Jim Thompson

Email Jim at jim.thompson@ipulpmedia.com

The boss called me into his office, "Thompson, I want you to go to (major beer customer) with (carton plant manager) and solve this complaint!"

"What's the complaint?"

"They say the foam is too pink in the graphics on the last two truckloads of cartons we sent them. You go down there with (carton plant manager) and keep those loads sold!"

I was in charge of the technical department, among many other departments, so the numbers on the colors came from my department. We used the L-a-b system to measure color. I looked up the samples on this order and everything, including the graphics of the beer foam, was within specification.

Nevertheless, the boss wanted to make sure these cartons stayed sold, so we made the trip to this southern brewery.

It was not easy to get there.

We got to the brewery and did not know what to expect. However, I was loaded with plenty of data to defend our work. Taken to a conference room, the conversation turned very friendly. The customer's team said they were fully aware we were within specifications, they just wanted to make sure we stayed there.

That was a lot of trip for a short message.

However, this is often where product tech service ends up in the paper industry. Lots of hand holding, assuring the customer that you are looking out for their best interests.

Young folks may think they have better instrumentation today and can avoid these problems. I don't think so. Perceptions of quality still contain a large element of subjective attitude, no matter how good your instrumentation.

As an aside, the trip home was worse than the trip to the brewery. Due to problems with airplanes, hotels and rental cars, we took a taxi home. It was a twelve-hour ride through the mountains of West Virginia.

Be safe and we'll talk next week.

For a deeper dive, go here.

Study Guide: The Pink Foam Complaint

Quiz

Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences, using only information from the provided source context.

1. What was the narrator's job title and departmental responsibility?
2. Describe the specific complaint from the major beer customer.
3. Who accompanied the narrator on the trip to the brewery?
4. What evidence did the narrator prepare to defend the company's work?
5. What was the customer's actual message to the narrator and his colleague during the meeting?
6. How does the narrator characterize the role of product tech service in the paper industry?
7. What is the narrator's perspective on the ability of modern instrumentation to prevent customer complaints?
8. What was the ultimate command given to the narrator by his boss regarding the disputed cartons?
9. What color measurement system was used by the narrator's department?
10. Describe the narrator's return journey after the meeting.

Answer Key

1. The narrator, Jim Thompson, was in charge of the technical department. His responsibilities also extended to "many other departments," and his team was responsible for providing the numerical data on colors.
2. The customer complained that the foam depicted in the graphics on the last two truckloads of cartons was "too pink." This complaint was made despite the cartons being within the agreed-upon technical specifications.
3. The narrator was instructed to go to the brewery with the carton plant manager. Together, they were tasked with resolving the customer's complaint.
4. The narrator was "loaded with plenty of data to defend our work." He looked up the samples for the order and confirmed that everything, including the beer foam graphics, was within specification according to the L-a-b color system.
5. During a friendly conversation, the customer's team stated they were fully aware the cartons were within specifications. They simply wanted to ensure the supplier would continue to stay within those specifications in the future.
6. The narrator describes product tech service in the paper industry as often involving "hand holding." He suggests it is a role that focuses on assuring the customer that the supplier is looking out for their best interests.
7. The narrator does not believe that better, modern instrumentation can avoid these types of problems. He argues that perceptions of quality still contain a large element of subjective attitude, regardless of the quality of the measurement tools.
8. The boss gave the narrator a direct and clear command regarding the customer complaint. His instruction was to "go down there with (carton plant manager) and keep those loads sold!"
9. The narrator's technical department used the L-a-b system to measure color. This system provided the numerical data that proved the carton graphics were within specification.
10. The trip home was described as "worse than the trip to the brewery." Due to problems with airplanes, hotels, and rental cars, the narrator and his colleague had to take a taxi for a twelve-hour ride through the mountains of West Virginia.

Essay Questions

Construct a detailed essay answer for each of the following prompts, drawing evidence and examples exclusively from the source text.

1. Discuss the central conflict presented in the text between objective data (specifications) and subjective customer perception. How does the narrator's experience illustrate this conflict, and what conclusion does he draw about the relationship between the two?
2. Analyze the role of customer service and relationship management as depicted in the story. Why was an expensive and difficult trip necessary for what the narrator calls "a short message"?
3. The narrator, Jim Thompson, states, "Perceptions of quality still contain a large element of subjective attitude, no matter how good your instrumentation." Using specific examples from the text, explain what he means and argue whether his experience supports this conclusion.
4. Describe the narrative arc of the story, from the initial problem presented by the boss to the resolution at the brewery and the subsequent journey home. How do the travel difficulties described in the text frame the central business story?
5. Evaluate the management style of "the boss" as portrayed in the text. What does his directive, "keep those loads sold," reveal about his priorities and approach to resolving customer complaints?

Glossary of Key Terms

Term Definition

Carton Plant Manager The individual in charge of the manufacturing facility that produces the cartons for the customer.

Graphics The visual designs printed on the cartons. In this context, the specific graphic in question was of beer foam.

Instrumentation The tools and equipment used for precise measurement. The narrator references this in the context of color measurement technology.

L-a-b system The specific color measurement system used by the narrator's technical department to quantify colors and ensure they are within specification.

Product Tech Service A business function focused on providing technical support for a product. The narrator suggests this role often involves customer assurance and "hand holding."

Southern Brewery The geographic location and business type of the "major beer customer" who filed the complaint.

Specification The technical standard or numerical range that a product's characteristic (like color) must meet. The cartons were within this standard.

Technical Department The department, managed by the narrator, responsible for the technical and numerical aspects of production, such as color measurement.

________

Other interesting stories: