Archive for the ‘Opinion’ Category

So What?

A recent study conducted by Boston Consulting Group illustrated a disconnect between internal insight teams and their business line counterparts (i.e., their clients). The biggest gap between what the insight teams thought they were delivering and what the business lines received was the answer to a fairly simple question, “so what?”

A recent study conducted by Boston Consulting Group illustrated a disconnect between internal insight teams and their business line counterparts (i.e., their clients).  The biggest gap between what the insight teams thought they were delivering and what the business lines received was the answer to a fairly simple question, “so what?”

A full 73 percent of insight teams thought they consistently answered this question about the data they provide (p.15).  This is in contrast to the 34 percent of business line personnel who agreed with them … a gap of 39 points … the largest in BCG’s study. 

This gap poses an interesting challenge to insight teams.  To think beyond the finding.  To not only articulate the insight, but to communicate a point of view about it.  And to make sure the insight is actionable. 

The truth is, an insight is only as valuable as the impact it creates.  That may be a hard truth for some to accept.  One might say, “If I do my job finding insights, I can’t be held accountable for what happens next.”  Maybe not.  But it’s not likely you’ll be promoted either.  By thinking about the possible impact an insight could have, you are elevating your role from one of research vendor to business partner.  And as a partner, there is more opportunity to inspire your audience and help them solve problems.  If you can effectively communicate how the business can act on and benefit from the insights you are uncovering, the insights become inherently more relevant, meaningful and impactful … and so do you.

Maybe the question you should be answering isn’t “so what?” but “what if?”  To help people think of the possibilities and opportunities created by the insights you are uncovering?  This doesn’t require you to have all the answers, but it does require you to think in context of business problems and possible solutions.  To me, that’s a more powerful place to be … evolving from one who is answering questions to one who is helping solve problems.

So what if you focused more on solving problems than simply answering questions?  What if you started to answer not only the “so what?” but the “what if?”  What if you focused more on the impact of the insights than you did on the methodology of finding them?  Could you transform the insight function within your organization?  Could you transform your organization?

One Response to “So What?”

  1. Barry Silverstein says:

    Great points Bill. Sometimes this can come from not being close enough to a client’s business to be thinking about problem solving and the “what ifs”. It’s a shared responsibility for the client to bring the insight team into their business and the insight team to be thinking proactively about the business. When that happens, real magic can take place.

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Summer Reflections

It’s my last day at Communispace, and I was charged with writing a blog post “reminiscing” about my summer. Truthfully, I’m not a very sentimental guy. I mean, sure, I cried at the end of Where the Red Fern Grows, and I’m never shy to express my love for the Red Sox, but other than that … well, it’s just not my thing.

It’s my last day at Communispace, and I was charged with writing a blog post “reminiscing” about my summer. Truthfully, I’m not a very sentimental guy. I mean, sure, I cried at the end of Where the Red Fern Grows, and I’m never shy to express my love for the Red Sox, but other than that … well, it’s just not my thing.

Anyway, I pitched the idea of writing a haiku to sum things up here at Communispace. Everyone seemed on board, so I wrote the haiku equivalent of the Iliad. I’m talking a couple dozen haiku stanzas, full narrative voice. Good stuff, I thought. Certainly would have made my eighth grade English teacher proud.

But here’s the problem—I was told a haiku can only be one stanza. I fought against it (being an English major keeps me mainly in the loop on such pedantry), but I couldn’t get anyone to budge. So, I narrowed it down to this:

Three months, I was here:
     Marketing summer intern.
Where did summer go?

It’s short, it’s sweet, and it’s open-ended. My time at Communispace flew by, and I mean that in the best way possible. Seems like only yesterday I walked in, found my seat, and immediately started working on stuff for our new website (which you should check out, if you haven’t already). But it’s over now, and I have to say, with all honesty, this was one of the best summer experiences of my life.

Now people will wax poetic about how their company is the greatest place in the world to work, but you have to believe that’s a lot of talk. At Communispace, when people preach—boy do they preach—they do it with sincerity.

