Cabernet Logic

Thus Begins our Dallas Journey

2008-09-22T13:39:49-05:00

I took a new job this past summer...actually I see it as a new opportunity. I accepted the position and it moved me to Dallas ...i am a Senior Producer for Frozen Fire Films....what exactly that means I am not sure, I work in an industry that loves titles and though somewhere in L.A. they probably mean something here in 'every town' USA they all mean man of many hats.

So i am going to try my blog best to be better in 08 and 09 as to posting - I have to be better. In fact today on our company blog, I wrote about just this thing - committment to your career choices and the work that comes along with it. I will be continue sharing my view on the everyday things around me in regards to the industry of TV, marketing, customer service and branding.

So thus begins the new "vintage" if you will of Cabernet Logic - The Dallas Edition. See you at a Cowboys Game!

Kenny Chesney's Mixed Message

2008-03-13T13:22:29-05:00

Yesterday Kenny Chesney hosted a free concert for spring breakers...yup, free, no strings attached. They called the club, asked permission to perform free for up to 4 hours and that's it...a great experience for everyone involved.

With all the free talk around the web lately, I started thinking here is an artist that finally gets it - whether his label, his management or him personally - THEY GET IT...

...until the third song. The third song is the one where Kenny reached out and requested a video camera from a group in the crowd that had used it during the first few songs. The song before, Kenny had used a fan's still camera on stage, so the video camera's owner gladly handed over her camera for the most unforgettable Spring Break memories...

...oddly enough Kenny did not turn the camera on, he actually continued singing and fiddled with it until he got the tape door to open. Once opened, he popped the tape out, put it in his pocket, continued singing the song and casually handed the fan her camera back...the tape in question was then tossed over to his tour manager who shoved it in his pocket with a scowl. No explanation, no apology...no THANKS!

...I am wondering, why offer yourself free...why represent that you finally get it and that giving it away is a great starting point. That tape would have started conversations, would have sold CDs and would have been part of a story for years to come...now Kenny will be part of a story alright, one of a bitter ex-fan!

Irony is that everyone rolled video on their phones and still cameras. Think someone should point out to Kenny that a "still" camera like the Powershot can actually record minutes of vid in high-def? Saying one message and living the other...

Give it Away....

2008-02-08T13:16:07-06:00

A while back, in fact over 6 months ago, Seth Godin pointed us to a Freakonomics Post in which they talked about a Rock, Scissors, Paper $1 off promotion.

This past month i was traveling on the east coast of Florida. I had asked several people in town what was happening on that Thursday evening and the answer I kept getting back was "Oh, its flip for your drink night at the La Quinta Bar..."

After several recommendations, I headed that way, ordered up a beer, and the bartender yelled over the crowd, "Heads or Tails?" I call "Heads" the coin lands on "Heads" and bartender hand me my beer and thanks me. No strings, no gimmicks, just walks away.

Second round, I call the "heads" again and viola, two free beers in a matter of 10 minutes...I look around see that its beers, cocktails, and wine; every beverage being ordered is having its price fate determined by a coin toss...

Brilliant! The place was packed, the town was a buzz about the promotion, and all 4 people who suggested I head that way eventually turned up as well - both locals and tourists loved the excitement of this 50/50 shot at something free. Interestingly enough, I found myself almost hoping to lose after 3 wins - guilty?!?

So simple, so viral, so successful!

Cabernet Logic is back....

2008-02-04T14:27:01-06:00

...after a long break Cabernet Logic will be coming back online with views and observations regarding customer service and how to treat one's customers.

Look for postings to begin this week....

Efficiency versus Common Sense

2007-07-05T15:11:08-05:00

I am sure to get some comments posted on this defending the restaurant, but this past weekend I was floored with a new restaurants seating policy.

Showing up at the noon hour for lunch on a Sunday, I expected to wait for a table at a new place in town. What I did not expect was that after waiting about 30 minutes, a group of 4 that showed up 20 minutes after us(us being a party of 2) got their name called and proceeded to sit down.

I approached the hostess and explained that I am certain we had been there much longer and she explained, "They were a party of four and we have been told to sit only 3 or 4 tops at table of 4." So in this small restaurant, they had crammed as many 4 top tables into their space leaving only 3 two tops...which apparently the long list of deuces were to wait for.

I asked to speak to a manager and she went on to explain that it "is best for the kitchen that they maximize the seating at the tables."

"Its best for the kitchen that they quit running customers off" I commented as I walked out the door.

Do your managers get so caught up in 'trying to be the model of efficiency' that they do not look at the bigger picture of the experience?

McDonald's in the 80s used to be twice as fast, they cooked 100s of burgers, sat them in the window and then served old crusty product...BUT they served it fast...why do you think they have switched to their new process of nearly cooking to order?

A customer is always willing to wait a hair longer for a better experience? Is your organization fast? Is it good?

How can you accomplish both?

Part 2 - We're Too Busy for You!

2007-07-03T13:55:26-05:00

Following up on Monday's Part 1, here was another customer experience disappointment from this past Sunday.

