This past weekend, I enjoyed the cult-classic comedy, “Clue,” presented by students at Cal Poly Humboldt. While the show was packed with weapons, motives, and iconic suspects, I couldn’t help but reflect on elements of the mystery genre, and the bits of wisdom its stories force us to consider, even in relation to business strategy.
Not until college did I learn the art of studying. Against my proclivity, a professor of mine insisted I scan and absorb general ideas, rather than being painstaking in my reading of the text. This was difficult for me to trust, initially, but I began to recognize the benefits and wisdom of this application. I have since realized that the art of skillful detecting, in fiction and reality, requires a similar approach.
“I do not need to bend and measure the footprints and pick up the cigarette ends and examine the bent blades of grass. It is enough for me to sit back in my chair and think.” Hercule Poirot said in “Five Little Pigs.” Agatha Christie’s Belgian detective, Poirot, famous for employing “the little grey cells” illustrates this concept well. The work of identifying anomalies, and particularly, those which are relevant to solving the problem at hand, is beneficial to business.
Before you take offense at my suggestion that the methodology of fictional detectives is more than a sensational fantasy, might I offer that this is the same approach fossil hunters utilize? By walking around the desert for weeks, they become accustomed to their surroundings; and fossils, which have really been there all along, begin to emerge. If you spend your weekends combing over nearby beaches agate hunting, you have experienced the same method in action. And the idiom goes, “Don’t miss the forest for the trees.” It needs not a murderous premise.
When we are looking at the data for business, we know to look for anomalies, but to know what is relevant requires a step back. We must think like a detective. There are many tools for business that deliver polished reports that help us forecast. Point-of-sale systems and social media platforms yield summaries that help us establish benchmarks and goals. But familiarizing ourselves with the general helps us to see the hidden details and recognize red herrings. When we have developed that familiarity, we are able to spend our energy hot on the trail that leads to our business success.
So how do we put this into action? Business owners in Humboldt will benefit from looking at their broad data and folding in data points that they might not otherwise consider. A monthly glance at sales layered with the weather report could shift the interpretation of the success of a new strategy. Reviewing the average tip rate alongside rising menu prices could communicate something deeper about customer behavior.
An example of the benefit of considering the bigger picture in business is when UPS shifted their driver route planning with the “Right Turn Policy”. By minimizing left turns they dramatically improved route optimization — reducing fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, and travel time, while improving safety and boosting customer satisfaction. UPS solved most of its problems by stepping back to think and found that the shortest route is not always what it seems.
Ultimately, the ability to detect is not in the scrutiny of everything, but a deep understanding of the big picture. Utilizing the data at our fingertips while understanding our environment will lead us to more savvy, impactful business solutions.
Jessica Carenco is a graphic designer, marketing consultant, and mom. She likes to spend the season spotting trilliums in the forest and attending local events with her family. You can reach her at jessica.carenco@gmail.com