While I don’t know if I’ll be back here next summer, I do know I won’t soon forget my experience here. It was a great summer and I’m happy to have been part of such a great company.

One Response to “Summer Reflections”

  1. Charlotte says:

    Lou I like your poem
    Today is my last day too
    Thank you to all here!

    (does an exclamation point count for a syllable?)

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The Customer is (Almost) Always Right

We’ve all been there. The frantic phone call to try to get your cable fixed. The standing in a post-holiday line to return that not-so-perfect sweater your aunt bought for you. While there are undoubtedly a number of times when these interactions go off without a hitch, the ones that come to mind first are often the ones that leave us most jarred, jilted or just plain angry. As consumers we have been taught that we deserve to get what we want, when we want it. (See my colleague Sarah’s post from last week…)

We’ve all been there.  The frantic phone call to try to get your cable fixed.  The standing in a post-holiday line to return that not-so-perfect sweater your aunt bought for you.  While there are undoubtedly a number of times when these interactions go off without a hitch, the ones that come to mind first are often the ones that leave us most jarred, jilted or just plain angry.  As consumers we have been taught that we deserve to get what we want, when we want it. (See my colleague Sarah’s post from last week…)

However, a recent article from “US Airways” magazine (yes, my iPod battery died on a recent flight and I started exploring the in-flight reading material) got me thinking about the other side of the equation: the customer service representative. How do we really interact with these people?  While many of us likely dread the call to question an electricity bill or cancel a gym membership, I wonder what can be done to make these relationships more effective.  How can we make these interactions more about collaboration and problem-solving than venting and blame-placing?

The above article emphasized how important this relationship really is: “Customer service and customer relations management is going to be so critical to all corporate futures. […] It’s going to be all about cultivating, exploiting and collaborating with consumers.”

So, where do we go from here?

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The 30,000 Foot View: How KLM stays “in-touch” with customers

I have always loved flying. Now, I don’t mean just the hurtling through space in a comfortable cabin with movies, wine and dinner at my discretion. I mean everything about it—from the preflight wandering of airport bookstores and people-watching—to the in-flight blissfully out-of-time, disconnected from the world, “me time” with no chiming BlackBerry or demanding email—to my ultimate safe arrival somewhere across the globe that always has me marveling things like: “Seven hours ago I was in London, now I am in New York—that is crazy!”

I have always loved flying. Now, I don’t mean just the hurtling through space in a comfortable cabin with movies, wine and dinner at my discretion. I mean everything about it—from the preflight wandering of airport bookstores and people-watching—to the in-flight blissfully out-of-time, disconnected from the world, “me time” with no chiming BlackBerry or demanding email—to my ultimate safe arrival somewhere across the globe that always has me marveling things like: “Seven hours ago I was in London, now I am in New York—that is crazy!”

How crazy that transportation across space and time is—from a sheer logistics standpoint—I never really thought about it until I began, three years ago, to manage for KLM its In touch Community of Elite flyers from the Netherlands, U.K., Germany, Norway and Sweden. Before then, I never spent much time considering how much thought goes into getting 300+ people to their destinations, on time, in comfort, fed and entertained, without incident. … But now, I arrive at the airport and ask myself, as KLM asks its members every day in the In touch Community: What does efficient boarding mean? What is important in an airport lounge? How is the food? … the seat comfort? … the entertainment? What would make me more loyal to this airline? And how would I bring innovation to the industry? Now, as I board my flight, sip my wine, eat my meal or simply watch the wheels alight on the ground of Schiphol, I can’t help but notice the details.

Charles Hageman, Research Analyst for KLM and the driving force behind the In touch Community, never forgets the details, as he meticulously ensures that Elite flyers’ answers to all those questions get funneled throughout the KLM organization, to over 200 different people across functions and roles. His next magic trick? Opening the community up to the larger Air France-KLM organization, and expanding community membership into France, Spain and Italy. I, for one, cannot wait for even more reasons to interact in the In touch …with Air France and KLM Community with fellow travelers and help guide the innovation of an industry and brand that has transported me—on time and in style—across the world.

