08/09/2026
A "Tools of the Trade" post!
Some time ago, we adopted the Japanese system of "Pointing and Calling".
In Japan, it works like this:
When the speed limit changes on the track, the driver, who is alone, will point to the speedometer and say the new speed limit out loud.
The system essentially works on diligence and overkill. And if you want to know if it works, the Japanese high-speed rail network has not had a single fatality since it opened in the 1960s. We're not kidding; look it up.
There is a quote that sums it up perfectly:
"You will not rise to the occasion but instead fall to your level of training."
The vast majority of accidents don't occur under ideal conditions. They occur when the perfect storm of stress and distractions meet.
How do parents accidentally leave their young children in the car in hot weather? It's actually really easy.
The one parent is exhausted because they've only slept two hours a night for the past two weeks. Their partner just got laid off. Their other child is sick and miserable at home. The child who is in the backseat is sleeping quietly. So that parent, who is exhausted and stressed, gets out of the car and goes inside without thinking, leaving that young child in the car.
"Pointing and Calling" only works when you drill it into yourself until it becomes a habit. The trick is to understand that the overkill, that is the act of pointing and saying it out loud, means that even if you do it haphazardly, it's better than not doing it at all.
You will fall to your level of training.
Imagine instead that every time before a parent got out of the car, they turned around, swept the rear seats with their finger, and said out loud, "back seat clear".
They do this each and every single time, even if they don't have their children with them.
How do our technicians practice "Pointing and Calling"?
They will sweep their finger across every pocket of their toolbag and say, "tool check". You might not be surprised but techs will leave behind tools including inside the appliance itself.
They will check all drain hoses, that the appliance is plugged in, and ensure there are no leaks. This also involves sweeping their fingers across these areas and saying the relevant checks out loud.
Lastly, they will sweep their finger across the work area checking for left-behind parts and tools and a final check of the appliance.
It's also important to have visual reminders, such as this sticker we have placed on every technician's toolbag, tablet, and van.
"Pointing and Calling" has one final, incredibly important benefit: its overkill nature makes it far easier to remember if you've done your check.
How many times have you left your home and wondered if you left the stove or oven on? If you turned off and unplugged your curling iron?
That doubt and anxiety eats you alive.
With "Pointing and Calling", it makes it far easier to remember if you've done it.
Stand in front of your stove, sweep your finger across every k**b, and say out loud, "stove is off".
It may seem silly, redundant, or even inefficient, but when you've just gotten on the busy highway after leaving home, and you're really second-guessing yourself about whether you left your gas stove running or the k**b wasn't turned all the way to "off", you're going to wish you had used "Pointing and Calling".
One final thing - use this when you leave your taxi or Uber!
We always get out of the car, turn around, sweep the backseat for wallets, phones, bags, etc and say out loud "backseat clear". Every single driver laughs and greatly appreciates it. Really!
