Pro global business

To many times I hear that price is “the most important thing” to my customers. We’ve been conducting research for about 15 years and not once has price “been the most important thing” in our findings. Tell me what you think and what your experience has been? How important is price?

Ok, you may have heard this before, but I think its hillarious.    Of course, this would never work at FastUpFront, because we don’t ask for collateral!  This joke is going to be outdated soon.

A well-dressed blonde woman goes into a bank in centran Manhattan and sits down to speak with the loan officer.  She explains to him that she will be traveling to Europe and will need a $5000 loan.  The loan officer explains that the bank will need some sort of collateral.  The woman produces keys to a Rolls-Royce parked outside.  She offers them to the loan manager, along with an envelope containing the car title.  The loan officer agrees to accept the car as collateral.  As the woman leaves, there are some snickers that she would leave a $250,000 car as collateral for a $5000 loan.  One of the bank managers takes the keys and from the loan officer and drives the car himself into the bank’s underground parking. 

Two weeks later, the woman comes back and repays the loan, plus $15.43 interest.  As she is taking her keys back, the loan officer gets up the courage to ask the question which has been nagging at him:  “While you were gone, we looked into your financial situation and we found out that you are a multi-millionnaire.  Why would you need a $5000 loan?”  She replies “Where else in Manhattan can I leave my car for two weeks, still have it be there when I get back, and only pay $15.43 for parking?” 

Who said blondes were stupid?

If you have ever been in Canada during the month of November, you are sure have to seen a plethora of red poppies on people’s lapels. Although Remembrance Day is November 11th (the US’ Veterans day), the entire nation buys and wears the little red cloth flowers in memorial of fallen soldiers from the Canadian Royal Legion over the course of the entire month. Money from the purchases support Veterans. The same poppies are worn in England. Most countries have two minutes of silence at 11am on November 11th in memory of the fallen.

On Israel’s Memorial Day (Yom HaZicharon), there are 2 separate minutes of silence (one in the morning and one in the evening) where the entire country stops, gets out of their cars, stands on their porches and listens to a siren while reflecting on the lives which have been given by its soldiers. The radio stations all play sad songs, and there are sad movies on the television.

In the US, although there are some ceremonies and some volunteers who decorate graves of fallen soldiers, most Americans consider Memorial Day to be the 3rd day of Memorial Day Weekend. This is a time to go on vacation and have fun, maybe have a barbeque or go on a fishing trip.

Now that the US is at war again, and the number of fallen soldiers is growing more and more, perhaps more people recognize the disservice we are doing to the memory of those who have fallen for our freedom. There has been a growing movement to change Memorial Day back to May 30th - so as to separate it from the “three day holiday” mentality.

What do you think?  Do you “celebrate” Memorial Day?  Or Memorial Day Weekend?  How does the 3-day weekend effect your business?  Let me know your thoughts?

On Wednesday we threw a surprise clambake lunch party for Humboldt Storage and Moving a Boston Moving Company (one of our clients). I worked with Dan Komm in a very “Mission Impossible” like scenario to surprise everyone at their corporate headquarters in Canton, Ma.

The party was a BIG success as all got to enjoy Maine Lobstahs, Steamahs, cahn on the cawb etc.

We’ve help re-position Humboldt as the “Stress Reducing” moving company. This was our way of reducing a little of their stress as they move (pardon the pun) into their extremely busy summer schedule.

Some pics of our happy, relaxed partners in crime:

 

Crispin Porter + Bogusky will be implementing Microsoft’s new advertising program. I guess Microsoft is tired of getting their butt kicked by those fantastic Mac commercials.

I have some questions?

What is Microsoft’s brand identity? I know Mac’s/Apple’s but I couldn’t tell you Microsoft’s.

Do you think by trying to make your company look “cool” you’ll suddenly develop brand ambassadors? Mac users ARE TRUE brand ambassadors, that’s a fact.

Thirdly do you find it ironic that Crispin Porter + Bogusky will be designing these ads for Microsoft using Apple products? Yup, they’re a Mac shop.

I smell failure on the way. I hope that part of this advertising strategy is devloping a brand identity as part of the program.