Charles recently sat down with Tamara Barber at Forrester Research to discuss the origins and impact of the In touch Community. You can read that case study here and also watch a video below of Charles talking about the community:

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I Feel The Need…The Need For Speed

As I stood in line at the grocery store the other day, I couldn’t help but notice how incredibly impatient I was. Despite the fact that the cashier and customer were moving at seemingly normal speeds and I had no immediate plans to do much else than watch TV and relax, I couldn’t help but feel this urge to simply leave my cash at the register, forgo my change and rush off. The more I thought about it, the more I realized this wasn’t an isolated incident. The need for speed consumed me daily and I was definitely no Maverick. As I incessantly strummed my fingers on the conveyor belt in hopes of reducing my irritation, I started to wonder how and why I had developed this unrealistic expectation of speed and immediacy.

As I stood in line at the grocery store the other day, I couldn’t help but notice how incredibly impatient I was. Despite the fact that the cashier and customer were moving at seemingly normal speeds and I had no immediate plans to do much else than watch TV and relax, I couldn’t help but feel this urge to simply leave my cash at the register, forgo my change and rush off. The more I thought about it, the more I realized this wasn’t an isolated incident. The need for speed consumed me daily and I was definitely no Maverick. As I incessantly strummed my fingers on the conveyor belt in hopes of reducing my irritation, I started to wonder how and why I had developed this unrealistic expectation of speed and immediacy.

From a very young age, we are trained to equate speed to superiority. Easy-Bake Ovens could bake muffins at lightning speed. Video games rewarded players who accomplished the most tasks against a ticking clock. Cars that reached certain speeds in the least amount of time were clearly the most coveted. Then along came the Internet – radically altering our perception of speed – taking the concept of immediacy to unprecedented levels. Long gone were the days of writing letters, waiting in checkout lines at stores and sifting through piles of research books at a library. We all reveled at how once-lengthy and arduous tasks were suddenly made immediate and convenient.

But, as the number and complexity of tasks facilitated by technology increased, so too have our expectations and perceptions of speed and efficiency. While we used to wait days to receive letters via traditional mail, waiting 10 seconds today seems like an eternity; and some might say anything beyond that merits lodging an angry complaint to explicitly express the exasperating inconvenience of the entire situation. I’ve started to think we might be experiencing collective amnesia, since most people seem to have no memory of the time when licking stamps and envelopes were the norm.

I’m no Luddite, but I think that all the technological advancements, designed to facilitate and improve our lives, have actually spoiled us and made us increasingly dissatisfied. Loud sighs and grumbling have replaced uproar and awe. We ungratefully assume perfection and anything short of flawless is disastrous. Just because Google was capable of retrieving 10,300,000 “Grocery Delivery” results in 0.20 seconds, was I right to expect my grocery experience to be just as speedy? Clearly not. Should I still be amazed by the Debit Card Machine, which not only is self-automated but also allows me to withdraw money? Clearly so. I’m well aware that my frustration was unjustified, but the feeling that I was owed 1.6 minutes of my life smothered any amazement I should have otherwise felt.

As companies and engineers furiously try to discover the next big thing, I can’t help but wonder what effect it will actually bring. Has the novelty of technology been taken for granted and have associated feelings of excitement been replaced with a sense of entitlement? Are new technologies making us happier and more relaxed or have they reached a point where the additional benefits are no longer appreciated, and instead leave us with perpetual feelings of disappointment and discontent?

2 Responses to “I Feel The Need…The Need For Speed”

  1. Chris Bailey says:

    Sarah, this sentence resonates strongly with me:
    “From a very young age, we are trained to equate speed to superiority.”

    Here in Texas, my 8 year old daughter’s reading ability is now being evaluated on speed rather than comprehension. So there’s another case example for how we’re training our youth toward speed as the ultimate goal.

    And is it that unsimilar to what our businesses expect anymore? When it comes to marketing campaigns, we prefer quick results over long-lasting relationships. We want cheap and easy quantitative data instead of deeper and richer qualitative data. And then we do wonder why we have these “feelings of disappointment and discontent.”

    Good food for thought as we enter this weekend. Thanks.

