41 Business Ideas

.
• Make a Plan
• Never stop learning
• Write every day
• You can’t do it all
• Coach well
• Ask for what you want
• Trust yourself
• Meet strangers
• Accept help
• Read outside of your expertise


• Find your weaknesses and delegate them
• Work smart not hard. Then work hard
• Walk away once in a while
• Tell your friends and family then get back to work
• Don’t take it personally, it’s business
• Eliminate activities that will not grow your business
• Follow through on what you promise
• The customer is not always right, they need your help
• Schedule regular think time
• Others’ opinions are their opinions, that’s all
• Find smarter people than you and hire or work with them
• Don’t confuse activity with progress
• Allow talent to grow
• Identify your strengths and exploit them
• Remember you are allowed a life
• Allot time for surprises
• Covering your butt is not a strategy
• Revisit and revise your Plan
• Provide superior customer service
• Read every day
• Know you don’t know what you don’t know
• Stick to your Plan
• Panic rarely solves anything
• Do one or two things really well
• Luck will occur if the focus remains
• Get an outside unbiased opinion of your company
• It’s hard work, pace yourself
• Respect your competitors
• Hire well
• Act with evidence, not emotion
• Meet someone new every week

What would you add to the list?

knealemann

image credit: istock

Start Up Gobble Up

There's more to the story.

If we look at tech news over the last 48 hours we see that AOL bought TechCrunch, RiM released their tablet solution PlayBook, Google bought a million bucks worth of shares in a monorail company, Twitter gave us more details on promoted tweets, and Facebook is apparently finalizing a partnership with Skype.

The high-tech world is getting as much attention in the news cycle as Obama and the economy. I do some work with a start-up and it can be tempting to build something that perhaps one day can be swallowed up by a bigger fish but so can cashing your pay stub at the lottery kiosk.

If you are daydreaming about the sports car and lakefront property you will buy, you may be distracted from building what someone may want to purchase one day – a profitable company.

Twenty years ago, most of these companies didn't exist and now they're buying each other. We often forget that even Google and Microsoft were once start-ups hoping to make it big one day.

Tech is sexy now. Although it is much tougher to get funding these days, calling your company a start up is way cooler than simply calling it a new company. Start-up sounds feisty and scrappy. It’s cool to be a geek.

Here are some questions you may want to ask yourself. These are valid in start-up mode or at any point in your company's maturity.

• Do you have a documented Plan?
• How often do you review your Plan?
• If you are a start-up, how long will you call yourself a start-up?
• Is your goal to build a company or be acquired?
• Do you know what holes exist?
• Have you identified the strengths of everyone in your organization?

What would you add to the list?

knealemann

image credit: ecomodder

Integrating Ideas and Individuals

The sum of the parts

I help clients in three key areas - business strategy, marketing and social media. That includes tactics, execution and integration. This does not mean sign them up for every possible option because that may not be most effective strategy. I am also a sounding board, an idea filter and a strengths finder.


We often think too closely about a particular project without imagining how it could grow even bigger. Your client may know someone who might also need your help. You may need their services some day as well. The adage, this is a marathon not a sprint, is more relevant than ever. This has been going on since we began to walk the earth.

Socially connected

As we connect through avenues no longer restricted by geography, we can build alliances all over the world. We can find people who think like us and do work like us and help us with our work while we do the same. We can seek out those who may have faced the challenge we’re staring at right now and work it out.

If you are helping someone with a solution, take a moment and think about the people you know and who may be able to offer some additional help to fully integrate the idea. This is not to suggest adding layers for the sake of making it complicated but adding necessary elements to improve the original idea.

I have a client who obviously enjoys helping his clients but also likes to find people who may need his clients' offerings and makes the introduction. That's integration!

On your mark

I have had the absolute privilege of managing two start-ups and consulting on half a dozen others. And it appears I may get another chance soon. As tempting as it is to order the cake and balloons, the first step is the big picture.

When you get that chance, take some time to see if there are ways to integrate from the start. And this is not just a workflow issue, this is also a people plan issue.

Can you think of ways to expand your network and integrate your projects?

knealemann

image credit: arlingtonkids

2010: Resolution Check-Up

I’m in the process of moving this space to a comfier more permanent home so I am sifting through archives. Christmas is three months today but this is the list I compiled last December. I always feel so brave when I make these lists and judging from the comments, many agreed.

10. Care A Little Less
We seem to put far too much credence in the opinion of others. Perhaps because we have a need to belong and in order to quantify an idea or success, we need a pat on the head from others.

9. Give More
This to suggest that we allow our talents and gifts to shine and replace all the empty boasting that all too often gets the spotlight.

8. Do Not Heed
If you allow the group named them to rule your decisions and behavior, you will lead a challenging life. The musician doesn't ask the crowd before she writes the song.

7. Smile and Wave
Imagine you are going about your day and suddenly it becomes clear that someone is having a bad time and is looking to have a fight with anyone they can lure.

6. Learn to Say No
No is a perfectly acceptable answer and a complete sentence. This is not to suggest we don't stretch but while we try to do everything, we do nothing well. Say no so you can say yes to what matters.  

5. Of Course You Can
You have heard it, read it and seen it your entire life. You can do whatever you want if you believe and try hard enough. Are you doing it?

4. Eradicate the Naysayers
Never share your dreams with negative people.Naysayers are as common as lint so what's the upside of listening to them?

3. Listen to the Right Voices
As soon as you stop listening to the negative voices and start paying closer attention to the ambitious ones, things will change immediately.

2. Trust Yourself More Than You Trust Others
This is not about blind arrogance, it's about truly knowing our strengths and going for it.

1. Quit Your Whining
Scientists have not linked complaints to progress.

How are we doing so far?

knealemann

It's All Social Media

The medium in which we socialize.

It has very little to do with a web portal, zero to do with anything electronic, nada to do with any gadget or interface without one important ingredient - us!

Anyone with an Internet connect can publish thoughts online and build an audience.

I am not a social media expert and neither are you.
I am a social media expert and so are you.

This is not to suggest that everyone must have a blog or a podcast but we all have the ability to have them. Technorati tracks upwards of 140 million blogs and that number is probably still a fraction of the number of online spaces that offer someone’s opinion.

Monumental shift in how we communicate.

I often hear from colleagues and friends that all this social media stuff is a big time waster with no results. Before you make that summation, look at how much quality time you really are giving these activities. My treadmill continues to collect dust and will never lose me weight by osmosis.

We are all customers, providers, consumers, producers, buyers and facilitators. Life has always been about residing on either side of the proverbial counter but now the control is in all of our hands. If you run a business, you must be aware of that.

We give up too quickly.

It takes years to master the sales process, decades to learn the fine art of professional chess, thousands of hours to perfect the 3-point shot yet some feel we can hop onto online channels, chat with strangers and with very little get the sale.

Once we realize there is no particular right way, we quickly discover that a blog, podcast, email, phone call or lunch meeting all have one imperative common element - people.

Take a closer look at all of your communication avenues. Don’t just focus on the multitude social networking websites, look at all media. Look at the people you deem to be navigating those channels well and ask questions. With some clarity, you will quickly realize it's all media shared socially.

None of us has this mastered, you in?

knealemann

image credit: scienceblogs

Three Things

The brilliant Seth Godin wrote a piece that stuck with me and I refer to often when I feel stuck. In the post, he outlines the three things you need if you want more customers.

1. A group of possible customers you can identify and reach.
2. A group with a problem they want to solve using your solution.
3. A group with the desire and ability to spend money to solve that problem.

Godin explains more here.

Three is a manageable and attainable number.
Perhaps it can be applied to other aspects of your life.

Pick three business objectives.

Write down three things for you.

Call three friends.

Do three on your to-do list.

Help three ideas grow.

Delete three that slow you down.

Select three colleagues you believe deserve a shot and offer a hand.

Identify three personal strengths you will exploit.

Eliminate three unnecessary possessions.

Flush out three thoughts that may have legs.

List three wishes you will grant this year.

What are your three things?

knealemann

image credit: bridges

Crossing Silos

Demos Are Irrelvant

As the world constricts, the more opportunities we have to form relationships.

More than a quarter of us have Internet access.

Technology has afforded us the – reasonably inexpensive – prospect of connecting to similar thinking people across large distances.


We are not limited by our physical space.

As social networking infiltrates all aspects of our lives well past blogs and podcasts and social media platforms, we can build networks of collaboration.

Decades ago, generations were about twenty years and now we're closer than we think. As much as some may say 'kids' text all the time and don't pay attention, have a look around the board room in your next meeting.

This does effect the bottom line.

It has often been said that throughout our lifetime, we will have several careers - not jobs, careers. This means we will travel in different circles with a wide demographic mix and a multitude of experiences. So it stands to reason that over time we will gravitate more along thought lines than any other metric.

We have a wide open chance to find people who fall into our areas of interest. It takes time, commitment and patience, but it can be done. We no longer live in isolated silos determined by demographics, economic situation, industry or intelligence quotient.

Focus on your interests.

Knowledge and information can come from places we least expect it. When we widen our search, step out of our comfort zone and not focus on the boxes in which we think others reside, cool stuff can happen.

All this talk about social networking and busting open thought silos can positively affect your career and your business. Open minds will win the day.

Is that worth the effort?

knealemann

image credit: oprema

We Are Cross Media

You are more advanced than you realize.

If you look at the ways in which you navigate conversations you will soon realize that the tools become irrelevant.

In the course of a day, you may talk to people in person, over the phone, through texting, on Twitter, with a Facebook or regular email and perhaps even (though rare) a hand written note.

Look at your next meeting.


Some people have their laptops, others are using their smartphones, some may be taking physical notes with a pen and paper and the lead is using PowerPoint to go over the project.

During breaks, the discussion continues with actual conversations and the culmination of the group experience will hopefully be a better solution.

Technology became a catalyst not a prominent player. Note what happens when the power goes out and you will quickly find out how well we can communicate void of virtually any technology.

Selecting the medium.

If someone sends you an email, you will probably respond via email. But how often has that long tail conversation switched media? Suddenly the dinner plans are discussed on the phone, a group invite may go out through an electronic calendar reminder and the restaurant website is accessed to make the reservation.

How does technology integrate with your work, your business, your relationships, your social networking and you?

knealemann

image credit: csudh

Are You A Good Coach?

John Robert Wooden was a brilliant coach and sharp judge of human behavior. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player and a coach. His mind was sharp for his entire 99 years before passing away earlier this year.

This is his TEDTalk from 2001. This is about so much more than basketball. [video]



knealemann
Let's create experiences not campaigns.

image credit: TED

You Strategy

Anytime after now.

Part of my job as a strategist is overall business coaching. While I'm flushing out ideas with a client, I discover ideas for my practice.

We are in a collaborative time.

We should exploit our collective experience and knowledge more often. You can learn from your customers and that aspect of the relationship is rarely amplified.

I was in two meetings this week making suggestions and realized I was full of it. I wasn't applying similar ideas to help my business.

Sound familiar?

I was being a sayer not a doer.
Thanks Danny!

So I plan to say less and do more.
That's what we all need to do.

What is one thing you will do today that will help your situation?

Why are you waiting?

knealemann
Let's create experiences not campaigns.

image credit: crowdspirit

One Simple Question

Without it, business grinds to a halt.

It's the one question we often fail to ask right away. Perhaps because it isn't always easy to ask. Guilty!

Those who do it consistently get more business.

People who do it every single time, weed out the real customers from the tire kickers.

Ask, ask and ask again.

You could offer the best service or product since the dawn of time and without this imperative question, you won't sell a thing.

If the prospect doesn't want to answer, they are fishing and we are the bait. If we don't ask, we have no one to else to blame.

If you are in business discussions, this would not be your first question but one you need to ask before the work begins - which includes giving away too much.

Let them know you are serious and you are willing to discuss this opportunity when they are as well. And free is not serious.

If you want to meet potential customers first, ensure you ask the question before you book the second meeting.

What is that question?

knealemann
Let's create experiences not campaigns.

image credit: channel4

Social Media: A Twelve-Step Program

Change Takes Time.

Our humanness can work against us. We make mistakes, none of is perfect yet we expect it of others.

We get a new thing and expect it to be perfect every time.

Amber Naslund wrote a great piece recently about how we are quick to complain while our desire grows for business to embrace the social web.

We ask that companies become more inclusive, interactive and social yet we are fast on the send button the moment there is a slip up. If the gadget we first heard about a week ago does not perform to our highest standards of excellence, we say it’s a failure.

And we do that to ourselves.

This has become even more prevalent in the social channels many of us spend time navigating. We look around and see confidence and we don’t know if we can live up to that scrutiny.

If you have gone through, going through or know someone going through a twelve-step program, you know it requires time, work and dedication.

Here are twelve steps to enhance our online experience...

• Ask a lot of questions.
• Recognize that our information is ours to protect and grow.
• Know that our voice is just as important as anyone else’s voice.
• Grasp that others' opinions are just their opinions.
• Have patience.
• Understand there is no one way of doing it.
• Accept we are all just trying to figure it out.
• Acknowledge that we have to work at it every day.
• Trust our instincts.
• Agree that our expertise is just as vital as anyone's expertise.
• Recognize it takes time for others to get to know us.
• Comprehend we are not too late to join the conversation or start a new one.

What would you add to the list?

knealemann
Let's create experiences not campaigns.

image credit: no12cirencester

Are You Experienced?

Hendrix wanted to know.

It's clear the legendary rocker was not speaking to HR managers, stakeholders, customers or clients.

But it's something we think about every time we meet someone in person or online.

You don’t really care how many framed documents appear on the doctor’s wall, you want her to fix your painful ankle injury.

Diplomas point to training but not everyone finished at the top of their class.

The mechanic peering under your hood better know what he’s doing because you’re paying him $110/hour to get rid of that clanging noise every time you start your car.

You expect the reputable renovation company to create your dream kitchen as they promised they could with all those pictures of previous renovations to prove it.

Whether you’re in medicine, automotive repair or restoring homes, you need to prove your experience. No matter the industry, there is usually never a shortage of people trying to sell solutions without proving their ability.

Are you asking them to prove they are experienced?

knealemann
Let's create experiences not campaigns.

image credit: soulculture

Finding Your Voice

Paralyzed With Fear

It was the day before my first on-air shift. Years of work had culminated in my chance to speak on the radio.

I had no experience. This was for skilled professionals.

All the people I admired made it seem effortless. I was terrified.

So I sought advice from a mentor.

Find your own voice and have fun.

Fun? I was petrified. I was excited for the opportunity but this was too real.

There were thousands of listeners hanging on my every word (or so I thought) and they would know I was a fake. They would be able to hear the nervousness in my voice and be laughing hysterically at this talentless idiot.

Who is this guy? How did he get on the radio?

Time gives us perspective and knowledge.

Twenty years and thousands of on-air shifts later, I was coaching others on how to find their voice. From that first horrifying moment of panic to the last time I was on-air, I always felt a twinge of nerves. This was still important.

My radio career continues to help when clients and colleagues lament their lack of experience in the online world. Everyone will know they’re a fake. They are over their heads. They don’t know what they’re doing and everyone knows it. They don’t know where to start. They don’t know what to say.

The customer can now find her own voice.

We all have the ability to build our own radio station then try to find an audience. We can build profiles and discussion platforms that give us a chance to broadcast whatever content we want. Understanding that the audience doesn't just appear and our content may not be desirable to others is the first step of acceptance.

The Three P's...

Patience | There are no lottery tickets, there are no short cuts, this will not happen immediately. This is not a campaign. Look at those you feel are doing it well and you will soon discover they are constantly revising and refining.

Practice | Whether you run long distances, drive a million dollar race car or perform surgery, you are won't master your craft the first time you try it. And thousands of procedures later, you will still be trying to get better.

Pay Attention | If your goal is to find an audience or paying customer base, you need to heed their feedback. If you make it about you, you may be your only listener. And the audience will not show up simply because you are looking for your own voice. Patience and practice will help.

While the classic rock station plays Zeppelin, the alternative station features the new Weezer album and the hit station does another story on Lindsay Lohan, you need to find your own voice.

And have fun!

knealemann
Create experiences not campaigns.

image credit: istock

Nine Years

The day that changed the world.

Nine years ago, the bright crisp September morning was shattered by an event we will remember for the rest of our lives.

Nine years have passed. Ninety more wouldn't help us understand.

Nine years and we will not forget.

Nine years, it feels like yesterday.

Nine years later, we still remember where we were, what we were doing, who we were with, who we called first and what we did next.

Nine years ago, the world shook.

Nine years since, we still discuss it often.

Nine years later, what have we learned?

knealemann

Do You Have a People Plan?

We are social media.

Unless you work in a fully automated business where you are the only human involved, you work with people.

And it takes many people to make the machines to create a fully automated workspace so you're always working with people in one way or another.

We live in a time where stuff appears and we integrate it into our lives without much thought.

It takes a village to raise a child.
It takes a community to build a business.

The notion that we are going to survive in a world where the boss barks the orders and the minions carry out her wishes in neatly formed cubicles is both archaic and broken. People are working in their homes, bars, coffee shops, airports, via cell phone and through telecommunications. People have surpassed the drone mentality.

This is not our grand parents business environment.

The world is becoming more digitally social. The largest aggregated social networking site on the planet is QQ from mainland China which has over one billion subscribers. Facebook has over half a billion, Twitter is approaching 200 million, three quarters of North Americans have Internet access and there are more than 4.6 billion cell phones currently in use around the world.

Mobile penetration is increasing every day and our ability to connect to each other is getting simpler and easier by the week.

Technology is not just making fun gadgets and toys but solving real human crises as well. Yet companies are still focused solely on revenue.

There is nothing human about the bottom line.

Money is important, it keeps businesses in business but without employees, stakeholders, associates and ultimately customers the company doesn’t exist.

We are a connected world. We are finding similar thinking people across thought silos not just proximity circles.

How does that relate to your business?

These are people and they are wired up, hooked up, creating their own customized user experiences and yet many companies are still grappling with this whole social media thing.

Concentrate on their behavior and your actions. This has absolutely nothing to do with a particular web portal, this is about us wanting to be creative human beings.

When developing a business plan, do you think it is equally imperative to keep your eye on a people plan?

knealemann
Create experiences not campaigns.

image credit: jerdi

Always In Ratings

Is it all about the numbers?

During my twenty-two years in radio, I did everything from sweep the floor to having the unique privilege of heading the launch of two radio stations from scratch.

No one does that alone, it took fantastic teams of people, many of those people are still working on those radio stations ensuring they remain great.

8th caller through wins the tickets.

If you listen to terrestrial radio, you may have noticed something different in the last week or two. There are bags of cash, brand new cars, trips and various other fabulous prizes. For most North American stations, ratings began yesterday so most ramped up their big contests leading up to it. For Canada, it's BBM and in the U.S., it's Arbitron.

So everyone is doing their best to get your attention. In larger markets, they do this four times a year and base their listenership numbers on a tiny percentage of people who actually get an actual book - or diary.

Monitor this.

In some of the major markets, portable people meters are now in place but that still represents a tiny portion of each market who are asked to carry around a device for one to two years and allow their listening habits be monitored.

You see television stations step it up during sweeps. Execs parade their fall line-up to all the major advertisers each year - those are called up fronts. It's a chance to secure revenue but rates are set on promised ratings levels so the race is on. And if you're not a Nielson family, your opinion is irreverent.

This weekend only!

Business to consumer industries have their version of ratings known as sales. And business to business has it's version as well, offering suppliers certain discounts and deals throughout the year.

There is a national furniture chain in Canada that has a sale every weekend. The tent gets bigger, the deals get more unbelievable and they often give out free hot dogs and balloons for the kids.

The absolute lowest price.

It is becoming a trend that every major car manufacturer has a red tag employee pricing annual clearance blowout in September. Does anyone feel the urgency to buy a car in April?

When I built and programmed radio stations, I kept my eye on the product. Now I work with clients on business and marketing strategy and implementation and the focus remains on the product. Without that, all the contests in the world won't help you.

So whether you are B2C, B2B, a broadcaster, an advertiser or a private business owner aren't you always in ratings?

knealemann
Let's create experiences not campaigns.

image credit: istock

Teachers, Mentors, Coaches and Leaders

In teaching, you cannot see the fruit of a day's work. It is invisible and remains so, maybe for twenty years. Jacques Barzun

Some colleges, universities and private schools got rolling last week. Today is the first official day of school for the rest of North American students .

Summer vacation is over. It's time for a new semester, new topics and new learning.

Some parents are taking their kids to school for the first time.


While others worry as their babies are in other cities following their career dreams.

The best teacher is the one who suggests rather than dogmatizes, and inspires the listener with the wish to teach themselves.
Edward Bulwer-Lytton

I had Mr. Balcaras four times for science in high school. He taught us how to dissect a frog and explained how much energy was inside a peanut by setting it on fire. I can still see the periodic table on the wall by his desk.

Ms. Young was my grade one teacher. A woman in her 60’s who was like a second grandmother. It was grade one, we weren't doing much but she was cool.

A teacher who is attempting to teach without inspiring the pupil with a desire to learn is hammering on cold iron.
Horace Mann

I had Mr. Peters for grade six. I ran in to him years after high school and he still remembered me. I never did ask him if that was a good or a bad thing.

The delightful Ms. Rolo was grade ten. She was a great English teacher who had patience with a fidgety grade ten geek who was bored with English.

So glad she persevered.

To teach is to learn twice.
Joseph Jouber

Replace the word teacher with coach or mentor and have a look at your career. Give some thought to those who have helped you. Now give some thought to those you’ve helped along the way.

While we lament the near end of summer, increased traffic and a full fall work schedule, let’s salute teachers today.

Are you ready to teach?

knealemann
Let's create experiences not campaigns.

image credit: nj

The Cacophony of Content

Managing The Noise

I read a lot. I subscribe to rss feeds, email blasts and there is always a stack of books on my desk. Then there are the websites and the Twitter stream.

Most mornings, I sift through a few hundred new posts on Google Reader. Read as much as possible, bookmark others and share what I can. Sound familiar?

Why are we so focused on trying to keep up?
Possibly because we give too much focus on busy.
Perhaps we feel we're going to miss something.

I met with a friend last week who is a highly successful business owner. He is constantly striving to improve his company. From my view, he is doing well beyond most peoples’ dreams and he wants more. That inspired me.

Why do we spend so few precious moments celebrating victories?
Perhaps because we feel the next challenge is breathing down our necks.
Possibly because we don't know what a victory looks like anymore.

After working for almost three decades, I can understand how people get to a point in their lives where they chuck the big gig, sell most of their stuff and downsize. I used to work for a guy who said once he was ready to pack it in, he was going to move to a remote area and open a fishing lodge. He's still working so perhaps it's a pipe dream.

Enjoy life now, it has an expiration date.

If you own or manage a business, the strain on your time and resources can be detractors from building a sustainable model. If you spend your time trying to catch up or looking over your shoulder, how can you even see the road?

In Canada, United States, Trinidad and Tobago, Australia, Jamaica and New Zealand, it is Labor Day or Labour Day today.

Let's celebrate the victories.

knealemann
creating experiences not campaigns

image credit: southernoceanlodge

The Physics of Marketing

Where science and behavior converge.

Far too often you can read diatribes and monologues about branding this and positioning that and little of it has a stitch to do with satisfying the customer.

When asked about their tastes and behavior, most people lie and those lies become the basis for decisions. One bad week, one bad post, one bad comment can dismantle decades of managing a brand.

We live in a self-publishing world where anyone with a connection and a keyboard can share their thoughts, ideas and opinions.

Dan Cobley is director of marketing in the UK for a little company you may have heard about called Google. Through the persistence of a teacher who taught him that physics is cool, Dan went on to get a degree from Oxford.

Here Cobley explains how his passions for marketing and physics are much more related than you may think. [video]



knealemann
Create experiences not campaigns.

image credit: ted

Both Sides of the Counter

We are all in service, sales and marketing.

A few months ago, I had my driveway replaced. It was hot and sticky and the crew spent the first day removing the old asphalt, putting down gravel and flattening things out. It took them six hours.

A couple of weeks later the paving crew was scheduled to come and finish the job. The first date was postponed because the weather office issued a heat advisory.

All hands on deck.

The next day, eleven guys were working on my driveway: two on the paving machine, three with hand packers, three more with rakes, another guy driving a small roller machine, one guy in the truck and a supervisor.

This was not a stoic grumpy bunch, just the opposite. They were talking and laughing and cracking jokes and having a good time. They were laying 300 degree asphalt in stinking hot 90 degree weather. It was certainly good for the old perspective.

Everything you do is marketing.

If anyone saw this crew working and needed a new driveway, they’d be inclined to hire this company. It’s contagious to be around positive people.

I told the supervisor that I appreciated their hard work and that his team seem to be having a lot of fun. He quipped, “It’s better than a real job.”

It's common to hear that from someone in a more non-traditional role but this guy clearly enjoyed what he was doing as did the rest of his team. And this is what they do for six months a year and do it well.

We all providers. We are all customers.

We are often quick to forget that fact when we complain about service or lament about a difficult client. This is not to suggest there are not bad customers or bad service. In fact, most of us want great customer service but rarely do we expect it and when it happens we're still surprised.

If I’m flipping the burgers and you’re paying for lunch then we have our roles. But if later in the day, you are changing my oil and I’m paying the bill we simply switch places.

It is easy to lob complaints when we are on the customer side. But we often would like to think our customers will understand we are trying our best. Eventually we will be serving each other so perhaps it is something we should keep in mind.

What are your thoughts?

knealemann
Create experiences not campaigns.

image credit: freefoto