Customer Service and the iPhone
related update:
In some organizations, the Customer Service function is largely viewed as a cost center, draining resources of the firm. I maintain that this viewpoint is largely false and is one that less mature companies support. I believe that Customer Service is an accurate litmus test of the overall health of the firm — indeed, Customer Service can play a very strategic role in the overall health of the product, service, and Firm.
Mind Before Money, Creativity Before Capital
My Kung Fu brother and I spoke last week and he taught me something that remains with me:
I continue to do Wing Chun because it allows me to create
The Atomic Rules of Kaizen
Systems that are internally consistent and externally pragmatic stem from just a few rules. Systems with exceedingly many rules typically fail or will not endure. For example,
- Most mathematical truths stem from just a few axioms
- Music stems from just a handful of finite notes
- Most Martial Arts stem from a few principles of angle, attack, force, etc.
My Experience with Twitter, Part 4
A few weeks ago, I posted on my experience with Twitter, Part 1. That post was retweeted by Robert Scoble, the traffic came, got a bunch of new followers on Twitter (welcome folks), and a flurry of passionate comments on the post, including 3 comments from Guy Kawasaki.
Then, I posted on My Experience with Twitter, Part 2, followed by My Experience with Twitter, Part 3, where I offended @darthvader.
The Profit Tree is not the only Tree
In this very tough economic environment, organizations turn more and more focus on the Profit Tree. The course of history shows us that zeitgeist — or the movement of history at certain points of time — is a cascading phenomena where the collective focus and worldview is taken-on by large groups of people.
How To Be A Human
I had an experience recently where I spoke with a group of friends and acquaintances about the economy and the existential despair that is all around us. Then, a friend said something that shocked me:
. . . it’s terrible that (company x) went through such a huge delayering
My Experience with Twitter, Part 3
A few weeks ago, I posted on my experience with Twitter, Part 1. That post was retweeted by Robert Scoble, the traffic came, got a bunch of new followers on Twitter (welcome folks), and a flurry of passionate comments on the post, including 3 comments from Guy Kawasaki. Then, I posted on my experience with Twitter, Part 2. This post is Part 3, here is Part 4, in case you were interested. This post includes a quick analysis on the top-100 folks on twitter.
Jeff Bezos and Root Cause Analysis
unrelated update:
I’m always impressed when CEO’s demonstrate Deming-like behavior as they lead; it’s rare, but there’s almost a magical, mobilizing, and inspiring force that happens when CEO’s or corporate leaders behave in a respectful, inspiring, common-sense, and thoughtful way.
Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, Summary
This is a summary post, highlighting the 5-part series where Tony Hsieh responds to over 20 questions submitted by shmula.com blog readers.
Below is the post series:
- Interview Questions from shmula.com blog readers
- Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, Part 1
- Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, Part 2
When Self-Help Does Not Help
I’d venture to say that most people don’t have a desire to call customer service. If one ever got lucky enough and passed the Interactive Voice Response (IVR), the customer service representative (CSR) is sometimes not all that helpful (like the time I spoke with Qwest Customer Service). But, getting passed the IVR — the spaghetti-diagram-like IVR — is the first challenge.
