Simple Simon hired piemen, bakers and folks like that.
And one day he walked his bakery halls, to find out why sales were flat.

Simple Simon met a troubled pieman, and stopped so he could learn
Asked Simple Simon of the pieman, the source of his concern?
Said the pieman, “I work for you and think we’d do much better
If we sought to bake what people want, and not just by the letter.

We’ve customers who don’t come back…they want a higher value
Your managers don’t share this thought, so how was I to tell you?
We make our money by selling “big” and people over buy.
There’s lots of waste and so I think there’s an option we should try.
Some still like “big,” but some like small… (as some like dogs or pups)
So let’s add a line of single cakes, much smaller, baked in cups.
We’ll keep our same high quality: and buyers will find new uses
Did you know our customers seldom eat alone, so they’ll buy in pairs…like deuces”

I think this will work, demand will grow; the plants will all be pumping
But radical thoughts have been squelched before — my foreman said I was grumping.

Said Simple Simon to the pieman, “I’m glad I came to see ya.
I’m sorry you’d not had a chance to pursue your good idea.
I believe your gut, your research too, and now to grow this seed,
Tell me your how I can support this dream and tell me what you need.”

Said the pieman to boss Simon, “I simply need your support and full consent.
I don’t want staff or money, just the freedom to experiment.”

Said Simple Simon of the pieman, “He should not be on the floor, man,
Let him direct the product growth” and he then replaced the foreman.
For he knew protecting status quo was management at its worst
And he wanted leaders who simply put the customers’ value first.

And though demand allowed a doubled price, it just went up a quarter:
Profits soared, more stores were built, e-commerce joined bricks and mortar

Simple Simon’s not so simple…he allowed his folks to go
And do their thing and now they all…are rolling in the dough.

The Moral? Those closest to your customers will have the best insights for what they want. However, often a desire not to rock the boat takes precedent over change and innovation.