It's not me, it's you.

This week, I had to call a not-to-be-named cell phone company to resolve a billing issue.

The progression went something like this:

Log into app

Verify identity

Verify identity again

And once gain

(Very secure?!)

Click on “customer support.”

Schedule call back for 9:30 am.

Clear schedule for 9:30 am.

Call never came.

Try again the next day.

Repeat process.

Select “call back as soon as possible.”

Call back never came.

Try again.

Speak with computer generated robot on the other line.

Ask to speak to representative.

Swear several times when the robot on the other line would not allow me to move forward in any way.

(Do you think they recognize swear words as a pathway to finally connect us to a representative?)

Finally, after three attempts, 10 minutes on the phone with the computer generated robot, and a few swear words, connect with a representative. Success!

32 minutes and 8 separate “may I put you on hold for a brief moment” incidents later (yes really, that many), the billing issue was 50% resolved. I was told that I'd receive a call back about the other 50%. You can guess what the outcome of that was.

In this situation, the phrase, “It's not you, it's me” comes to mind—but in reverse.

The good news for each of us is that we don't have to operate like this.

We can do better.

We can consider:

• How can we make things easier rather than harder for our customers and clients?

• How might we put the customer at the center of our processes, workflows, and decisions?

• And, how might we infuse just a bit of surprise and delight along the way?