Historical precedents within a particular industry force customers to make compromises or concessions.

Consider the following :-

• Why do most hotels prohibit you from checking in before 3pm? After all, hotel maids generally start work at 8am or 9am so some rooms are made-up and available by mid-morning
• Why is it so hard to buy a used car with confidence?
• Why do supermarkets not provide childcare?
• Why to retailers quote broad delivery times? "We'll be at your house between 9am and 5pm"

In your industry, what do customers have to put up with "just because"?

Think of the companies that have succeeded by breaking the "wait time" compromise, whether it's roadside recovery ("in under an hour"), shoe repairs ("while you wait"), cinema ticketing ("print your own") or the punctual plumber ("paying you if they don't show up on time").

So break some of your own compromises, change your opening hours, offer a pick-up service or let customers pre-order over the internet.

Make a list of the compromises you could break now…….