How I got over my “CrackBerry” addiction….

It has been quite some time since I have posted and I apologize to my reader(s) out there who have wondered did I give up or just had nothing of significance to say. I can assure you that people that know me will vouch that I am never void of things to say, whether it is significant or not is another story; having time to sit down to write was an issue and I am still to this day paying the price of having my wrestling coach as my typing instructor (guess what I did during class) but I digress which I do through all of my posts. Maybe I should spend more time with Dragon’s Naturally Speaking the speech recognition software which is amazingly accurate to get more posts out and only type to correct my diction….hmmm
Anyway, a lot has happened this past month and switching from a BlackBerry to the iPhone has been…. how should I say it, a life changing event. I will admit I was a heavy BlackBerry user spending a lot of time responding to everyone and anyone more text than was really needed. As I mentioned in a previous post feeling phantom vibrations on my hip when my BlackBerry was not there and here is the one I am not happy revealing; DUIBB…Driving under the influence of BlackBerry where there really should be a law against. I wonder how many accidents have occurred due to drivers reading and responding to messages. Hey, here’s a thought….maybe RIM and Dragon’s Naturally Speaking should work on a joint solution….you read it here first!
So, you are wondering what does the iPhone have to do with all of this? Well, I had always admitted that I was not going to join the craze of having a iPhone, I had an iPod and really did not see a need for an iPhone but circumstances lead me to acquire one and that started my path of recovery. I will tell you I was actually shaking when I took the iPhone out the box and went through the procedure of activating it online and mulled over initiating the final step that would retire my Curve and port my service to the iPhone. I immediately regretted it and spent the next 3 hours totally frustrated trying to adjust to the iPhone onscreen keypad, it was awful and I cannot tell you how many times I wanted to toss the iPhone across the room! I am gripping just writing about it and I knew I would not like the change. I even took the phone back the next day to the Apple Store only to be talked into going back the next day to buy it again…really…I have the receipts to prove it. Well, after spending some time with it I realized that there were times when I did need to respond to an e-mail but I did not have to write a novel when one or two sentences would do. I had to devote some time to a few of my frequent message receivers that I was not angry at them or going through some tough times because my messages were short and not my usual upbeat expressive manner, heck…keying in a smiley face was a challenge for me on the new keyboard!
So days….weeks went by and I started feeling better, not so stressed and obsessed with mobile communication, things were not that urgent and I was able to focus better on the tasks at hand instead of wearing out my thumbs. I could run on the treadmill without nearly killing myself when trying to respond, RUIBB…Running under the influence of BlackBerry, you get the idea right?
I am over my addiction, but occasionally I take out my BlackBerry Curve and hold it but the urge to activate it is not there as it was before and I am loving the iPhone more and more every day.
ALTHOUGH….I have a new challenge thinking everything is touch screen driven; I have tried to change the channel on the TV, and navigate on my laptop and other tasks I am embarrassed to admit by touching the screen…on to my next addiction?
I just want everyone to know that there is a cure out there and if you are willing to try, you too may discover that that life without a BlackBerry is okay and usage in moderation will allow for a more meaning life….how profound.

Starbucks stores closing temporarily today….convenience versus loyalty?

I dropped by Starbucks yesterday and noticed the sign on the door stating that they would be closed today for several hours to train their baristas to make better coffee. Interesting I thought and of course my thinking cap started churning or was it my anticipated Starbucks caffeine withdrawal? Anyway, I thought it was somewhat of a risky move and wondered how many people would be affected by this, not necessarily the ones that knew about the temporary shutdown but the ones who were caffeine deprived walking in the day it was posted and did not notice the sign. Most of these people I bet would drop by tomorrow and be shocked that they were closed for that time and what if they also see employees in the store..yikes! I would have thought that Starbucks would have spent that time trying to improve on customer relations. I visited a Starbucks a few weeks ago to pick up a nice coffee cup for my mom and I asked at the time did they still give the 1 free drink coupons with a cup purchase and I was told no but I could purchase a card with at least a $5.00 credit on it which really ticked me off. I bought the cup but was grumbling over their new policy.

It looks like a great opportunity for the competition to grab some coffee bean share wouldn’t you think? Companies like McDonald’s, Dunkin Donuts, Seattle Coffee and other small providers could benefit by picking up some new customers. I read where Biggby Coffee in Wyoming is offering free coffee to everyone during that time for everyone as well as their current customers and may actually snag a few of the Starbuck loyal addicts. I wonder how many other coffee shops will be participating in trying to grab some market share.

