Travel has played the biggest a role in my recent happenings;  bigger than the projects we are working on.  Nothing can play on one’s psyche like traveling.  For those of you who visit my blog on Fridays, you’ve already heard about the trials and tribulations of the road. But the last few trips have set records for trying the patience of even a frequent traveler.  Trying to get around this great country has been a real chore. 

This month was the first time in 15 years that I missed getting to a client.  Not just one, but TWO engagements were missed.  There was simply no way to get to San Diego due to storms in Dallas.  When I say storms, I mean thunderstorms.  Now you may have a romantic idea of thunderstorms with flashing skies and claps of sound.  I’m talking about Texas thunderstorms, the kind that harkens the end of times!  Recent storm activity cancelled all flights from D/FW airport for two days.  No one was going anywhere!

Couple this with a trip to Maine that featured: 5 hour delays, lost luggage, a plane crash that closed the airport, an exploding tank, a 2 ½ hour bus ride, and a cancelled flight - and you might understand why travel has filled my Happenings news.

Do you ever wonder what your customers think of you?  Do you spend resources on marketing, customer service training, advertising, and sales?  These are logical efforts, but it seems strange that many organizations have a huge gap in really knowing what their customers think and feel.  The reason: they don’t ask.  They spend no effort in gathering feelings from the people that use their product or service.

I will give you an example:

TV networks get stuck on the formula approach to programming.  It’s simple.  Find programs that attract viewers, make the viewing audience available to advertisers who pay for access and use their funds to pay for production and end up with a few cents for the shareholders.  When a show loses its Neilson Points, either move it to another time slot or cancel it.  Easy.  Few networks every really ask viewers how they feel, if they did, they might be surprised.

• In 1983 CBS cancelled a show called Cagney & Lacey (female cop show).  Producer Barney Rosenzweig encouraged fans to write letters and CBS was inundated with mail.  They brought back the show and it went on to win 14 Emmy’s.
• Designing Women was doing OK on Monday nights when it launched in 1986.  The network moved it to Sundays where it died.  The next thing you know viewers start another letter campaign.  It returned to Mondays and placed in the Top 20 for the next 5 years.
• Touched by An Angel was cancelled after its first year, but the fans… or should I say the customers… spoke up, and the network brought it back and it lasted for 9 seasons.

This brings me to my next example (my favorite):

CBS had a show called Jericho, about a small town in a post nuclear strike.  They didn’t like the numbers and cancelled the show.  In the age of the Internet, fans (customers) can organize like lighting.  A huge email campaign was launched, but it didn’t impress the network.  Like obsessive fans or angry customers, they didn’t take no for an answer.  During WWII General Anthony McAuliffe was in charge of the troops at Bastogne, who were getting beaten down by the Nazis.  General Heirich Von Luettwitz demanded McAuliffe surrender and his response was simply, “NUTS!”

The Jericho fans were asked to surrender and their answer was NUTS!  After over 40,000 lbs. of nuts were delivered to CBS executives, they ordered 7 new episodes.

Here is the deal: ask your customers what they think about you and do it often. Create simple surveys, host breakfast roundtables, add an exit purchase interview, give a recent client a call, do something.  The information will provide you with great data.  Develop actions based on their input and you will find a targeted response with a HUGE impact!

Here are some things that I believe are important:

• Communications:  According to the Wharton’s School of Business, corporate America is focusing on both internal and external communications, utilizing methods of bite sized, significant information.  Internal surveys showed a high level of engagement when the communication was short, concise, and graphically driven.  Think about utilizing a simple One Minute Read format and find opportunities to connect your internal info with the external interest of your clients.
• Conversation Connections:  More and more organizations are trying to develop substantive strategies that generate conversations.  What do you do that people would actually talk about?  Conversations are about connections.  All businesses crave the free advertising that comes from word of mouth.  Companies are thinking about kick starting this type of process.  Surprisingly it’s about small things and banging your own drum.  Doubletree Hotels get miles of conversation based on their nightly cookies in the room,   People talk about exceptions, the unexpected highlight.  Look for these opportunities and you can create conversations about your company.
• Creating the Edge:  HBO is the king of developing odd, yet unbelievably popular programming.  They are risk takers of the highest order and their quirky ideas have created mass market followings.  Their tag line – “It’s not TV, it’s HBO” is perfect for their mix of movies, original programming, and sports.  Their new show John from Cincinnati has grabbed my attention based on its surfing motif and odd storyline.  Think about your risk meter.  Is there room for stepping out on the edge and trying an idea that might push your team, your company, your imagination?