Are you a rules Nazi?

By on September 3rd, 2009 In Best Practices

OK, first, don’t get upset by my use of the term “Nazi.”  Second, take a good look at yourself.   Do you insist on the “rules” in your organization?   If a co-worker comes to you and wants to do something that doesn’t quite fit into the PR rulebook, are you then a complete pain in the ass?   What they’re asking for might not be unethical, just different.   Your feet get planted, your back gets up, and you turn into a rules Nazi.   STOP RIGHT THERE.

I learned an amazing PR lesson from a nurse in the recovery room at the Rhode Island hospital where my mother had surgery today.    I arrived at the hospital at 6:00 p.m. with relatives in tow to visit my mom.  Turns out her surgery happened later than planned, so she was still in the recovery room, the nurses’ station told me.  Wouldn’t be back in her hospital room for another hour.  But we could wait in the recovery room lobby if we wanted.   So down to the first floor we trudged.  

Get there, and there’s a sign in the lobby, dial extension 1989 if we want to check on the status of a patient.  Pretty cool, I thought.  At least I don’t have to wander around trying to figure out who has information on her status.  I call, and find out my mom is still groggy from the operation.   I ask how much longer she’ll be in there – maybe another 30-60 minutes they say.  I tell them I have relatives from out of town with me, and I just wanted to know whether we should wait or head home for dinner and them return.

I was then surprised by the answer.   The nurse said, “I’ll send my receptionist out to you, and you can come in two at a time to see your mom.   We don’t normally do that, but we’ll let you see her.”

And that was one of the greatest gifts anyone has ever given me.   That nurse bent the rules on her own discretion.   She didn’t play rules Nazi.   And we got to spend a precious few minutes with an 85-year-old woman who might not have made it out of surgery successfully.  

Great PR for the hospital.    Priceless to me.

Comments

Marketing Sociologist Says:
September 3rd, 2009 at 11:05 pm

Very good story, Ms. VandeVrede and glad everything turned out well for your family.

Think it’s more about customer service than rules.

In late ’80s I had a pocket on a suit pant rip out. Went to Dillard’s when they were at Park Central Mall. Explained to the clerk after six months the pant pocket ripped out.

Without consulting his management, he said, “Pick out a new suit.” I wasn’t expecting that. Now I have a closet full of clothing 90% or greater purchased at Dillard’s.

If you wanted to go with the rule analogy, his was “rules, what rules?” He made a customer for life – and he probably didn’t see a dime for that.

The ‘Empathy Factor’ in PR – Worth Exercising If You Have It | Flack Me Says:
September 4th, 2009 at 7:55 am

[...] a good example, from Linda VandeVrede on the Valley PR Blog: Don’t always enforce the rules, if “breaking” one can be helpful to another [...]

Kathleen OBrien Thompson Says:
September 4th, 2009 at 9:59 am

Linda:
1- Glad your mom is doing better!
2- I could not AGREE more. I find the organizations I most appreciate are those that empower employees to do what they believe is best in order to achieve customer satisfaction in the moment. Rules are important, but they should never supersede the opportunity to help another. I remember that a front-line customer service rep ‘bent’ the rules for me when renting a car (and there is a big travel nightmare story attached) and I have been loyal to that company ever since. I also took the time to write a letter to her boss, I wanted them to know that someone got it right!
3- The picture for this post is classic, love it!

Terri Thorson Says:
September 4th, 2009 at 10:26 am

Pleased to hear your Mom is doing good. Employee empowerment at its finest. There needs to be more and more of that vs. the order taker, so to speak…Life is so full of red tape so when you hear a nice story like this, it surely makes your day! Linda thanks for sharing.

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