I’m amazed at all the people who say (right out loud,) “All you care about is the money!” In the first place, that’s not ALL I care about. I care about a lot of things. I care about the environment (the business environment, the family environment, the environment of the world.) I care about providing [...]
I spoke with a friend the other day (who’s a successful business man) about a capable manager who has worked for both of us. “The problem with ‘Bob’,” he said, “is that he’s a maintainer and not a grower.” When I asked what he meant by that, he explained that Bob had a way of [...]
Over the years I’ve watched as people start to make a business out of their hobbies (or from things they do for recreation.) Some seem to enjoy that life, but most really don’t. I’m reminded of a conversation I had with a friend who was a great horse trainer. He always had three of four [...]
I talked to a friend from Venezuela today. When I asked how things were going he replied he was, “en la lucha.” Meaning in the fight. While that phrase is just figure of speech in Venezuela, it always reminds me of the importance of staying in the fight. There is always a chance the business, [...]
In January two of our 6 partners announced their desire to buy the remaining partners out of a business we had built together over the last eight years. The business was successful by any measurement, which made for a long and drawn out negotiation. Today that all came to a fruitful end. We signed the [...]
23 Apr
Posted by awebb as Management, Marketing, Public Relations
One area where customer service seems to be being replaced by self-service is at the gas station. Instead of filling your car and paying inside (where you could buy some goodies,) you now pay at the pump and drive away. I remember telling my wife a couple of years ago, “I don’t know how they’re [...]
That was the teaser for the customer service article on MSN news yesterday. They talked about self-serve supermarkets and gas stations, and the changing face of the world in which we shop. Then today, I read a post on Seth Godin’s blog entitled “You’re Right!” where he talks about an unpleasant customer service experience he [...]
I’ve said repeatedly that businesses whose employees have a high level of personal integrity are more likely to succeed than those whose employees don’t. Of course, integrity is borne of character. But how do you know who has high integrity and who doesn’t? Following are two quotes that will help you judge. 1. When the [...]
My dad used to tell me that if I wanted to amount to anything, I had to go to college. He provided the means, and I went. But I have to say I was disillusioned with the whole experience. As near as I can tell, all I learned in college (that had any real, lasting [...]
I learned a valuable lesson from a very nice lady I worked with a few years back. That lesson is that it’s the little things that really make the difference in your corporate culture. This fine lady was a fanatic when it came to treating everyone with dignity and respect. I remember being in a [...]