Can Children Give Honest Business Feedback?
Have you ever listened to a child being brutally honest with someone? It’s comedy at its best. Any stand-up comedian could take a lesson or two from an unhappy or irritated pre-school child. It’s both incredibly delightful and hurtful at the same time, just like eating your chocolate ice cream while having a cavity on every tooth.
Adults Have Filters; Kids Don't
Adults are accustomed to watering down their critique so as not to hurt the feelings of the recipient. This unspoken agreement between grown-ups is based on the understanding that you should treat others the way you want to be treated. It’s a kind-hearted philosophy that saves many a relationship. Kids don’t have this filter, and from time to time, it may be a good idea to listen to them to hear the raw, unfiltered truth about ourselves. They are like a mirror sometimes. No matter how soul-crushing it might be, you will get the uncensored version of your flaws.
A friend was getting ready for a date several years back, his five-year-old niece happened to be at home. “How do I look?” he asked her reluctantly, as he modeled his outfit. “Like Bert (From the Sesame Street),” she replied without even blinking. His family and I burst out laughing. My friend ran up and changed his clothes immediately after.
When Honestly Hurts
After this funny encounter, I started really listening to kids everywhere. The most hilarious comments can definitely be heard while shopping. One day as I was choosing a breakfast cereal at the grocery store, next to me there was a man with what looked to be his daughter. The child reached for diet cereal and the man stopped her saying, “You don’t need this.” She smiled at him and said, “No, but you do.” She then poked him in the stomach. I had to turn away as I tried hard to hold my laughter in and I thought to myself, “This girl is better than any diet coach.”
Poop Cookies
Another time, while in line for the cash register at a different grocery store, a little boy with his mom was throwing a fairly loud tantrum. Softly but sternly the mother said, “Why are you fussing? I put the cookies in the shopping cart already.” The boy yelled rather loudly, “I don’t want those. They have poop. I no eat poop cookies!” It seemed like everyone in the store suddenly stopped what they were doing and tried to get a glimpse of the cookies. The woman pulled them out of the cart and was looking at the box of chocolate chip cookies, one of my favorites. I inched myself forward to get a better look. It was definitely a box of cookies, though, I saw how poor the quality of the picture was. It was actually pixelated. The chocolate chips indeed looked like pieces of poop. Suddenly they weren’t that appealing to me. This is the power of a child.
And this is the point, children are incredibly impressionable, and their young and unmolded minds make connections that grown-ups are incapable of doing because of their undeveloped social filter. Basically, our adult minds over-filter. Thus we must always consider the instinct and judgment of a child, even when we adults may not understand it at first. An adult will often subconsciously know that something is “off” but a child will usually point it out, out loud and in public. For example, there was nothing wrong with the clothes my friend had chosen for his date. Personally, I thought he looked fine. Still, when his niece compared him to a grumpy-looking muppet, I did see it, and honestly, he did look like Bert with that sweater.
Kids For Critics
The same goes for any brand. You should treat your brand reputation as if a bunch of kids are going to critique it. Kids may easily make a positive connection, between health and cereal, like the girl with her father. But just as quickly, they can also catch any poor decision an adult has made, and they will let it be known. Adult customers are the same way. They may not say that the cookies have poop on them, but subconsciously they will make the connection any kid will say out loud. While kids’ comments often turn into a cute little story that parents will tell their friends someday, adult opinions have the power to plummet your reputation faster than the fuel prices during the pandemic. That’s why improving and maintaining your brand reputation is paramount for any successful business. Reflect on your brand, your marketing, and your products often. Ask and be open to feedback from your team or network, or even a five-year-old.
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