I am writing today about a matter very near and dear to my heart. As a Marketing professional (former waitress, retail clerk & telemarketer,) customer service is familiar territory. And it isn’t easy; in fact, I have more respect for customer service representatives than I do for most professions. That being said, it PAINS me every time I have to pick up the phone and call customer service, ANY customer service (save a few that I will list as the silver lining below.)

And I don’t mean to kill the messenger either, but what is the deal?!?!?!! I know you get a million complaints a day – but your job is to SERVE the CUSTOMER (it’s in your title after all;-) And if you can’t take the heat, GET OFF THE PHONE!!!!!! I have had more trouble with one company (who shall remain nameless, but appears in the following SNL skit) that I am literally at my wits end!!!! I have written letters (since the phone calls obviously get me nowhere) upon letters, to no avail. You would think, in this current economic situation, companies would be doing EVERYTHING they can to hold onto their customers…

If you don’t have time for the whole clip, skip to about 3:30

The silver lining, as promised, is the following companies, whose customer service literally sets them apart. I highly recommend:

- Charles Schwab
- OC Mazda
- Verizon Wireless

I’m no occupier, but here’s a hint to big companies… THINK SMALL – it’s the little people that count and social media gives us a LOUD voice!

Please forward this to your friends and let me know your thoughts! I’m on a mission to be heard!

As marketers, our clients are ALWAYS right…  Or are they?  They tell us who they are, what they do and why they do it better.  We take that message and develop a campaign to strengthen their brand and deliver said message to their target audience.  But what if they don’t buy what we’re selling?  In other words, what happens when you have an amazing creative concept and the client sends it packing?!

First and foremost, don’t lose heart.  As previously discussed, American Beauty is in the eye of the beholder…  Art, like the artists themselves, is created by experience and circumstance.  That is what makes it so unique and why different styles of art appeal to different audiences.  Furthermore, it is our  job to present our clients with options so they have choices.  As consumers we have endless options and our decisions vary as widely as the product choices themselves.  It isn’t to say one is necessarily wrong, perhaps there is simply more than meets the eye.  Typically, as in big corporations, there is also a trickle down effect.  If someone at the top level is disapproving, even the savviest of campaigns won’t stand a chance.

So make sure you’re listening to your client, learning from them and leaving without questions.  As you develop a deeper relationship your visions will align more closely and the creative will soon follow.  Finally, reassess the client’s strategy and ensure everything is copacetic.

What do you think, is the client always right?

In a media world that moves faster than the speed of light, I constantly find myself opening emails or publications FILLED with spelling and grammar errors. It’s not rocket science folks, nor does it take a degree in English for that matter… It’s called spell check!! Whether you’re a Mac or PC person, both systems have this function – not to mention a plethora of online dictionaries and resources to help you properly (and professionally) express yourself.

I’m not saying it doesn’t happen… We’re human after all. In fact, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve posted an entry, only to find my own error! But I think the lesson here is that we’re becoming far too careless and not taking advantage of the various tools at our disposal.

Of all the faux pas, however, misspelling someone’s name is perhaps the biggest mistake! In today’s world where John is spelled ‘YJon’ (and the y is silent) it becomes that much more difficult to get it right. But simple spelling errors can be the difference between getting that job, landing that deal or closing that sale. All it takes is an extra minute of your time (and perhaps a second set of eyes.)

So, the next time you hurriedly type that email to a client from your smartphone, remember three things:

1. Save it as a draft
2. Proofread it when you have time
3. Spell check it before sending

You’ll ‘bee’ a great speller in no time;-)

In light of the recent scrutiny Ronald McDonald has endured for allegedly luring children to buy his happy meals, I’d like to take this opportunity to debunk the fairytale that marketers are ‘The Big Bad Wolf.’

Let me first remind you how lucky you are to live in a free market economy. That you have the CHOICE to purchase goods and services and that supply and demand dictate the prices you pay. If you don’t like democracy, there are plenty of places in the world that don’t enjoy this luxury. Let me also remind you that no one is holding a gun to your head in any retail establishment (if they are, immediately put down this blog and dial 911!) Nor should your children have control over the purchases you make. I too was a child once – that’s what we do, we WANT… EVERYTHING, but it’s our parents job to tell us no. And when you make eating at McDonald’s a special event instead of an everyday occurrence, your children will relish it as such. Not to mention, to McDonald’s credit, they now offer several healthier menu options, in addition to their burger and nugget staples.

Furthermore, marketing campaigns are built around delivering a message and educating consumers on their choices; because there are so many, our job is to set our clients apart from the masses based upon the features and benefits of their unique offering. Just because we’re good at our job, doesn’t mean we’ve taken away your right and privilege to choose what you want to spend your hard earned money on. So the next time someone in a clown suit, or a wolf in a nightgown, entice you beyond your ability to make rational buying decisions – don’t blame marketers, blame your parents;-)

And they lived happily ever after… The End.

I caught myself in conversation the other day using verbs that didn’t exist when I was a kid. I “googled” an image, then “photoshopped” it right before I “skyped” with my brother in Australia. “Have You Boscoved Today” is a slogan for a major North American retailer, using this very idea. Technology is not only changing the landscape of our industry but the language as well. But is this ever-evolving technology more to our social detriment than we realize? Are we becoming so enmeshed online that we can’t function offline?

