Got a restaurant chain client who keeps saying "explain it like I'm five years old" every time I mention demand charges or power factor. How do you guys dumb down technical concepts without losing the important details? Feeling frustrated here.
Client Wants Everything in "Simple Terms" - Help!
Rick, I use analogies. Demand charge is like renting a bigger truck - you pay for the capacity whether you use it or not. Power factor is like packing that truck efficiently. Restaurant folks get logistics analogies.
Water analogies work too. Demand is the size of your pipe, consumption is how much water flows through. Bigger pipe costs more even if you don't use much water. Most people get plumbing.
These are great suggestions. The water pipe analogy might work - this guy's always complaining about restaurant plumbing issues. Mike, do you find the facilities managers actually read those appendices?
Sometimes. Depends if they're actually technical or just have the title. I always offer a separate technical briefing for whoever's implementing the changes. That way the money people get simple version, technical people get details.
I make a simple before/after comparison. "You're paying $2,800/month now. With these changes, you'll pay $2,100/month. Here's why." Then put technical stuff in appendix for facilities manager.