firm is to make the MD aware of the problem - and the best way to do this is to escalate every single problem as soon as you feel that you're not going to get an answer from the front-line. Since we little guys always get such immediate feedback when we screw up, I feel we should help our larger brethren in this regard [he said with a quiet grin].

Secondly, one of the major strengths we little guys have - as minnows in a sea of sharks - is that we can move a lot faster, hide a lot better, and attack things that are too small for the big guys. Can't we start to use that better? Instead of trying to push sharks around, shouldn't we be keeping our eyes open for the next meal [so to speak]. I ask this because I know that it takes me hours to unwind after a long, frustrating battle with something that is making money out of not delivering the service I am paying for. And that unwind time is what really costs me - because it means that I am useless to my family or my business during this time. Wouldn't it be better to take advantage of my small size and simply swim around [or underneath or above or even in a different lagoon] the big guys?

I don't know about your dreams, but I really want to stay small and lean. I love the freedom it gives me. Yes, it means that my judo skills need constant honing - but that's a small price to pay.

© Peter Carruthers, www.petesweekly.co.za

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