GMR http://www.givemerobots.com Simple. Smarter. Better. Thu, 07 Feb 2013 18:40:32 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 givemerobots/SBenhttp://feedburner.google.com Loyalty: still not worth what you think it is http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/09/13/loyalty-still-not-worth-what-you-think-it-is/ http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/09/13/loyalty-still-not-worth-what-you-think-it-is/#comments Thu, 13 Sep 2012 16:28:40 +0000 Adam http://www.givemerobots.com/?p=702 Mike Boysen, via Effective CRM.

Are you and your organization still looking to build and reinforce relationships with a tight group of loyal customers? It’s time to rethink your strategy and spend more time taking a hard and impartial look at the numbers. 10-1 says the clients you think are your most profitable aren’t. Mike’s done a great job of arguing the need for an audit of your customers and their profitability.

Read the article here…

]]> http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/09/13/loyalty-still-not-worth-what-you-think-it-is/feed/ 0 Picking a good fight. http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/08/10/picking-a-good-fight/ http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/08/10/picking-a-good-fight/#comments Fri, 10 Aug 2012 17:42:33 +0000 Adam http://www.givemerobots.com/?p=700 Via TED

Most organizations are far too agreeable, choosing to avoid conflict at all cost. In this video, Margaret Heffernan highlights the value of picking a good fight to move big ideas forward.

Looking at your business, it’s critical to ask if you’ve built one big echo chamber or an environment where vigorous debate flourishes.

Watch it here…

]]> http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/08/10/picking-a-good-fight/feed/ 0 Why mobile matters http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/06/21/why-mobile-matters/ http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/06/21/why-mobile-matters/#comments Thu, 21 Jun 2012 16:41:04 +0000 Adam http://www.givemerobots.com/?p=685 Via Engine Yard

View a higher resolution version here…

]]> http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/06/21/why-mobile-matters/feed/ 0 Ditch the Managers http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/06/20/ditch-the-managers/ http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/06/20/ditch-the-managers/#comments Wed, 20 Jun 2012 16:27:33 +0000 Adam http://www.givemerobots.com/?p=683 Ilya Pozin, via Inc.

When we built 45 Robots we decided on a flat organization. No managers. No bosses. No meaningless titles for the purpose of ego. Just a team united around our customer. Ilya Pozin has recently transitioned his business in a similar way and has been kind enough to share how he made the shift.

Get started here…

]]> http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/06/20/ditch-the-managers/feed/ 0 Showing us the way http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/05/30/showing-us-the-way/ http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/05/30/showing-us-the-way/#comments Wed, 30 May 2012 15:34:39 +0000 Adam http://www.givemerobots.com/?p=681

As climber’s and all around outdoor fanatics, Yvon Chouinard has been on our radar for years. Countless books about his exploits line our bookshelves and Patagonia holds a special place in our hearts as a company at the forefront of the outdoor industry. Respected not only for pioneering products but for a business culture that places equal value on profit, community, people and the environment. Patagonia has redefined what a successful company can look like and most would agree it charts a course that is more appealing than one that places pure profit above all else.

Pioneers from the start, it would seem that Yvon’s most important leadership role is just getting started. With companies like Levi’s, Nike and Walmart taking up the challenge, the rest of us would be well advised to pay attention.

Learn more about Yvon’s business approach here…

]]> http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/05/30/showing-us-the-way/feed/ 0 Learn to program http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/05/25/learn-to-program/ http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/05/25/learn-to-program/#comments Fri, 25 May 2012 16:23:57 +0000 Adam http://www.givemerobots.com/?p=680 There are plenty of articles on getting started with Ruby but most assume the reader has some programming knowledge. Marc Gayle has written a great article that starts with the basics and builds from there. Combine this with Chris Pine’s excellent Learn to Program and one of the great online resources like Code School or Michael Hartl’s Ruby on Rails Tutorial and you’re well on your way.

Read Marc’s article here…

]]> http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/05/25/learn-to-program/feed/ 0 Design for success http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/05/23/design-for-success/ http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/05/23/design-for-success/#comments Wed, 23 May 2012 16:35:02 +0000 Adam http://www.givemerobots.com/?p=678 Here’s the thing. You are a creative person and to compete in this economy, in this world, you need to embrace design. Here’s a great site to get you started.

This is how design works…

]]> http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/05/23/design-for-success/feed/ 0 Neil Gaiman http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/05/22/neil-gaiman/ http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/05/22/neil-gaiman/#comments Tue, 22 May 2012 23:30:15 +0000 Adam http://www.givemerobots.com/?p=676 Via The University of the Arts

Neil Gaiman gives an inspirational talk about being creative, loving your work and learning by doing. Business stands to learn a great deal from Neil’s "screw the rules" and "just do it" attitude.

]]> http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/05/22/neil-gaiman/feed/ 0 Solve your problems now http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/04/25/solve-your-problems-now/ http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/04/25/solve-your-problems-now/#comments Thu, 26 Apr 2012 05:00:57 +0000 Adam http://www.givemerobots.com/?p=674 We’ve all done it. We know we have a problem to solve but we defer it until later. Don’t. There is absolutely no excuse not to deal with a problem immediately. I guarantee it will take less time and demand less resources than if you wait to address the issue later.

]]> http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/04/25/solve-your-problems-now/feed/ 0 Atul Gawande the power of process and checklists http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/04/23/atul-gawande-the-power-of-process-and-checklists/ http://www.givemerobots.com/2012/04/23/atul-gawande-the-power-of-process-and-checklists/#comments Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:00:22 +0000 Adam http://www.givemerobots.com/?p=672 Atul Gawande, via TED Talks

In this talk, the author of The Checklist Manifesto speaks to the effectiveness of process and checklists in medicine. His work has yielded staggering results that can be easily replicated in any business. More evidence that things broken down to their simplest form are always best.

Watch it here…

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