Pricing can be tricky. Aim too low, and people wonder what's wrong with your product (or think your service is second rate). Price too high, and you might have few or no takers. I'll pay a premium for value. Great customer service, beautiful design, and reducing...
Soundproof rooms can be great if you're practicing the piano or planning a coup. And while they provide you with a distraction-free space to work, if you're not careful you might just shut out conversations you should be heeding. In the early 1990s, U.S. agribusiness...
It's never a good idea to insult your customers. Fire them? Go for it. But badmouth them and you come out looking bad. That's what this restaurant did recently on a slow afternoon. After we'd already ordered expensive beers and an appetizer, I overheard one waiter say...
My friend Deborah Brody wrote a terrific post about business planning. It's not a sexy topic--but can anyone say they don't need a Plan B for when things go wrong? Most businesses, if they plan at all, focus on the "how are we going to handle the whole...
Social media for business is a big topic of conversation these days. And there’s no question that companies that are able to pivot their operations to respond to both challenges and opportunities in real-time are ahead of the game. But how do you get there? Jay Baer...
I [heart] the DC government's hazardous waste disposal operation. And not just because I cleaned out all the oil-based paint, lighter fuel, and other flammable and noxious materials from my condo. It's because they get customer service: The facility gate is staffed by...
"You need to deliver outstanding customer service or die," said Barry Moltz at GrowSmartBiz.* His point: that new consumer attitudes in the wake of the economic downturn, coupled with changes in technology and "faux personalization" (think Amazon) are forcing...
This Saturday marked the 10th anniversary of the Baltimore Running Festival. It's a terrific event, and I've run either the half-marathon or the marathon relay in 6 of the last 10 years (and drove up to cheer the runners another year when I was sidelined by injury)....
What's one great way to generate good PR for your business? Empower your employees to make your customers/clients happy. A day after I wrote this post about how a company was chasing customers out the door, I had an awesome experience with empowerment done right. I...
On paper, Rock Bottom is a game day delight: a brewery, great beers, a revamped menu, awesome servers, and lots of TVs scattered around the bar. And yet customers are walking out the door. I went to Rock Bottom on Saturday with a friend to have a beer and watch the...