In the Ace of Spades HQ Morning Rant today, Buck Throckmorton goes off on Wing Stop’s CEO who is of the MBAed Widgetification mindset:
Even worse, the fact that Wing Stop’s CEO dismisses its core product as being an afterthought to tech is a reminder of the poisoned philosophy that has captured so many C-Suites. That mindset is:
• Products are interchangeable units. In too many CEO minds, there is no difference between a chicken wing or an airplane seat or an appliance. Those are all just generic products to which business school wizardry is applied.
• Customer service is not considered a part of the product being sold.
• Staffing to assist customers is considered an intolerable expense.
• Customers are seen as remitters of electronic payments rather than as valued patrons.
• Product quality is not a primary focus.
Maximizing numbers in a spreadsheet is not the ultimate goal, but too many think it is. I think business schools have trained a whole couple of generations to think this way. Clearly I do not. Otherwise I would not be paying an exorbitant sum to fix a fireplace the right way.