  2. Barry Silverstein says:

    I think much of this is absolutely true. Even small pleasures like browsing through a book store or record/cd store are giving way to quick selection and immediate downloads on line.

    That being said, I must admit to taking great pleasure in rolling through an EZ pass lane and hot have to wait to pay cash! I’ll take that time saver every time.

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It Takes an iVillage: A conversation with Candice Carpenter Olson on the evolution of community

One of the most iconic symbols of the early days of online community is iVillage – and the company’s founder and former CEO, Candice Carpenter Olson, recently visited us at Communispace. It was fascinating to hear about her original vision for iVillage, her philosophy about how women would connect with each other on the web, and her next big idea in the learning space.

One of the most iconic symbols of the early days of online community is iVillage – and the company’s founder and former CEO, Candice Carpenter Olson, recently visited us at Communispace.  It was fascinating to hear about her original vision for iVillage, her philosophy about how women would connect with each other on the web, and her next big idea in the learning space.

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Status Update on the “American Dream”

For the last year or so, one topic that has gotten a lot of press in the wake of the housing crisis has been the shake-up of the “American Dream.” There was a segment on NPR last spring that interviewed “strategic renters,” which included one couple who rented their family home for 40 years so that they would have money to take exotic vacations, as well as some young up-and-coming types who could afford to buy but didn’t want to be tethered to a mortgage, just in case their dream job popped up across the country.

For the last year or so, one topic that has gotten a lot of press in the wake of the housing crisis has been the shake-up of the “American Dream.” There was a segment on NPR last spring that interviewed “strategic renters,” which included one couple who rented their family home for 40 years so that they would have money to take exotic vacations, as well as some young up-and-coming types who could afford to buy but didn’t want to be tethered to a mortgage, just in case their dream job popped up across the country.

At the same time, anecdotally, so many people I know don’t seem motivated by the same things, especially when it comes to work. One friend left a solid job in finance to pursue her dream of becoming a personal chef. My own dad, who is maybe the hardest-working person on the planet, recently turned down some amazing opportunities to … wait for it … enjoy retirement (and he looks and feels the best he ever has – love you, Dad!).

I know that change happens slowly and I find this shifting American Dream fascinating, whatever it is. A few months back, the IdeaSpace team of rock star facilitators (IdeaSpaces are Communispace-owned Men’s, Women’s and Youth communities) asked members what they thought about the status of the American Dream, and what their American Dream looks like. Their responses are captured in a video that we shared back with our members, and quite frankly, it makes me giddy. Check it out!

So, what does your version of the American Dream look like, these days?

One Response to “Status Update on the “American Dream””

  1. The freedom to think, to explore, to express freely, to guide others, to care for the earth, to be safe, eat good ice-cream and find my spiritual path. Essentially, the American Dream is FREEDOM to live the life I want to create.

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Marketing is Dead

Well actually it’s not; marketing is more powerful than ever these days, as the latest Old Spice campaign can attest! But, who started this whole viral, user-generated, guerilla, social marketing concept anyways? Lately people have been saying it was the Grateful Dead.

Well actually it’s not; marketing is more powerful than ever these days, as the latest Old Spice campaign can attest! But, who started this whole viral, user-generated, guerilla, social marketing concept anyways? Lately people have been saying it was the Grateful Dead.

Unfortunately, I never became a Deadhead. But, I did admire the stuffed animal Dead Bears during trips to Newbury Comics, with my dad and brother, back in my middle-school days, and even bought a purple-and-green one. Little did I know, I too was part of their strategy. The CEO of HubSpot recently co-authored a book entitled “Marketing Strategies of the Grateful Dead,” which was reviewed in the Boston Globe last week.

They write that the band cultivated a loyal following by giving things away — letting people record their concerts and freely distribute music, going around their promotions department and building their own mailing list, and even letting people buy premium tickets by mail (what, mail? yeah in the “olden days” you had to get tickets right at the box office, so this was pretty cool). They also encouraged “artisans” to “co-opt the band’s fan base by selling compatible, often handmade, products at performances,” says the Globe article, hence my Dead Bear. 

