Tastes great? Less Filling?

The other day, I was driving back to the office, and was listening to an interview with ESPN's NFL correspondent Len Pasquarelli regarding his (then) upcoming article on the recent trend in the NFL of having a specific Assistant Coach dedicated to the Quarterback (30 of the 32 teams have one). While that fact is interesting, it was something else that he said that caused (yes - I hear voices.. blah...) me to post...

He said something to the effect that these days, Quarterbacks are being selected for competencies such as their decision making ability, strategic thinking, among other things, whereas in the past, they were prized on their arm strength alone.

So, I'll put this out to all organizations... what do you, er.. actually, more importantly, what do your customers value about your product... Tastes Great? Less Filling? Lower Carbs?

I guess the secret to having an enduring product is in the ability to determine which qualities match the current vogue.. Which I guess is fine if you can match your product to the times... however... if your product is out of date... and for some reason, you're holding on to it.. to steal another 'beer' inspired quote... ask yourself..."WAZZUP?"

Always Read The Best Before Date...

On my way home from the office last week, I was sitting on the subway, when I saw an ad for FUJI film. It read something like "Because it's difficult to stick a .jpeg on the refridgerator". I guess that's why LG invented this...




Yes, a fridge that has a built in screen to view TV, and yes.. jpegs...

Bottom line? Your product (no matter HOW much money you're making right now) is perishable. Before you take a bite, or actually - before you get bitten, check that your product hasn't already expired...

Let it snow, let it snow..

I am a HUGE fan of the Experience Economy. Well.. now that it's published... I am a huge fan of Lovemarks.. and as you probably know.. I am a Seth Godin NUT.

So with that being said, I am putting the final touches on a workshop for a client of ours in the retail sector when (as always, please don't laugh..) I was on the Laneige cosmetics website, and came across this...




WOW! Showing your customers what you are trying to accomplish.. what a concept.. forget all the boring tag lines "quality leader" "customer focused" heck - let them see your strategy, let them see how much thought you ACTUALLY put into the process...

If your business has customers (yes, that was satire) you should analyse Laneige's star, to see whether or not you are fulfilling each point...

Get my drift...?

Au Bouclair de la Lune...

Now, I'm not usually one to actually name the offenders when I post.. but in this case, I am so appalled by customer service, and store management, that I must point out this wonderful situation...

How about a little background. Fact - RONA Building Center Stores are designed to appeal to BOTH men AND women. FACT - IKEA.com updates their inventory ONLINE from EACH store DAILY. FACT - I am a consumer, I want everything NOW, and I don't like excuses.

So, the other day, I needed to (laugh and I will track you down..) sew cushions for my new backyard set.. STOP LAUGHING... this is serious.. your company might have the same problem... and being the big sew-er I am I went to my local BouClair store. Upon entering I went to one of the many 'service' tables, and instantly admitted that I had no clue what I was doing. After finishing a conversation with a co-worker, a 'team' member decided to help me... a man... honestly, all stereotypes aside, how many men have EVER been (willingly) into a BouClair store? I thought they might be excited to have someone who actually needed guidance at every step of my sales experience... nope, I was a burden.

FACT - According to how I was treated, MEN are apparently not welcome at BouClair.

In the middle of buying fabric, I find out that of the MILLIONS and MILLIONS of rolls of fabric, they don't have enough of the one I want.

FACT - If your store looks overcrowded and messy, your inventory cannot be accurate.

So, I am sent 20 km north to another BouClair store that has the fabric on hold for me to pick up. Upon arriving, I am presented with a fabric that is nowhere close to the fabric I need. At which point I tell them that this is not the correct fabric I drove all this way to pick up. The sales associate then proceeds to tell me that "No sir, this is the fabric you are looking for, look here the number on the roll matches the one they called me with." (Note from Kyle: for those of you who have never met me.. I'M NOT BLIND). So she proceeds to tell me that they have no other similar fabrics, that they do not ship between stores unless I need 30 yards or more (need to upholster a yacht?), and that I do not have enough to complete my project.

FACT - I am the consumer, I buy your stuff, if you don't have what I want (after telling me that you do, and telling me, in not so many words, that I am an idiot) I will never buy your stuff again. Good luck surviving for another... 34 years (source bouclair.com - don't bother going, it's a dull site....) with such a bad attitude.

I can't wait for the time, a couple of years from now, my wife and I are sitting on the cushions and we reminisce, "Remember when we had such a bad experience buying the fabric for these cushions.. what was the name of that place...?" I would say, "I can't remember either.. they went out of business just after we went there that ONE time.."