The 4th value in the Manifesto for Software Craftsmanship reads:

Not only customer collaboration,

but also productive partnerships.

Being “in tune” with our customers has always been one of the most important aspects of my professional life. I have always tried to understand, really understand, the need of a customer; get to know where it itches.

When I was in Nigeria for 2 years developing the Value Added Services platforms for a mobile operator I spend my days running from operations to customer care up to marketing and back to coding (I actually spend more then one night coding). I was trying to understand all the perspectives of the software we wanted to develop and deploy so that our public, the mobile phone users of the country could enjoy the best service. I even responded to more than a call at the customer care centre and talked to users that had a problem with a given service.

Usually I would say I have a gift for understanding, and taking my time to understand, my customers needs.

The other day though I got totally blown away buy a level of professionalism and empathy that I had not experienced before.

My mother has recently been operated from a cancer and she is recovering at home. Her GP organised a special service from the so called Unidad de Paliativos (eng. Palliative Unit). Basically there is a doctor that comes to your house once a week and looks after you making sure everything is fine.

The day of the visit the doctor did not come alone for the visit, but had an apprentice with him. A learning doctor that assists him while he visits his patients.

The way this doctor acted and spoke during the visit left us all speechless (not in the literal way). He had a way of talking and understand my mothers concerns and situation that was beyond what I can possibly explain; as my mother said it was a finest hour (actually she used the german term Sternstunde).

I am not able to transmit the power of this doctor and his way of dealing with his patients, it was a far to awe inspiring experience. What I am possibly trying to express is deep respect and a desire to learn from this experience.

At the moment I am not sure in which way I am going to digest and apply this experience in my craft, but I am sure it will change the way I interact with my customers.

Coming back to the 4th value of the Manifesto I think it is just a starting point from which we have to explore the interactions and relationships with our customers.

productive partnerships sounds a bit cold and abstract, nevertheless it is a good starting point for a workshop/studio to expand upon and make it part of their school of thought.

What do you think? Do you have any experiences to share?