To add to the Dead “buzz,” an article in the March issue of The Atlantic talks about how it was the Dead’s lyricist, John Perry Barlow, who made this connection way back in 1994, in Wired Magazine, saying that “the best way to raise demand for your product is to give it away.”  He went on to say in the Atlantic article “if I give my song away to 20 people, and they give it to 20 people, pretty soon everybody knows me, and my value as a creator is dramatically enhanced.” That’s a pretty good Customer Value Proposition if you ask me!

In terms of connecting with their market and creating loyal customers, the free model worked pretty well for the Dead. But, how is it working today for other companies? Well, consider how we are all marketed to online.  About five minutes ago, I got an email from Virgin America saying that if I buy a plane ticket in the next 24 hours they will donate $5 from my purchase, and for every ticket sale, to an educational cause. Wait, I have to pay? Well, I think it’s pretty popular because I just clicked on the link and I’m still waiting for the page to load. Or, when I followed one of my favorite clothing companies on Twitter and they sent me a 25-percent-off coupon; thanks guys! While I’m not getting “free” stuff, I already know which dress I’m buying with the coupon, so I’d say the strategy is working pretty well!

What do you think? Can companies create brand loyalty by giving things away? Or is the Dead’s strategy just going to Hell in a Bucket?

3 Responses to “Marketing is Dead”

  1. Barry Silverstein says:

    One good contemporary example might be Apple and its free apps. Of course the Apple devices are not cheap, but they build a lot of brand loyalty with the downloadable apps., many of which are free.
    Taking it a step further, Google has done pretty well with free search.
    Couple of current examples where companies build value and loyalty through “free” services to consumers.
    Barry

  2. Jeff Dale says:

    Great post Charlotte! My feeling is that free marketing is a great way to gain visibility and “share of mind”, but often fails at gaining “share of wallet”. A quick example from my experience:

    I manage marketing efforts for two local dance studios. I produce videos of various performances by the dancers and give free DVDs and video links away to students. This added value increases loyalty among customers. It also builds visibility as these students share the videos with their friends and family.

    On the other hand, we tried giving away a free month of dance classes to anyone who refers a new student (an attempt to increase enrollment). We distributed this info on a certificate to over 300 active students, and not one redeemed it!

  3. Aviva says:

    The Dead’s strategy is definitely alive and well today, even in the music industry. Amanda Palmer, a Boston-based solo artist and member of the Dresden Dolls, is notorious for reaching out directly to her fans and being extremely generous with her content – and her fan base is nothing if not loyal.

    Jeff, I think the key to making these promotions do help you grab that share of wallet is looking at your business model and figuring out how you can use free or discounted services to push your high margin, or highest demand, products, while delighting the customer will extras. So for example, concert ticket sales might have been the top priority for the Grateful Dead, and their customers essentially acted like marketing agents for ticket sales.

    Really interesting post, love the blog!

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When Granny Comes Callin’

For many of us, the dawn of the “Information Age” and computer illiteracy are far behind us, like dinosaurs roaming the Earth. Or even like buying encyclopedias from a door to door salesman (I was told at a young age that I was LUCKY to have my own set, HA!) Although for many Baby Boomers, finding information and products on the Internet is a daunting task.

For many of us, the dawn of the “Information Age” and computer illiteracy are far behind us, like dinosaurs roaming the Earth.  Or even like buying encyclopedias from a door to door salesman (I was told at a young age that I was LUCKY to have my own set, HA!) Although for many Baby Boomers, finding information and products on the Internet is a daunting task.

For instance, my grandmother still refers to the Internet as a person, like a faceless man in a suit with enumerable secrets locked away in a metal suitcase. “Yes, Grandma…I will ask the Internet.” And often I am forced to placate her, while taking a few minutes to play treasure hunter for her – whether it’s paying bills or buying items from the Disney store online, assuring her that you don’t have to go ALL the way to Orlando to get Mickey Mouse socks. They just don’t get it! Meanwhile, I find myself asking, “Why is Grandma suddenly calling to get information from me? What happened to the old ‘how’s work’ question? When did the paradigm shift?” Apparently, I wasn’t the only one with this problem …

Morey Wright, of South Florida opened Netcrossers, a service based firm that helps Seniors navigate the web in a way that’s comfortable, safe and convenient.  For as little as $199 a year, Seniors get unlimited access to a web specialist for search requests. This concierge tool can be used for a variety of things, like finding the perfect earrings, or helping Granny check in to the grocery store on Foursquare.