It also started me thinking about convenience versus loyalty, of course a vast majority of Starbucks customers are drawn to the ambience of the store while many others cruise through the drive-thru for convenience so is it mainly loyalty or convenience? I wonder during the several hours that Starbucks will be close how many people will discover other convenient options for their caffeine fix.

I bet convenience is often mistaken as loyalty as I think of many situations where I use a product because of convenience. Of course if another convenient option appears and I am not legally bound (mobile phone service) I would also choose the convenient option.

Companies should take a look at that scenario and see what really keeps their customers; legal jargon or the fact that they focus on what their customers really want and offer a fair exchange as well as customer care. I think Starbucks will find out very soon, I do not think people are leaving them dissatisfied by the brewing of the coffee…they may be training on the wrong thing!

Suggestion to Starbucks, station people in your stores to observe, question and seek suggestions as well as offer up a free drink that may create loyalty!

The day the music (BlackBerry access) died….

There’s a line in the song American Pie by Don Mclean, “But February made me shiver”; how ironic in reference to the BlackBerry outage yesterday as well as the internet outage in the Middle East on February 1, due to a severed line.

Actually yesterday was a good day when I think about it, first I was frustrated by the silence of my BlackBerry asking it “why are you not talking to me?, was it something I said ?” After numerous service book pings I finally read that there was an outage and instead of taking the rest of the day off, I actually I was able to get more work done. The strange buzzing noise was gone and the phantom vibrations I have been feeling in my hips were gone as well. No, really….I could be totally away from my blackberry (which is rare) and I would feel these vibrations, I kid you not.

I am not sure how I would have reacted to an internet outage but I gotta believe I could deal with it without freaking out. I am sure a lot of us would wake out of the technical communication whirlpool with blank stares behind our monitors and miniature screens and actually look up and around. We probably would actually pick up the phone and actually call our customers or prospects and actually have a “live “conversation.

When you think about it how many of us actually have a backup plan to not being able to connect through cyberspace? Would we have un-tethered access to our vital data? Would we use it as an excuse or would we take it on as an opportunity? You could call a customer at the perfect time and be Johnny or Joannie on the spot letting them know that business goes on. I wonder how many frustrated customers and advocates you could pick up by still being there?

I often speak of being a “ GenTweener” a hybrid cross of an X and Y due to my early experience in technology, unlike a lot of the generation today I know how life and business carried on without a total dependency on technology. I do appreciate the advances of technology , “Yes, I said to my son I remember having just 3 television channels and no ATM’s….what did I do when I ran out of money?, I either went home or my friends and we pooled our money.” Technology is great but what happens when “Houston, we have a problem”, rears its challenging opportunistic head. The fact that I am a GenTweener allows me the benefit of both worlds and I draw on the way things use to be as a foundation to how I conduct business.

Here is what I remember:

·– NO phone mobility (well, when I was growing up we had a VERY long coiled line so we could walk to the front door from the kitchen) also, mom could yell
·– The clarity of cable was aluminum foil on the indoor antenna of our television
·– My musical playlist consisted of how many 45’s (records) you could stack on the turntable, later my dad bought a reel to reel system..awesome
·– Looking forward to the latest encyclopedias and the extra event edition
·– My parents introducing me to the bank VP and opening an account (they really knew us) actually all of the stores in my city had that “know thy customer” theme
·– Walking down to the playground to hang out with my community
·– Face to face conversations
·– Weekly trips to the Library and reading 30-25 book a summer to receive a certificate
·– Musicians created music not manufactured it

Okay, I will stop, you get the point, technology is great and allows far reaching communications and relationships. It enables better efficiency, access and productivity, and it is required to be successful in business today. I have benefitted tremendously by technology and understand human progress and reach but I must say it is nice to think of simpler times where tasks were accomplished by the pace of the day. Patience or some relative degree of patience was required and I am sure all generations have versions of progress. Nostalgia is a good thing and can have some relevance in our lives today when there is a blip in technology. It can also remind of how important our relationships are in our business and personal lives.

I think it would be a great exercise to have a conversation in your office contingency plans around the lost of taken for granted technology like BlackBerry usage and the internet. A live phone call or face to face conversation could be the deciding factor in attaining and keeping your most valuable assets.

I have to go now; my BlackBerry alarm just reminded me that it is time to eat.

