It's Business As Usual

Well, here goes. Another day of watching people go chest-beating, ra-ra-rah, building grandiose plans with ridiculous names. Of course, we conveniently missed even an outline on how we will attain the goals, no roadmap, no metrics, hence no sense for course correction. Some people here call this the Xanadu train, others call it the Good Idea Fairy. I was reminded of a South Park episode where the boys try to learn about how to run a business from gnomes who steal underpants to make profits. How? Exactly.

An Ode to Peggy

Parking lot shenanigans, over-zealous logistics department, neurotic coworkers and other work-inappropriate capers- all in a day's work

What are you trying to say??

I am saving a spot for my friend

Shrink-wrapped popcorn shipped 1500 miles

We forgot to get you a gift, so we wrapped your truck

Fun is a company value! (While working at a trade show)

You are a great team player!

Wrap people too....

After a day long negotiation

If this is in the fridge, where is your food? Wait, don't tell me

So tired....

Customer Service - How much is too much?

To me, Marketing is the most fascinating of business disciplines- it is dynamic, complex and powerful. Constantly reinventing itself and its vocabulary, you will have had heard of the ubiquitous 3C's or 4P's, CRM tools, metrics of ROI and Brand valuation, the list goes on and on and on.

Just as in Fashion, there is always a Flavor of the Season- a concept or theory that is IN. And just as in religion and spirituality, there is a constant quest for the enlightened state. Our current Holy Grail is the Social Media Marketing. A while ago, it was Customer Service. Just as everything associated with marketing, it, too, is rife with rules, frameworks and acronyms. There are even ISO standards on CS. It had been touted as a key differentiating factor between you and your competition, especially in mature markets. It could make or break your business.

A few months ago, I was in a meeting with some people who were retained post a recent acquisition by my company. We were discussing the integration of our marketing efforts, and the conversation steered towards what their strengths had been versus ours. One person, rather passionately, made the case for customer service. I will give it to him though, customers were pampered way more by his former company. But to elucidate the key takeaway of his argument, let me quote him as best as my memory allows- "You know, you guys are bigger and all that, but you treat your customers like numbers. We on the other hand were good with them. It's like the difference between Best Buy and Circuit City. You know what I mean, Circuit City was so much more personal than Best Buy."

Yes sir, I do know what you mean: You = Circuit City = Bankrupt; We = Best Buy = Still in business. Also, we acquired you.