Recently, I was invited to tour the new facility at my favorite dealership during a service visit.  From first glance, everything appeared to be in the framework of a typical dealership, until I got to the customer lounge.  This space had drawn a crowd in front of a large bank of glass windows.  I was curious about what all the excitement was about.  Did the dealership install an animal viewing area?   

I worked my way through the crowd and was elated to find a sight more exciting than a family of chimps or lions.  On the other side of the giant windows were several high tech, busy, bustling service bays.  Each bay had its own technician displaying skills like magicians on the stage.  I noticed after I looked around at the other “kids” in the crowd, that we are shared the same reaction to this “show”.  We were like kindergarteners visiting the fire department.  I was just thrilled when I saw my vehicle brought in through the service door.  I waved at my technician and he smiled back and shot me a thumb up.  I looked around to see if the rest of the “kids” noticed the gesture, as if Tom Cruise himself just waved at me from the red carpet.  While I was acting proud, I noticed my car rising up in the air on the lift like a little silver angel.  I found myself craning my neck to get a good look under my car.  I was completely caught up in the moment and actually enjoying waiting in the service center.  What normally feels like an eternity had become time whizzing by a large pane of glass.  

As my car’s fifteen minutes of service department fame came to an end, I found myself wondering why this was such a thrilling experience.  It was the transparency of see how something works!!!  

Consumers are thrilled by transparency.  We enjoy dining while watching a chef work their magic in an open kitchen.  Learning how our favorite food is made during a factory tour has become a gastro-thrill ride.    Even a magician sharing trade secrets on a television special can drive up ratings.  Humans are naturally interesting in understanding how things work and are sponges for knowledge.  By creating transparency, we can actually generate interest and the undivided attention of our consumers.  An interested consumer who has devoted their attention to you is a sale waiting to happen.  So how can you generate transparency in your professional life?

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