Yes….it is also all about me….today

Today is my birthday and no, I will not reveal my age but I am what some would say…seasoned. Anyway, other than my family wishing me a great day the first e-mail I saw in my in box was from Borders wishing me a happy birthday with a coupon. I know that it does not take a lot to collect and act upon data given but it is still a nice gesture and one of many good experiences I share shopping there. Last week I went into the local Borders seeking a book that was recommended to me and in my haste I left the coupon they most recently sent me in the printer bin. When I stepped up to the counter to pay I mentioned it and the gentleman waiting on me said no problem and pulled out a sheet that gave me a better discount than the one I received initially. It is not just one experience that defines my loyalty or advocacy but I continuously receive them from Borders and since I am an avid reader I receive a lot. Thanks Borders for thinking about me and thanks for instilling in your employees empowerment to make decisions that affect the customer. A lot of companies say they care from the top level but the “action” part is watered down all the way to the person who has the direct contact. Many I am sure are given strict “rules of engagement” and those rules may be firmly implanted in the technology. “I’m sorry our system will not allow that”, breaking the human connection that is vital to the experience. Extending an extra discount does not always impact the bottom line if that action causes me to walk out with a satisfied smile and keeps me coming back thus adding to the bottom line.

During the rare times I do walk into Barnes and Noble, I walk up to the counter with angst knowing that they are going to ask me if I am a “special” member that I have to pay for! Unbelievable! My friend Brent Leary expressed it well in his blog last year: Barnes & Ignoble – Another Tragic Case of Customer Relationship Mis-management

So, Happy Birthday to me! I am off to Borders to pick up a book about dealing with Mid-Life Crisis.

Havin’ Fun…..The Customer’s Way

When asked where do you think the fast-food business is going the, President of McDonald’s USA, Don Thompson answered, “Frankly, it is going wherever the customer wants to take it.” Usually when someone answers with a “Frankly”, the rest is about not giving a damn but anyone paying attention to the fast food giant lately can see that they continue to maintain their core menu but have expanded their offerings to accommodate the needs of a larger and health conscious customer base. The expanded menu was created by listening to their customers, watching what they are eating, their trends and offering them choices. Sounds like the right formula to me and appears to be working. Mr. Thompson also points out that the individual franchisees are paying attention to regional trends and extending offerings such as southern-style chicken sandwiches as well as “real” sweet tea.

Most of the attention lately has been around McDonald’s foray into the upgrading their coffee products and rolling out more premium coffees and Espresso based drinks. I have even heard rumblings that they were trying to cut into the Starbucks area of domination. They may do just that but McDonald’s customers drink premium coffee too so why not have it on the menu. I will also mention that McDonalds had the drive thru window long before Starbucks and now most new Starbucks I see opening up features a drive thru window so maybe it is not always about the ambience but maybe Starbucks saw the market for fast coffee opting for speed instead of atmosphere.

Later in the interview I read where McDonalds tested other drink options alongside the ever present Coca-Cola with Pepsi, I must say that was a statement to expand the taste of their customers.

Overall, it is always nice to hear a CEO leading the customer service charge and working hard to accommodate his customer base.

Now when I have a craving for some McDonalds’s fries and to quiet my kids I can order an iced vanilla coffee and some fries making everyone happy…. “i’m lovin’ it”

Is Diversity in your Target Market?

I ran across a very interesting blog exchange from 1to1 Media’s weblog: Risk in Targeting Minority Customers which was a response to an article in the November/December edition called, Will the Real Customer Please Stand Up? and subsequent article Trend spotting: A Niche Market With Broad Spending Power. It was the latter article that stirred up the proverbial hornet’s nest and it is not my place to comment on that particular exchange but it did stir up other topics I have been involved in.
What I took from the original article, Will the Real Customer Please Stand Up? was the concept of not using demographics alone to determine your target market. Segmentation practices are not that same as it was a few years ago due to the multiple sources and best practices of tracking customer behavior and data.

I will chime in on the question of are there risks in targeting minority customers?, I feel that it is too broad of a generalization to give a definitive answer mainly because minority segments has taken on new definitions and directions depending on how one defines a minority. I will say that it is not a risk when monetary value and potential exist.

What I do know about the minority segment and making the decision to target that market is based off of a couple articles that my business partner Brent Leary and I penned a few years ago addressing the lack of attention from CRM vendors to the minority business community. The two articles, “The State of CRM in the Minority Business Community” and “The New CRM: Community Relationship Management” revealed the business case for actively knowing and targeting this growing market segment. We discussed in our articles how CRM vendors could create brand loyalty by tapping a market that has been overlooked. By understanding the minority community, the channels, publications and alliances that minority businesses frequented CRM vendors could gain entrance along with trust, loyalty which in return would reap an ever growing monetary windfall. What we found in our research in the minority community that they were unaware of the solutions available to them and we also found the unawareness of this potential and market in the CRM vendors we working with. Our actions were geared around bridging that gap which has closed some but still too far apart. I remember reading that minority spending potential could exceed 2 trillion (with a T) dollars throughout 2007 and beyond; in that figure is a growing population of minority businesses that are not being effectively targeted and monetarily leveraged.