My wife and I headed into one of our favorite pizza places on the strip. This place has never been fast but we were in no rush so we figured what the heck. Well, an hour and a half later we still had not gotten our two subs - we didn't dare order pizza knowing the size of their oven.

I half complained, half joked with the GM and she honestly said, "We're really sorry, you know this time of year is not a good one for the locals to be going out...we've been backed up all week long."

I should note that there were only about 15 tables in the place - about 5 more than usual - and everyone was a bit miffed by the slow drink and food times. I was okay with it until she made that comment. She said it best, they know its going to be busy, why not hire more help? If acknowledging the poor service, why not offer a free cocktail or discount on the food? To simply accept it as fact and move forward makes me feel as if the business does not care one bit about the people that help them stay in business once the tourists go home. I did not want special treatment as a local, I simply wanted acceptable treatment as a customer!

Does your organization accept failure and advise your customers to avoid them, or does it take steps to correct the situation? Are you so happy to get new customers that you will alienate old ones in the process?

Similar to Monday's post, a good business must commit to consistent hours and consistent service - one day the tourists go home, and you better hope to have won over the locals/regulars!

Mix and Match Six Pack

2007-07-02T17:34:27-05:00

For those reading along, here is a six-pack of reading from around the net:

1. Some say the adult film industry drove the home technology boom, so why not jump on the bandwagon with Wise Camel's "10 Sales and Marketing Tips I Learned from Strippers."

2. An amusing anecdote from Andy on taking personalization a little too far...WHAT?!? You have to be sincere and accurate with your contacts...seems like a lot of work. (sarcasm) While over at Andy's site, check out this posted gem that should remind everyone, "You never know which random person is going to talk to another, or which path leads to your next opportunity." As always a hat tip to Andy for great reading.

3. Seth Godin has insight on "How to Make A Million Dollars." What path is your company trying to follow?

4. Some wonderful financial reading from Get Rich Slowly. Its actually a summary of their best stuff from June but it was too hard to choose just one article. Enjoy them and enjoy the success they help you create....START your ROTH!

5. Alright, I admit, a shameless plug for Cabernet Logic here with this Customer Experience Nightmare.

6. ...and the news of the weird and wacky both come from AdFreak.com: For weird, how about the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile getting pulled over AND for wild, wacky and slightly wrong, check out this AD, I think its for a chicken place down under. (Click here for the YouTube Video)

The New Generation of Stock Tips

2007-07-02T13:57:25-05:00

Here is a quick read from Get Rich Slowly...no wisdom, no business advice; just a great story about kids and their excitement with the world around them...

Enjoy!

PS - read the comments as they are as entertaining as the article.

PART 1 - Don't be Afraid of Committment

2007-07-02T10:46:31-05:00

There are certain things I accept living in a "tourist" town - seasonal service, seasonal pricing and seasonal hours.

Of the 3, I think I can understand the hours the most, a business cannot stay open every night until midnight even in the winter months when there are few locals heading out for a late night burger....

...BUT yesterday i saw a sign in front of a fast food restaurant that read "Open until midnight and sometimes later!" Also yesterday I found this posted out front of my favorite ice cream shop: "Open 1PM until..."

"Gee honey, I am starving, I saw that place on the strip that might be open, let's load into the car and head out there on a gamble!" or imagine piling your 5 kids in the car and driving across the beach to find it was a slow night at the ice cream parlor and they closed shop at 8PM....

Just because some of your processes may be seasonal or exceptions to your norm, you still owe it to your customer to be consistent. How can you expect to build a base of supporters when you clearly cannot commit to their experience.

Does your business leave too much ambiguity in your customer's mind? How can you help clear up the confusion, you'd be surprised at how easy that answer often is.

TED discussion on User Interface

2007-06-29T11:04:25-05:00

Another Friday brings us back to another wonderful TED Conference talk. This week's video is a fun and thought-provoking look at a new way to handle, sort and manage your desktop. Anand Agarawala shares his new desktop BumpTop.

I just wanted the hours...

2007-06-27T17:07:55-05:00

I called a local restaurant today to find out about the starting time of a monthly promotion. Normally, when the phone gets answered I click '0' to be sent to a voice right a way, but today for some reason i took a listen, and here were my choices: (Phone System prompts are in bold)

1. For take out dial ext. ##

Standard, first choice, makes sense, certainly hours and times are up soon...

2. For a manager contact the hostess stand.

I don't really want to bother a manager for the location and times, they must be coming up soon...

3. For accounts payable please dial ###-###-####

HUH?! Accounts payable?!? All I want to know are the hours of the restaurant!!!

4. For human resources dial ext. ##

WAIT, I don't want a job, I just want to know where you are located!

5. For large parties, groups of 10 and special events within 3 days dial ext. ##

I don't even know where you are yet, how can i plan an event there....

6. For any other reservation further out than 3 days please dial ###-###-####

Setting aside the fact that I still have not gotten the hours or location, I HAVE TO DIAL ANOTHER NUMBER TO MAKE RESERVATIONS?!

