I got my first car when I was about 19. It was a 1983~ Ford Laser hatch. It had burnt orange paint and purple tinted windows, a choke that required a peg to hold it in place and a sports steering while that was comically out of place in that very 80s interior. None of those customisations were my doing; it was that way when I got it.

That car did well by me, but I never loved it. I've never loved any car, not in the way other people seem to love their cars. I didn't name it, or mourn it's untimely passing after a roundabout accident. I washed it one or twice, maybe I put some oil in it.

I'm not a car person. All I want from a car is that it starts when I need to go somewhere, it is reasonably comfortable to drive and it keeps working without much effort or cost on my part. I worked my way through a few cars before I could afford to buy something that checked those boxes consistently.

Every car I've owned has been serviced and repaired by the same mechanic. Peter TToulounge was the local mechanic where I grew up, and he looked after our family cars (a procession of rattly Holden station wagons). My parents still take their cars to him today; I'm sure there are many other families in the area who do the same.

There are car mechanics everywhere; some are more conveniently located, some are sleek and modern, some are cheaper, some are mobile. But I never even think about trying another mechanic because I have no reason to.

When I call Peter and book in my car for a service he remembers me. He asks about my children and tells me what his grandkids are up to. When I tell him what needs fixing, he'll ask some questions to make sure he knows what I want, and suggest other areas he can check to save me some money.

If there's anything unexpected, Peter will call me and talk through what he's found, what the options are, how much they'll cost and what he'd recommend.

Peter has rung around and tracked down quality second hand parts when I was on a tight budget. He's arranged for parts to be rush delivered the same day to get me back on the road. And when I show up to pick up my case he has all the pieces he's replaced lined up to show me, and the empty boxes for the new parts he's installed.

I'm sure he knows I have no idea about any of it, but it's part of his routine for establishing trust and it works. If only every (any!) tradesperson I dealt with was as consistently reliable and trustworthy.

When I think about how I want my team to treat our customers at Campaign Monitor, I often think about how Peter treats me. They are all such simple ideas, but so powerful when applied consistently.

The (other) Peter Principles

Does the service you offer hit all these points? Every time? For twenty years?

  • Treat your customers as people and engage with them like a human. It's ok to talk about your life with your customers while you're helping them out.
  • Be reliable; be on time, do what you say you will do, but if you can't then be honest and up front.
  • Show and tell; can you explain to the customer why you did what you did, and show them how rather than just telling them it's fixed? Even when they don't have the same level of knowledge they will appreciate the communication and you'll reduce their fear of what they don't know.
  • Go the extra mile for your customers. Anticipate what else they might need before they ask. Do the dull job so your customer doesn't have to.

Me? I'm just hoping that by the time Peter retires I'll be taking the hyperloop to work.