#51 Go to Where the Work Happens

The Peter Marsh Story - British Rail (1977):

• Ad executive faced challenge of marketing failing British Rail system
• Trains didn't run on time, ridership falling, public hated experience
• Marsh staged a powerful demonstration for British Rail executives
• Created filthy lobby experience to show them what customers felt
• Won the account by making them experience the problem firsthand
• Led to "Age of the Train" campaign and actual service improvements

Key Lesson:

• No ad campaign can fix a broken product
• To fix problems, go where the work is actually happening
• Experience it firsthand, not through reports or meetings

Modern Application - SEPTA:

• Operating costs up, ridership down (75% of pre-pandemic levels as of March)
• Governor Shapiro wants to redirect $300 million in sales tax revenue for bailout
• Recent safety issues (four people shot on SEPTA bus this month)
• Riders don't feel safe, experience is unreliable

Recommended Action:

• Before approving new funding, experience the service yourself
• Take a ride, walk through stations, wait on platforms
• One hour on the bus reveals more than sanitized reports
• See what riders actually experience

Bottom Line: Throwing money at problems won't fix them - you need to understand the real experience first.

For more tips on effective problem-solving through direct observation, refer to the accompanying one-page PDF.

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