RFID Experts EB, Trackway and Confidex Automated Parts of the Production Process of the Finnish Nokia Tyres by Utilising the Latest RFID Technology

Ubisense, the world leading provider of precise real time location systems (RTLS) using ultrawideband (UWB) announces its focus on solutions for process optimisation within the logistics industry.

My colleague, Gary Barzel, recently posted the “Definitive Guide to Turning Your Business Green”. Although it would be nice if we were all inspired to “go green” for the pure motivation of saving the environment - many of us are more motivated by the other type of green: MONEY. I’d like to expand on a few points Gary brought up, with the goal of showing that often times the two types of green are synonymous. What do I mean? Well, many of the tips Gary gave can actually save your business money.
Gary’s content is blue, my notes are green.

Many of Gary’s suggestions require some sort of initial investment. Check with your accountant to see which of these you can get special tax benefits for instituting in your business.

Operating in the Green

1. Reduce waste:

• Look for ways to reduce the use of paper in your business’ internal and external communications by, for example, setting your printer to automatically print double-sided, switching from a fax machine to a fax modem to send and receive paperless documents, using electronic forms whenever possible, and emailing letters and documents to be read online rather than printed out. Also make sure to review your company’s mailing lists. This saves money on paper, toner, filing space, etc.
  

• Recycle or refill the ink cartridges in your printer. Many stores, such as Office Max or Staples, will either recycle your old cartridges or refill them. Refilling cartridges can save a ton of money on ink. Some people even refill their own cartridges with a special syringe.
  

• Provide washable china and utensils for your employees so they do not have to use plasticware or styrofoam cups. I would actually recommend non-breakable dishes. Mugs would be the exception. Many companies spend lot’s of money on disposable cups and cutlery to keep their kitchen area stocked. The challenge here is getting your employees to clean up after themselves! Encourage your employees to bring lunch from home in reusable containers This is a great way for your employees to save money; food from home is a lot cheaper than food from a restaurant. or frequent restaurants that offer green packaging.

2. Conserve resources:

All the tips Gary gave in this section all will save you money on your energy bill each month. Each tip might save a little, but added together it makes a good sized chunk

The only exception was this one:

• Save on water with faucets that automatically shut off as well as water conserving toilets. This will save you on your water bill AND you might be able get help from your government in switching to water conserving toilets.
  

3. Dispose of waste responsibly.

Establish a recycling program in your business. Set up bins to collect scrap paper for reuse. Recycle aluminum cans, glass, Don’t forget to collect the deposits on these. cardboard, office paper and newsprint. Make sure to also dispose of your old equipment responsibly. You could bring these items to an E-Waste facility or take advantage of manufacturer take-back programs. You can also donate old equipment to Goodwill and get a tax deduction.

Don’t forget to exploit your “Greenness” for full marketing benefit. You can have an “Environmental Awareness Statement” or an “Environmentally Friendly” notice in the corner of company literterature. This will help others feel good about frequenting your business, and is great PR.

Get the best of both worlds: Get Some Green by Going Green

As children, most of us learn how to resolve, defuse and avoid conflict with our peers, parents and siblings. We may even learn how to “always win”. However, as professional adults, we often only remember how to defuse and avoid conflict; resolution escapes us. You might wonder: “What’s the difference?” or “Of course I want to avoid conflict at work!” But, the fact of the matter is, that when working with other people, conflict resolution can be a much more effective solution to potential conflict. This is true because:

• When conflict is resolved, the situation changes; this allows the employees to move forward without cycling continually around the base issues. When we don’t face the conflict and work through it, we avoid and/or try to defuse it instead. If this is the case, the issues underlying the conflict do not change, they will just be compounded. So there will always be the SAME conflicts to avoid and to diffuse.
• New information and ideas are discovered through conflict resolution. When a team is committed to resolving a conflict, they will be more certain to hear everyone’s view point. Many conflicts may be based on misunderstandings, or mis-aligned goals. When everyone involved names the issues as they see them, it is likely that new possibilities will surface. New possibilities not only can render the conflict obsolete, but can lead to innovation.
• Team building. The experience of experiencing conflict, facing it and successfully resolving it will strengthen a team and build trust. A team who knows they can resolve conflict with each other will work much effectively, and they won’t be afraid to bring up important issues. This, in turn, means that important issues will get dealt with instead of being tabled indefinitely for fear of conflict.