Ok, that last one was a joke. I don’t need another medium to find out a lady who used the 10 items or fewer line with 12 items (#killme). However, if it will help her get the information she needs without bugging me in the process, I think its value is inherent.

And while I didn’t invent this business, I’m happy Mr. Wright did.

So tell me, is $4 a week worth the price of catering to Granny’s insatiable whim?

3 Responses to “When Granny Comes Callin’”

  1. Morey says:

    Thanks for the write up Julie! At Netcrossers our mission is simplifying the lives of Seniors! And to answer your question, i think granny is worth the price of one Starbucks visit a week!

    Morey Wright
    Founder and CEO
    Netcrossers

  2. Julie Ruiz says:

    Morey, I think your business is the epitomy of innovation. I’ve been following your company recently, and I’m excited to see your employment goals come to life. Thanks for bringing jobs to South Florida!

  3. Jason says:

    Hey Julie, great article. I had no idea about this company but it makes sense. Like you said… most seniors just don’t get it. A phone call is so simple and it’s like… calling Google.. or calling Mr. Internet for an answer. Now the question is, how often can they call, up to how many hours of service do you get? I guess I’ll have to mosey my way over to the website now.

    My last question is… who will win the Heat/Celts game on opening night?

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Would You Want to Know Your Competitor’s Strategy?

A story surfaced today on TechCrunch.com claiming that a Facebook employee boasted the company “has obtained copies of proprietary Google documents outlining their social strategy.” Besides being way uncool to yammer on about at a cocktail party, it poses an interesting question: Would you even want to know your competitors’ plans?

A story surfaced today on TechCrunch.com claiming that a Facebook employee boasted the company “has obtained copies of proprietary Google documents outlining their social strategy.”  Besides being way uncool to yammer on about at a cocktail party, it poses an interesting question: Would you even want to know your competitors’ plans? 

Wouldn’t it limit your thinking – from offense to defense; from what you believe to what your competitors believe?  Chasing competitors who are behind you is a dangerous business.  Might you lose focus on your customers by thinking too much about your competition?

What do you think?  Would you want to know their plans?

2 Responses to “Would You Want to Know Your Competitor’s Strategy?”

  1. Brad Mampe says:

    I read this and immediately thought, “Runners on second still try to steal the catcher’s signals.” That’s not 100% analogous, but it’s a good start. And sports and games serve as a useful analogy in and of themselves: More often than not, the person who acts last often has an advantage, as they get to plan their own strategy based on the actions of their opponent. That’s ignoring any assumptions about the time involved, of course – in football, you wouldn’t elect to kick the ball if you won the coin flip in overtime.

    There is tremendous value in understanding what your opponent is doing. Unlike the sports and games analogy, though, in a business context, you’re not limited to a single opponent, and spending time to evaluate how to best proceed can be costly.

    Consider risk/reward propositions. The risk part is the cost associated with being wrong; the reward part is comprised of the gain associated with being right. The more I understand the hows and whys of what my competitor is doing, the better I can devise an approach that effectively counters it. While I can’t quantify it, I’m guessing these gains more than outweigh the losses of plodding ahead without knowledge of what my competitors do. I’m taking the insider info virtually all the time.

    Of course, all this is assuming that knowledge is absolutely legitimate. If there’s even a small chance of deception, then the choice is much more interesting – but that’s a topic for another blog post.

  2. Rich Weiss says:

    Bill, could not agree with you more. There is a mystique to not knowing that pushes you to wanting to stay ahead. While I’m sure it would be nice to have insight into their plans, I’d much rather have a wild imagination and plan for the worse.

    Also, the pragmatist in me wonders if I were to stumble across this information, is it real or a set up? I say know who you are, what your values are, and build your strategy with that in mind instead of chasing your tail.

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