Mistakes happen. I know that I make my fair share. And it happens from time to time as we interact with physical and online merchants. I am very tolerant of mistakes but I also do take note of how companies remediate these issues. Two recent examples come to mind. I had a reservation at a […]
Category Archives: Business
How to Convert a Favor Into a Win
I recently emceed a conference where the president of the association asked if I would organize a rock group with members of the association. Since I was driving from Georgia to Alabama, where the conference was held, it would be possible for me to bring the equipment necessary to make this happen. Over the […]
Small Innovations Matter… Even in the Bathroom
We’ve all seen it–a wall-mounted, liquid soap dispenser, dripping onto the counter of a public restroom. Regardless of the preventative efforts of engineers, the dispenser leaks. At least, there always seem to be drips (or even puddles) of unused soap on the counters. I figured, if it were possible to prevent this additional soap from […]
What Value is a Solution if You Keep it a Secret?
I was particularly interested in a recent article from The Financial Brand that focused on how small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) receive banking services. The story highlighted how while these businesses have unique needs and represent an important customer segment, there is still a disconnect between the services SMBs desire and the services they believe […]
Doubling Down on a Customer Service Fail
I recently blogged about arriving in San Diego while my checked bag did not. Southwest had no clue where the bag was, but they promised to deliver it to the Marriott Marquis later that night. Before I left, I made sure they had the correct address, 333 Harbor Drive, because in that checked bag were […]
Update on OAO Fail
Back in March, I posted about my attempt to open an account at a large regional bank based in the Southeast. Essentially, there had been a huge disconnect between the options available online and those offered in the branch. Worse, both options offered at this bank resulted in an unsuccessful account opening. My point was […]
What is your “Contact Us” for?
It struck me just today: why aren’t people contacting me? Here’s what I mean: over the past several weeks, I have accessed websites and entered my contact information into their “Contact Us” forms. While these forms appear in numerous designs, in essence, they all serve the same purpose: to collect the contact information from someone […]
Innovation Fail – Bank Account Opening Fail
I recently moved to a suburb of Houston and decided I would open up a local bank account. I debated whether I needed one; the fact is, having a “local” bank isn’t really as necessary as it once was. But, I figured there would be advantages to having access to local ATMs and in-branch support […]
SockGiving? Creating a Blueprint for Others to Follow
One of the most exciting things I get to do is assist startups. From time to time, I get to talk with energetic young people who have ideas for a new company. If they approach me in the right way, I will make time for them and impart whatever wisdom is appropriate. But sometimes, the […]
How Many Bad Ideas Are You Generating?
“There are no bad ideas.” As a strategic planning facilitator, I say something similar to this at every brainstorming session. Every facilitator does—even though we all know that there are in fact bad ideas. But that label “bad idea” is a misnomer. For example, an idea may not be “bad” per se, just not right […]