So, if you decide you want to take the risk and try facing and resolving conflict - how do you go about it successfully?

1. No playing dirty. Keep it role/behavior focused - don’t attack a person’s character. On top of this, make it clear that you are not attacking the person’s character.
2. Don’t take it personally. On the flip side of not playing dirty is remembering that other’s are also focusing on your role/behavior. If it feels to you that there are people “playing dirty” - call them on it. And don’t forget to let them know how it makes you feel/react.
3. Lay it all out. No conflict will be truly resolved if you do not share all the relevant issues as you see them. Don’t try to “tone down” your thoughts because you are unsure how they might be received.
4. Don’t back pedal. If you meant something, don’t say “I didn’t mean it,” just because others responded negatively. If you tell someone that you don’t like how they did something, don’t say “It really wasn’t so bad” just because they seem upset by your feedback. When you back pedal, it sends conflicting messages, and it detracts from your message.
5. Keep to what you know. If you suspect something, or are “making up a story” about something happening - verify it! If you act on assumptions regarding what others are thinking/feeling/doing, then not only will you be ineffective at resolving conflict, but you will look like an idiot. You can always ask - more often than not, you will get an honest answer.
6. Empathize. When we are involved in a conflict, it is easy to forget that our “opponents” are people too. It is much easier to think of them as “the manager”, “the accountant”, etc. After that we start thinking of them as: “the thing which is blocking progress” or “the one standing in my way.” When we think this way, we lose influence with other people, because they see we are focussed only on ourselves, and that we don’t care about them. If instead, we remain aware that we are dealing with “real people” with real emotions, real goals and real desires, then we will be able to resolve conflict with them much more effectively.

The “rules” I have outlined here are true for all sorts of conflict, in all venues.

Happy fighting!

Bloggers are taking over the world. And they’re turning the tables on business and how customer service and branding is being delivered. Case in point;

Cleveland residents Brenda and Gerald Moran are experienced cruisers and big fans of Royal Caribbean. They were so happy with the cruise line they averaged two cruises a year for the past three years. They even bought the company’s stock.

Sounds like they are true brand ambassadors.

But with almost every cruise came complaints. Some very legitimate complaints (like sewage spilling into their living area from their toilet). So they documented those complaints on Cruise Critic. Apparently Royal Caribbean didn’t like their opinions being posted so they banned the couple from taking another cruise with them forever.

Bam, talk bad about us and take off!

Earlier in the year Sprint fired over 1000 customers for complaining too much. Interesting huh? Problem is for every Brenda and Gerald Moran that gets banned there are 5 more to jump in and share their negative opinions. Here’s the scoop…take bloggers seriously.

Here’s what Royal Caribbean says on their website:

Your happiness is our biggest priority, and we’ll do everything to makes sure you get the most out of your cruise vacation. Sailing with your family Gathering a few friends together for a reunion? Planning to say, “I do”? Or “I’d do it all over again”? We have programs and packages that will make any occasion special.

It’s like every day’s your birthday when you sail with us. We cater to your every whim so you’re completely free to adventure on. How will we make sure every second of your cruise vacation is everything you hoped for? With our Gold Anchor Service. You’ll have one of the friendliest crews on water ready to show you the time of your life.

Here’s what I would of done if I were Royal Caribbean (and maybe some genius over there will read this post). Instead of banning customers turn them into brand ambassadors.

1. Ask them to participate in surveys for you. Tell them you want their input and value it.

2. Hear their complaints and acknowledge them and ask them to help with solutions. These people MAY very well be big complainers but when you involve them in the solution they become allies.

3. Sponsor a blog for them. Tell them you want them to post every time they take a cruise with you good or bad. Some of their complaints were legit.

4. Just get them actively involved and working for you, not against you.

The problem with Royal Caribbean and other companies is that they are being called out by bloggers. When something goes bad people write about it. You think bloggers are going to stop sharing their opinions? When you have a good experience you might tell 3 people about it, a bad experience? That number triples.

Word of mouth is no longer two friends chatting. It’s chatting via blogs, Facebook, twitter etc. etc. etc. People are going to tell their story, accept it, embrace it or be prepared to be firing lots and lots of returning customers.

Get your heads out of the early 2000’s. Open up channels of communication and put your company in the blogging mix. Remember it’s your brand identity and brand image at stake here.