Last week we talked about The Social Network… IRL. Taking the Twittersphere a step further into real life by engaging prospective clients face-to-face. Windows 7 creatively used this message as a recent sales platform, addressing the repercussions of digital distractions. As a traditional girl in a digital world, I’ve been faced with my own online challenges. But what I’ve found is that, when used properly (and in moderation,) these advances in technology are tremendous, making communication more effective and efficient than ever before…

My concern is with the future generations. Seeing teenagers more involved with video games and chat rooms than playing games and chatting with each other makes me cringe. The Foursquare app has replaced the recess version of my youth. Call me old-fashioned but I fear an online existence could mar the social function of our children… Doesn’t anyone remember Small Wonder?! Some of my fondest childhood memories are of running, jumping and climbing… Now those are verbs I can relate to!

What do you think are the possible sociological effects of a digital world?

Yesterday I did something crazy… I wrote something down on a piece of paper (gasp)… WITH A PENCIL!!!  (pause for reaction)  Remember pencils?  They’re those cylindrical, wooden writing apparatuses we used before computers were invented.  In fact, it was so shocking I literally had to stop and think about the last time I put pencil to paper – and I started having flashbacks to the SAT’s!

Technology makes it so easy to add and delete things with the touch of a button – but I recall the days when you had to ERASE or use WHITE OUT for your mistakes… (do people buy white out any more? Do they even sell it?!)  It felt SO nostalgic to pick up a pencil that it took me back to a simpler time, before technology ran our lives…

If I may, I’d like to take a moment and reminisce about the good old days… When people wrote with pencils, talked to each other on the phone or even in person; before we tweeted, texted or facebooked each other… A time when Kindles were called books, iPads were called note pads and MP3 players were radios…  Were we really so ‘out of touch’ or actually more IN touch with what really matters?!  I had to wonder, are all these advances in technology making our lives easier or more complicated?!

So the next time you reach for that keyboard, I challenge you to write a letter, do a crossword puzzle or draw a sketch (with a pencil:-) and report back.  Perhaps pencils are already a thing of the past but before they end up in the Smithsonian, I hope they can remind us all that sometimes, it’s the simple things in life that give the greatest rewards.

It’s understood that laughter is the best medicine. It helps boost your energy, strengthen your immune system, and even diminish pain. But is humor in business appropriate? Let me ask you this, ‘Is the Pope Catholic?’

OK, so you know where I’m going with this… I would argue that yes, bringing comedy to a board meeting will not only lighten the mood, it will put everyone at ease while still accomplishing your necessary goals. Of course, there is a time and a place for everything but if you know your audience and tailor your jokes to them, you can add just the right amount of comic relief. To be on the safe side, here are some additional dos and don’ts:

DO set the tone with a sense of humor
DON’T use off-color jokes or inappropriate jokes for your specific audience
DO include the entire group
DON’T single out one person as the butt of your joke
DO always keep it professional
DON’T interrupt the flow of the meeting to tell a joke

As the Executive VP of Wells Fargo said so eloquently: “Laughter in life is essential, don’t take yourself too seriously” -Lisa J. Stevens

Can business be funny?

OK, so if you’ve been following my posts, you know I’m relatively new to Twitter; however, even in my experience, I am appalled at what some people post on social media sites!!!! Where are your manners folks?! You do realize you don’t have to post every SINGLE thought that occurs to you throughout the day, right?! And those of you that tweet about how bored you are at work, or what a #$&@ your boss is, do know your boss is likely privy to this information you’ve posted on the WORLD WIDE WEB?! I mean c’mon… Not to mention, we’re only starting to emerge from one of the worst recessions in history, so consider yourself lucky to have a job that “sux so bad” and remember, you ARE replaceable.

Now, with that said, everyone’s entitled to their own opinion and I’ve gleaned some great information from social media but let’s cut the crap and clean it up a bit… Don’t forget, a large portion of social media users are baby boomers and beyond. So before you post, ask yourself this:  WWGD (what would grandma do?;-)

People’s posts peeving you too?

DO

• start using twitter, facebook and your own blog more effectively.
• build trust in your business
• have real people in charge of customer service
• Check out location based services if you have a physical location.
• Make sure you’re monitoring all the right places.

DON’T

• Annoy your potential customers with bad ad’s like UPS
• Be a twitter jerk
• Let your business get lazy.
• Forget to use traditional marketing tools too.
• Fall into the gap mishap.

What’s on your do and don’t list for the new year?

We’re getting close to the end of 2010, and all over the web, we’re starting to see those fantastic “best of” posts. But I am not one to look to the past to find quality – I want to look to the future, and what could be coming down the pipe. So, based on your experiences, what do you think will happen in 2011?

Our top 4 predictions:

1. Gowalla, Foursquare and Whrrl will be purchased by one company and combined into one location based service: Gosquarrl.
2. Facebook will finally buy Myspace, add music, and become MyFaceBook. It will then be auto loaded onto every computer in the world and we will be forced to share our life, one status update at a time.
3. Twitter will be integrated into most new vehicles, so that users can tweet and drive without the risk of texting and driving. This will cause an onslaught of tweets complaining about traffic and tweets from people, complaining about people complaining about traffic.
4. Bing, Yahoo and Ask will combine forces to take down Google. In a youtube video, we will watch what happens, gladiator style.

Okay, so these predictions may be a little far fetched, but hey…we can dream, right?

What do you see happening in Social Media next year (feel free to dream!)