I feel a lot of that has to do with how a company approaches diversity as an organization in addition to the practicing diversity strictly through the Human Resource compliance. In addition to just doing the right thing diversity in the workplace has to resonate throughout all departments especially the marketing department in order to leverage the benefits of everyone NOT thinking alike. What I mean by that is if you have a diverse organization that you are willing to leverage in understanding a minority segment that will assist marketing in knowing when, how and where to target their marketing message.
Here is an example I reference frequently when discussing insensitivity and ignorance in a marketing message that probably turned a number of qualified buyers away. For those of you not familiar with the Office Max “Rubberband Man” Commercial a few years ago here is a clip:

I personally found that commercial offensive and I am sure I was not alone; I even bet many may have laughed initially but the stuck in the mail room mentality has never been funny to me. I know that was probably not their intent but perception can create reality. That commercial caused me to not to spend my dollars with Office Max. So, let’s say that Office Max has a diverse organization but if they had sampled the commercial to a diverse group of employees I know there would be someone who would share my feelings and speak out. The question then would be would they listen?

Bose….The company that knows how to listen!

Lessons Learned from Bose :

• Deliver a Superior Product
• Listen to customer feedback
• Respond and address customer’s feedback
• Exceed Customer Expectations

I purchased a set of Bose in-ear headphones a while back mainly because of my positive experiences with the Bose radio and the Tri-Port Headphones. I really like music and Bose creates a favorable environment to the listening experience. I was satisfied with my purchase even though the size replaceable ear tips did not stay on. As I was stepping on the Treadmill last week to start my cardio workout and listen to the new Seal CD System (which is a great ) I realized that I was missing the right side ear tip and I searched all around the treadmill as well as retracing my steps from the locker room but could not find it. I was not happy and rightfully could have left the gym because my workout was running around searching for it.
ANYWAY, when I got home I went on line and put in a key word search for Bose in-ear accessories to see if I could order some new ear tips.
My search pointed me to a link: Complimentary Silicone Tips and Stability Enhancement Kit for Bose … I literally fell out of my chair and this is what I found when I clicked the link:

“Thanks to everyone who gave us feedback on Bose® in-ear headphones.
We’re glad there is a high level of overall satisfaction—especially for the audio performance and comfort when compared to conventional ear buds. The comments also revealed two opportunities to better meet the needs of some customers.
Here’s what you told us, and what we’ve done:
The silicone ear tips become detached under certain conditionsWe’ve designed new ear tips that should stay more firmly in place on the headphones.
The in-ear stability of the headphones during certain activities, such as exercise, could be improved We’ve developed a stability enhancement accessory including a clothing clip and lanyard. Both reduce the cord’s “pull” during increased activity.
As a Bose in-ear headphone owner, you can order a complete set of our new ear tips and new stability enhancement accessory free of charge.
Your satisfaction is our top priority and we appreciate your support of Bose products. We hope your Bose in-ear headphones continue to provide many years of enjoyable listening.”

Wow, was all I could say, not only were they willing to replace the ear tips but they also updated me on a lanyard stability accessory to keep my headphones positioned correctly…..get this…for NO CHARGE….zilch…nada…nuttin!
Being the optimistic skeptic (yeah I know….) I thought I would not qualify because I did not register my headphones or could not remember if I did when I purchased them but I filled out the form online anyway and lo and behold I received my packages a week later and my over exuberance cause me to order an additional set of ear tips in error so I received 2 sets of ear tips and the stability lanyard. I am speechless but should I or we should expect less? I remember a quote I saw from Delta Air Lines that stated something to the effect of “We want to exceed our customer’s expectations” and I remember at the time just thinking that was a big statement (especially for an airlines) and I only expect a company to meet my expectations but Bose truly exceeded it and have formed a nice union of Customer Relationship Management and Customer Experience Management to turn me into a soapbox advocate.

Bose makes superb products for the enhancement of listening experiences, they also know how to listen and do the right thing.

CRM….Christmas Relationship Management

I am sure we all have experienced the “Christmas Awareness” correctness that has been prevalent the last several years, maybe longer. It hit me as I walked the dog this Christmas morning and ran into a couple of neighbors. I noticed my concern or thought process as I walked by in my effort to determine whether to say Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas. I understand and respect the fact that people have diverse beliefs and the genuine kindness of well wishes for the season causes me angst when I try to decide on my greeting to them. I am sure it is a “me” problem but I struggle with trying to be culturally or religiously correct not wanting to disrespect anyone’s faith. It accompanied me during shopping, at the gym and even during the planning of my 30th High School reunion last week. We all grew up saying Merry Christmas to each other and then I wondered; was Merry Christmas the right greeting? It was never really brought up and I do not think anyone really cared; we all enjoyed the Christmas Season with gift giving, caroling and other festive activities.

