Sunday, February 12, 2006

The importance of delivering value

Sigur Rinde, head of software company Thingamy Ltd, takes issue with the goal of businesses that think their customers just want them to deliver “solutions”. Rinde says that companies are supposed to deliver a value.

Current problems, future problems, new ways, joy and happiness and any jumping of the curve for your customers is covered. Limitless.

That’s what business is all about. Delivering value.

Please. I want that. Value. Whatever it is.

I do value more things than just having my problems solved.

Saturday, February 11, 2006

Stormhoek and social lubrication

Here’s a great quotation (via SMLXL) from Jason Korman of Stormhoek wine, uttered during a podcast conversation with Johnnie Moore and James Cherkoff.

We’ve had a lot of trade press recently. It tends to focus on the free samples to bloggers but they misunderstand what we’re trying to do. It’s like going into a bar and buying someone a drink. You do it not to give them a free drink, but to start a conversation. All we’ve done is use our product as a way to start conversations with people. That’s what marketing today is about: conversations with people. We’re lucky to have a product that is a social lubricant.

Conversing with potential customers via the blogosphere helped Stormhoek to double sales in less than twelve months. Stormhoek is now launching in the US by supplying wine for 100 Dinners in 100 Days - dinners, large and small, given by bloggers. 

Boloco CEO John Pepper: An engaging example

In Boston, there is a chain of restaurants called Boloco (formerly ‘The Wrap’). When Boloco discontinued the roasted vegetables that were on their menu, a customer named Ben wrote to the CEO to complain. The CEO, John Pepper, actually wrote back to him. What follows is a shining example of great customer service. 

"Boloco CEO John Pepper: An engaging example" continued...

Friday, February 10, 2006

The c-word

No, not that one.

Consumer is an industrial-age word, a broadcast-age word. It implies that we are all tied to our chairs, head back, eating ‘content’ and crapping cash.

So sayeth Doc Searls. I’m sure there is room for debate here, but I have found it nearly impossible to use that particular c-word since I read this. (The quotation was also well-employed by Jeff Jarvis, former president and creative director of Advance.net, Condé Nast’s online arm, when he wrote about his Dell hell customer service experience for the Guardian.)

The business case for free wifi

I would love to be at Demo. Or at least I thought I would, until I read this:

After an evening and morning at DEMO in Phoenix, my only observation is:

Great companies. Too bad there is no Internet access here so that we can write about them.

No access in the hotel rooms, no access in the main hall. Only a few lucky people who are allowed into the press room can get on the Internet. I feel like a prisoner.

There is a great story here. 700 people. New innovative companies. Buzz.

"The business case for free wifi" continued...