Scott McKain Viewpoint

The best email I’ve EVER received…

Scott McKain — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:46:13 +0000

This post may, at first, not seem to directly relate to business. And, it’s about the BEST email I have probably EVER received — and I had to share it with my friends… But, if you stop to think about it, this message I received on Monday evening clearly displays what a small world we [...]

Woman’s Racist, Profane Rant Demonstrates Two New Realities About Customer Service

Scott McKain — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 05:01:36 +0000

Two points to make from the very start when it comes to this post: The video that I’m providing a link for at the end of the story is NSFW — NOT SAFE FOR WORK — and contains both profanity and racist terminology. PLEASE, do NOT play this video where others in the workplace or kids at [...]

The customer experience is about who you are…and, what you do can’t hide it

Scott McKain — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 13:43:34 +0000

There’s a fundamental difference between who you are…and what you do. You can change, reposition, and enhance what you do — however, if your company…or YOU…is dishonest or deceitful, you’re just (to use the old phrase) putting lipstick on a pig. If you are innovative and integrity-based, if you have a corporate culture of strong [...]

What customers REALLY want isn’t THAT hard to figure out, is it?

Scott McKain — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 23:09:31 +0000

An article in today’s Wall Street Journal is another one of those that leaves me scratching my head. It’s about “How Southwest Airlines Changed the Equation in Denver.” Is it REALLY that hard to figure out? Evidently, the answer is “yes,” because so few ever do! In a nutshell (forgive me for the Southwest/peanut pun, [...]

Losing customers to online retailers?

Scott McKain — Fri, 31 May 2013 18:31:12 +0000

One of the most significant challenges to retailers of every type is the relatively new problem of “showrooming.” Showrooming is when a prospective customer comes into your business to check out a particular product or service — then, goes online to see if another retailer has the very same product for a cheaper price. There [...]

Have you provided a reason for customers to be loyal?

Scott McKain — Fri, 31 May 2013 13:35:44 +0000

Back when it covered the 2003 convention of the National Grocers Association convention, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that Ryan Mathews, executive editor of Grocery Headquarters Magazine said, “Community-based retailers must develop a strong brand identity and offer unique products and services to differentiate themselves from ‘big-box’ retailers. It all comes down to consumer choice, and the [...]

Are you setting the bar too low?

Scott McKain — Wed, 29 May 2013 15:32:45 +0000

Ask Tiger Woods what his goal might be for any particular tournament in which he is entered…think he would EVER say, “I hope to make the cut”? Ask Michael Jordan what his goal might have been for an approaching NBA season…think he would EVER say, “I hoped we would make the playoffs”? Yet, sales professionals [...]

What the Taj Palace Understands that Chase Bank Doesn’t

Scott McKain — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:02:34 +0000

I can’t imagine how many people they see on a daily basis. That’s why it was so amazing – and made such an impression. On my recent speaking trip to India, I stayed first at the Taj Palace Hotel in New Delhi, arriving on Thursday night. On Sunday morning. I departed for three days to [...]

Thinking about our needs — instead of the customer’s situation…

Scott McKain — Thu, 16 May 2013 07:44:46 +0000

Hello from Paris! I am just here at the airport, changing planes on my way to a speaking engagement in India. And, while I was in the airport lounge, I came across a new ezine from my great friend, Mark Mayfield. (You should REALLY sign up to receive this — they are uniformly funny [...]

Follow up on the patient/customer experience situation…

Scott McKain — Wed, 08 May 2013 20:20:49 +0000

Yesterday, I received this kind message from the CEO of the hospital where I had the difficult time in the emergency room this past weekend. I appreciate his response, and — in fairness — wanted to post it in its entirety: Dear Mr. McKain: I truly appreciate your above-and-beyond efforts to bring your Emergency Department [...]

The lack of “care” at a health care provider…

Scott McKain — Sun, 05 May 2013 22:42:43 +0000

In my experience as a caregiver for a terminally ill spouse, I learned first hand the importance of wonderful, caring professionals in health care – and, what a difference they can make, both in the standard of care the patient receives, and the piece of mind the family experiences. This weekend, I experienced very little [...]

Social media can harm relationships…

Scott McKain — Fri, 03 May 2013 21:02:04 +0000

Noticed an article today entitled, “Social Media Use Can Cause Marital Dissatisfaction” by Eric Sass — and, it occurred to me there are so many obvious jokes one could make about THAT issue, it’s just too easy! My wife wants to talk about it…and, I’ll try to get back to her sometime later — if [...]

The lasting impact of life’s choices

Scott McKain — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:28:32 +0000

Today, I posted this little story for my Facebook friends — and have been amazed how many have “liked” it, or commented on it. So…I thought I would share it here, too. It’s an example of how the choices of others can make a lasting impact upon your life: My dad — a pretty well-known [...]

A Year of Business Success

Scott McKain — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 22:35:04 +0000

NEVER…ever…not in almost FIVE YEARS…have I devoted a blog post to a specific or particular program…even one in which I’ve been involved…until now. This is one of the — if not THE — most important efforts that I’ve EVER been involved with in my career…and I really hope you’ll consider it: Let’s get right to [...]

CNN’s coverage displays the critical problem with exclusivity and distinction

Scott McKain — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 16:40:04 +0000

I really wasn’t going to post another critique of the coverage surrounding the Boston Marathon bombing, and the coverage of the discovery and police action against the two suspects — I already have two on my other blog, Project Distinct — however, there is one more aspect that I really need to share to make [...]

Are you providing your customers with enough information?

Scott McKain — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:38:18 +0000

Here’s the story of the challenges I had on a recent trip…asking YOU an important question: Are you providing your customers with enough information when they encounter a challenge? It’s no big deal that I had to run from one terminal to another…but, what was upsetting was the reason I had to do it is [...]

Why the Kmart ad works – and makes you want to “ship your pants”

Scott McKain — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:21:38 +0000

By now, practically everyone has seen — and has had a conversation about — the latest Kmart commercial, called “Ship Your Pants.” (Just in case you haven’t…here it is:) Until this wildly popular commercial went viral and caused a sensation, no one was talking about shopping at Kmart! And, please notice that while the spot [...]

Five lessons for YOUR business from “Restaurant Impossible”…

Scott McKain — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:03:57 +0000

My new favorite show is “Restaurant Impossible” on the Food Network! Hosted by the extraordinarily charismatic chef, Robert Irvine, the premise of the show is that this highly successful restauranteur has two days and just $10,000 to totally revamp a restaurant that is on the verge of failure. (Quick disclosure — while Robert has a [...]

Showing you belong with the greats establishes your greatness…

Scott McKain — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 16:07:08 +0000

Often times, I have an organization or individual complain to me that they just can’t get the recognition they feel they deserve. “We’re just as good...if not better…than our competition — but the marketplace just doesn’t get it,” I hear proclaimed. ”I am just as good…if not better…than someone who got a promotion — but [...]

The effect that Ebert had on me…

Scott McKain — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 19:36:48 +0000

In my book, “Create Distinction,” I write about a phenomenon I called “The Ebert Effect.” It’s based upon a powerful lesson I learned from the famed movie critic, Roger Ebert, who passed away yesterday at age 70 after an extraordinarily valiant battle with cancer.. As I relate in the book, Roger asked me how many [...]