Everyone has heard and likely used the term “master the basics.” In the service context, we often do so when talking about the need to have the fundamentals nailed before looking to innovate. I recently hosted a podcast with Ben Williams, Director of Service Operations for Americas at 3D Systems, that made me reflect on our use of this term.

When Ben and I had our podcast prep call to explore different ideas for our discussion, he brought up the importance of “being brilliant on the basics” before trying to layer on change. This became the theme for his episode, during which I realized the distinction between the two phrases. “Being brilliant on the basics is important because you create a solid operational foundation, which aligns you for a long-term growth and sustainability. And the byproduct of that is increasing your customer experience,” he says.

The difference between Ben’s suggestion of being brilliant on the basics versus the more commonly used phrasing of mastering the basics comes down to the fact that the service landscape of today is something that is in many ways a moving target – and how could you master what continues to change? You can’t, so as Ben suggests, you focus on being brilliant on the basics – continuously, as what it takes to be brilliant in any given area of service will change.

“You're going to get to a point where you’re brilliant on the basics and your customer experience is great. And then you reach this spot called Arte. Right. Once you reach that, that's the mastery of everything. But the problem is, personnel changes, process changes, and then you're beginning back at the basics. It's kind of like an ebb and flow, just like the tide. It's constant work in progress. And do you master it? No, I don't believe there's a real mastery of it, but I do believe that you'll get to a point where the change part, the willingness to change, look at your processes, wanting to keep building on your future becomes more innate,” Ben shares.

Wise words! I really liked this reframing of a term we’ve used often, perhaps without fully reflecting on what it means. So rather than focusing on mastering the basics, the win seems to be in mastering the willingness and ability to continually learn and evolve.

Ben and I went on to discuss some of the areas within his remit where he’s focused on being brilliant on the basics. These are areas we’d know to be fundamental to any service operation, but with layers of change continually being introduced as a result of technological innovation, customer preferences, and so on. Here’s a look at what was on Ben’s list:

• Customer Communication – this category encompasses a range of things, from understanding how customers want to communicate with you (what channels) to ensuring everyone from your frontline workforce up is adept at communication skills. Ben says, “If it's something that's important, people forget: pick up the phone and call. If you're in an escalated issue or process, communicate. Don't hold secrets. Communicate. Foundational things that leaders may know, but we're in a different time now. You have to teach these things.” And going back to the moving target theme, it’s important to stay connected to what your customer preferences are and what experiences they value and continue to focus on being brilliant at those things.
• Process Optimization – reflecting on processes and whether or not they serve the business and its customers is a practice that must be ongoing, because what works at one point in time won’t necessarily work a year from now. Because this exercise is one that forces companies to introduce change to their frontline employees, I feel it’s put off or avoided more than it should be. Ben shares, “I think everyone would agree it's cheaper to optimize than to spend. Where we run into issues is your old process might not be able to handle all the new optimization and efficiencies you want. The processes were probably great for 2000 or 2018. But in 2024, you might have to revisit some of these processes. Everybody has a different cadence, right? For me and our business, we review processes probably every year to ensure and it'll help us where we're at, where we've come from, and which direction we want to go forward.”
• Strategic Alignment – this encompasses everything from the fact that your customers see you as one brand versus separate functions to the need to create a common view on what the potential for service is for the business and the risk of inefficiency. Ben says, “The customer sees 3D Systems. They don't see 3D Systems field service, customer service, and accounts payable. They see 3D Systems as a team, and being strategically aligned and eliminating silos is one of the best things you can do as a company.”
• Leadership – with an evolving talent landscape and new ways of working, leaders who are willing to grow and evolve with the times – to be brilliant on today’s basics – are crucial. Ben shares, “When we talk about leadership, we're always talking about influence, right? And we're always talking about vision. No one ever says, hey, when you're a leader, don't be in that crystal palace in the sky and not be available. Be available. Basic. Be self-aware. We never talk about developing relationships all the way down. Be available, be personal, have relationships. It goes a long way. Do simple things. I'll write personal notes and send them to my field engineers. Little things like that are lasting and impactful.”
• AI Readiness – while AI usage is growing, many companies need to start by being brilliant at their data hygiene to make the best use of the technology. Ben says, “Here at 3D Systems, we're in our own initiatives to figure out where it fits with regard to service. We had early adopters of AI that we use to troubleshoot with, and we've learned the pros and cons. But being brilliant on the basis is making sure your data is clean. Do it now. Because the competitors are doing it as well, and they're utilizing AI. AI is a tidal wave. Don't look at that as a cost. Just look at it as an investment in your future.”

What makes this more challenging for companies than maybe it should be I believe is the pace of change. Everyone is in a race to understand what’s next, what’s new, what’s the path ahead – it takes our focus away from the basics we need to be brilliant at and what it takes to do so.

The reality is that the two are intertwined – being brilliant on the basics involves continued focus on some of the core foundational elements of service we know matter most as well as the incorporation of new technologies, new ways of working, and new value streams. Keeping grounded in the customer lens is important – yes, they may be interested in a new service that innovation could bring, but not if you aren’t already capable of delivering a stellar experience, on-time, the first time.

There was loads more to Ben and I’s full podcast discussion, be sure to check it out here!