Recently Debby and I have used a few Groupons. We’ve had some pretty good deals. What we noticed at one restaurant, however, was a shift between being a customer and a “Groupon” customer.
When using a Groupon, it seems that there are some rules and restrictions that apply. Things aren’t exactly the same as if we were a “regular” customer. Now there is a middleman. No longer is the customer the primary focus. The Groupon becomes the focus. The Groupon defines the relationship.
I wonder if we treat people the same way. In our dealings with other people, we can let a middleman define the relationship. Things such as a rumor, history, an assumption, or an unspoken hurt can define the relationship. They change how we relate to people. These hold us back in our dealings with others. What middlemen are defining your relationships? How can you remove those?