So, my point is my heartfelt intent of well wishes will always be there but I will go with Merry Christmas which depicts my faith or is it really Kwanzaa? Hmmm…..anyway, my greeting will be Merry Christmas and any response I receive back should be in the recipient’s faith greeting or whatever they are comfortable with…how does that sound? No disrespect but a genuine good will toward all people…I said Merry Christmas to Annie, our dog and she just looked at me and wagged her tail…Merry Christmas everyone.

My Grown up Christmas List

Home Depot….YouTube snafu…..

I received a comment to my blog entry on Home Depot’s YouTube $25,000.00 contest today and it pointed to this blog called HD Meltdown. Ouch…. talk about a PR nightmare the viral success they were seeking has backfired with the word on the street revealing that there was some insider interference going on with the promotion. Home Depot cannot afford this kind of negative press and looks as though they missed the collaborative bi-directional nature of customer interaction with their Web 2.0 strategy.

SMB and CRM Solutions….lessons that can be learned

I came across an interesting article on destinationCRM.com , the article was titled “Are CRM Systems Too Complex for the SMB?” and the first paragraph stated:

“Among managers and small-business owners implementing CRM systems, more than four out of five (82.9 percent) say that getting staff to use the software is the biggest challenge they face, according to a new survey from Really Simple Systems, a provider of hosted CRM software.”

In my mind that statement has very little to do with complexity; most applications today are very intuitive and easy to use. I also think that with technology today a more appropriate word is solutions not systems; in my view that word alone sounds technical and gives the connotation of complexity.

I think the perception of complexity and lack of user adoption is the result of:

A company not going through the proper steps of having a defined efficient and repeatable sales, marketing and service process.

• Lack of executive support and inclusion of users in the selection, implementation and training stages.
  

The survey also found that:

• More than two in five (42.9 percent) respondents use less than half of their existing CRM system’s functionality. – I agree but using the 80/20 rule by knowing and addressing your immediate needs that will point you in the right direction.(MWT)
  
• More than half (50.5 percent) say that synchronizing data is a major issue. – Synchronization today is not what it was several ago, knowing what synchronization means to you and your organization can be having internet access through mobile devices or wireless connection to your data. (MWT)
  
• More than a third (67.1 percent) say that finding time to evaluate CRM systems is a major issue. – Make the investment in time and expertise to make the right decision, do not let the vendor dictate, get a 3^rd party consultant to represent your interest and investment, this is a MAJOR decision. (MWT)
  

I will agree that most applications over deliver in the feature functionality arena and maybe that creates complexity in trying to do too much initially. Think about it, the majority of us use Microsoft Outlook right? But do we utilize even 50% of what it can deliver? Most of us use what we need to get most of our initial needs met and then we gradually expand the basic capabilities.

I can also assure you through my experience that this is not an issue with just SMB’s but I have consulted large enterprises that experience the same problems.

CRM solutions can be over analyzed and the real reasons of having one can be lost in translation from what vendors are pushing. For example, I would think for sales and marketing users it is important that the CRM solution allows them:

To streamline and cut down the process of finding and acquiring new customers

1. Know which prospects to be in front of when they are ready to buy
   
2. How to keep their pipeline full
   
3. Easy to access, maneuver and report as well as the ability to integrate with applications like Outlook
   

I recently saw a demo of an application that focused on allowing sales reps to efficiently make calls and follow up without the multiple key strokes most CRM applications require. The application allows you to model your business process as you make calls and positions you to know who to call, why you are calling and provides the process scenario, response and action taken in half the strokes it takes for conventional CRM applications. It also integrates with your CRM system when leads uncovered and qualified are ready for the pipeline.

Another cause of complexity and lack of user adoption is trying to accomplish tasks with solutions that were not developed for that process and you have multiple clicks to get through your list. One of the reasons this solution was created because users were frustrated with the multiple screens and key strokes required to get through a call list.

I agree with Laurie McCabe, VP of SMB solutions for AMI Partners on her assessment and hope SMB personnel as well as vendors take note.

There are many CRM solutions available that are geared specifically for the SMB segment but taking the time to get your organization and people prepared before making the investment will give you immediate user adoption and a positive return on investment.