7. To listen to these choices again please dial ##

ARGH! When are you open? What time do you close? Where are you?

8. -----(name) is open for lunch and dinner on the beautiful waters of...

In addition to all of this...no mention of the special event and no human interaction at this point.

When people call into your restaurant or business, does it feel like calling they're calling a credit card company or do they get a warm welcome that most people associate with a welcoming meal?

A lot of things can be automated in this world and there is a place for much of it, but taking the human touch out of the hospitality business will often take the customers away as well.

Emotions Still Matter?

2007-06-22T15:24:21-05:00

A lot of people in the industry of marketing and advertising spend a lot of time dreaming of the next "big campaign!" An angle, a gimmick, a icon to put their product or brand out into everyone's mind and everyone's word of mouth.

I am not a big 'cute animals on the internet' fan or even a 'cat blog' supporter, but let this youtube video remind everyone that EMOTIONS still drive a lot of popularity. Over 7 MILLION views of two otters holding hands...7 million views!?!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=epUk3T2Kfno

In the background you hear women, men and kids all commenting on the 'cuteness' - talk about a nice demographic spread.

Are your marketing efforts screaming at your consumers with flash and POW or are they connecting with their emotions and needs?

Customer Service Roadtrip

2007-06-21T10:08:07-05:00

The car business is competitive and ruthless and though most dealerships talk about relationships, it is rare to find one that backs up its words with actions.

Monday we ordered a new car in a town 3 hours from here(no dealer here in PC.) This morning at 7AM our salesperson delivered it to us without a complaint or mention of payback. You read it right, he got up at 4AM in order to get the car here before we had to go to work. He dropped it off, signed some papers, got in our trade and headed back to Mobile for another appointment he had at noon.

Is your company or organization willing to make the metaphorical 6 hour trip to please your customer?

Underestimating Your Customer...

2007-06-21T06:00:00-05:00

All the Paul Potts hype of the last few weeks was somewhat disturbing. Sure he was shy, sure he was older, but comments about the surprise of his ability seemed to be linked to his outward appearance.

It reminded me of a performer that I traveled with for years. Bo was unpolished by all definitions. Beard down to his chest, hair that had not seen a comb for years, drank too much, partied too much and told far too many stories - some fascinating and some almost unbelievable.

One such story centered around Bo's ability to play piano. In conversation, it came up several times how he was classically trained...he even added that while growing up he actually was teaching two beautiful twins how to play as well - needless to say everyone around him was a bit skeptical.

We ended up at a party together after about 4 years of traveling and upstairs there was piano. Everyone drank, some people smoked, and hours later the sounds of music starting filling the house. Slowly, one by one, the partyers all ceased their conversations, they gravitated upstairs where they saw Bo. He was seated, eyes closed, playing a piece by Chopin as if he belonged in Carnegie Hall. Girls were in tears and guys were in utter disbelief.

This homely cell phone salesman surely cannot sing opera!

Imagine if Apple decided those 'artsy, creative types' would never want a computer.

Next time you are meeting with your team, ask them who are your customers? Who aren't your customers and WHY? Are the observations valid or are they superficial reasons based on appearance or social assumptions?

My Cup Runneth Over...

2007-06-19T19:45:06-05:00

Taking a few days away from reading and writing always leaves a large stack in my Google Reader. As i scan through them here are the ones from the past few days that are WELL WORTH the reading...enjoy!

[They are all strong and thought provoking, but I think #5 could start a video creativity revolution...combine it with tips from #2 and you might turn out to be the focus of a positive word of mouth like #4.)

1. Seth Godin once again takes on a complicated topic, strips away the extras and describes the varying forces that drive any particular business. As always with Seth, its an easy to understand, easy to relate to list of business types with GREAT examples. What drives your company? Is it a force that makes your customers feel confident and trusting?

2. Nedra from Spare Change shared information from her interview with Steven Starr(chairman of Revver.com). It is a MUST read for anyone that is considering or wanting to make better on-line video content. Its easy to read, easy to understand, and easily the best resource on getting the most out of your on-line video. I also love the Far Side cartoon in the article. Thanks for sharing Nedra, you once again give us a great way to make an impact on a little budget.

3. John at Duct Tape Marketing shares a video of Scott Ginsberg from 20/20 in regard to "luck." I had the opportunity to talk with Scott right after i started Cabernet Logic and he prompted me to think about a few important questions. We also talked about his idea of luck and lack there of...if you have not read his books, you will be ordering them after seeing this video.

4. Apparently next time you ask "Who Gets It?" you can add Marriott to the list. Thanks Andy for reminding us that while we are busy looking for everything that everyone does poorly, its nice to recognize that some people and companies are trying to get it right! By the way Andy, great writing, I did not think I needed another feed, but could not pass adding you to my reader, thanks for sharing.

5....AND THE WINNER as far as exciting opportunities....YouTube Re-mixes...Plaid brought this article to my attention all about the new service offered by YouTube...the opportunities are endless! Imagine remixing any videos from anyone around the globe into your own personal mashup on ANYTHING! (Read more about it here.)