Tim Ferris Author of one of my favourite books and blogs has a pilot show airing on the History Channel in the US. This show looks incredible and i really hope he gets the series – i’ll definately be buying the DVDs.
“The Concept
The concept is simple: I have one week to attempt to learn what is usually learned over 5-20 years. I either crash and burn — or survive by the skin of my teeth — in a final test (trial by fire) each time.
If it’s made into a series, which depends entirely on viewership numbers on Thursday night, I’ll deconstruct a new complex skill each week. It will show you exactly how I approach learning, and no fake TV drama will be required to make the stakes real.
This episode was shot in HD in Tokyo and the mountains of Nikko, where I rolled the dice on Japanese horseback archery, or yabusame: full gallop, no hands, no safety gear, with wooden poles lining the track on either side of the horse. Please don’t do this at home. I had access to the best in the world, and you’ll get to see some never-before-seen footage of a rare and brutal samurai sport few non-Japanese have ever attempted. The show preview is here.”
I’ve posted about this on my other blog, but i think this project is so unbeliveably great that i wanted to share this on a different level.
After radio enthuast and close personal friend Garv Rigby told me about the project i knew i had to become a part of the ISPCC’s Christmas FM initative.
I absolutely love this concept, Its win win win, win win! Absolutely everyone benifits – Essentially its charity on steroids. In our younger days i first met Garv in a pirate radio station i presented on called Pulse FM, will didn’t have a license, it was all voluntary and in 1999 when we shut down were the biggest station in Dublin by a long shot. Some of the best years of my life.
Garv and co. decided that Ireland needed a radio station exclusively to cater for the festive season, playing only christmas music. He developed the idea, applied for a temporary license and brought the Idea to the ISCPP. I imagine their pitch was something like follows – Hi the idea is Christmas FM, we’ll organise the whole thing, please try to make as much money as you can from the idea cause i believe in your organisation. Christmas FM was born.
Christmas Radio
So its a nice idea, but why am i so excited??
Its the positivity of the concept, I’m a strong believer in “Value-Ad” and understand that people are only motivated towards positive things and away from things they fear. I realise this will upset some people but i feel that (at least for me) people give to charities because it makes them feel great to do so and other times they give to charities to avoid feeling awful (thing of the emotive guilt driven TV ads). If you don’t agree with what i mean – give a larger amount that normal to a charity and notice the fuzzy feeling come over you.
This opportunity adds value to absolutely everyone and really doesn’t use any negative or fear motivators. When i heard about the idea i wanted to be involved and also offered to contribute to the cause (MyCostume Business Sponsors the breakfast show presented by Keith Shanley). Everyone else i talk to agress its a great idea. Models Naomi Cullen and Sarah Burns straight away offered to donate thier time any press requirements, shop owners said they’d tune in when it goes live, there’s just such positivity around the whole initative.
Christmas FM
Its creating a value add for everyone in its catchment area, Dublin and not asking for anything back directly. Ofcourse we’d like you to donate to the ISPCC, but Christmas FM wants to lead by example – we’ll give first and then let you decide – once your in the giving mood of christmas. Now if that isn’t christmassy i don’t know what is.
Chirstmas FM goes live tomorrow (Nov 28th) on 89.9FM and runs until Dec 28th. Loads of special guests to be announced…
Had an awful experience with Bardon Molumby accountants in Portlaoise. Agreed an appointment for last Friday with their senior partner Tom Tyrrell, at their offices at a time which he chose, 2pm.
I arrived early at 1.50, office was closed so i sat on the steps for 20 minutes. Eventually, after a trip to the shop, i caught someone arriving back to their offices and told them that i had an appointment with Mr. Tyrrell and there had been noone to let me in. My Jaw dropped when i was told that he was off socialising to say goodbye to a member of staff leaving the firm. “He’s just around the corner in a restaurant”, followed on the employee – “i’ll call him!”
After a further 10 minute wait, along with several other clients in their waiting room, while the accountants were socialising on office time. I decided i could no longer stand for this ignorance and left a business card with the only working staff member (of apparently 30+ in the firm), explained that the wait was unacceptable since it was he that chose the date, time & venue and asked for a call.
I understand that everyone can make mistakes but was absolutely furious when i never recieved an apology for being stood up! Even when i followed up with an e-mail. This sort of business don’t care arrogance disgusts me.
Earlier this year Dell have been letting staff go in Ireland and outsourcing some of the jobs to India to cut costs. Apparently a cutting costs measure to react to the down turn.
Seemingly the easiest way to cut costs is to cut down on staffing and they way they seem to be doing it is by ignoring their customers.
In all the businesses i’m involved with up to a year ago every computer was a dell. In the same way you order a coke with a big mac – its been the pre-programed easy decision. When i went to college we were issued with a Dell Laptop as part of the course and it was second nature to stick with them – Latitudes to be precise (genious marketing strategy to hook future business minds). Since college i’ve got a new latitude almost every year and kept all the businesses i’m involved in using dell.
However the last two times i’ve been buying computers and equipment i’ve sent them the tech spec on the items to my “personal business account manager” and get a “will look in this” message back – And thats the last we hear from them. . Can you imagine someone walking into a shop cash in hand, pointing to a product and saying i want that one – only to be ignored.
Yes i know i could buy online – but the truth is they structured their business in a way that your account manager gives you what i have come to expect to be the REAL Price so i go online configure the product and send them a copy expecting my 20% + Discount. Its not really a discount anymore – since every corporation gets it too, is it not an entitlement?
Dell forget your woes off the down turn in the economy and get back to basics. The last place any business should cut staffing is at the cash register that rings the most.
Time to give Macs a chance – i believe the ad in the post below has won me over!
Dell finally did get back to me and inertia took over – I copped out with the excuse i dont have time to learn to use the MAC system at the moment, so against my better judgement have gone with a latitude and made a mental note to go Mac when i have enough time on my hands.
One of my pet loves finding ways to make myself more effective and get more results with less effort… Essentially i’m a lazy person at heart. If your still using internet explorer, then do yourself a favour and give Firefox a try, i reckon you too like millions of others will become a convert.
I used to be a internet explorer user like so many others. It arrived on the computers and since i didnt know any better i thought it was adequate. It was the same laziness that stopped me from trying it, that would never lt me go back to Internet explorer. Here’s Jimmy R with a great demo of loads of ways to make your life easier with FireFox3.
Interested to discover this morning that despite all the North South boarder trade efforts banks havent been putting in their efforts and to do their bit.
Merchants in the North can’t set up a Laser Card payment system without a registered Southern address and likewise traders down south can’t set up Switch Card Payments without a UK registered address.
To me it seems absolutely ridiculas that northern Irish cards don’t work down here and visa versa, strategically lazy even. Maybe im missing something, but there seems little logical reason???
I’ve been slow to make this post as i dont want to mention the list of companies i’ve come across doing it but it’s really annoyed me that so many B2B business who sell ex works UK have got on the PaddyTax band waggon.
The argument for Irish shops charging more more is that they have higher costs Etc. However when distributors are selling from the UK is the most blatent example of the grass is greener on the Irish side and therefore it can hack a (from my experience) 15% – 20% increase above their UK price. When challenged they usually say they fix their prices when the exchange rate was different and they can’t change it now. A load of rubbish, but thats their line and its take it or leave it in their eyes.
So my advice is if your buying from the UK check the exchange rate and if their riding the Paddytax Wagon insist on paying Sterling if they will allow it.
I’m probably classed as a work-a-holic. I don’t look at it like a bad thing – but the difference is that i know its temporary. I’ll probably retire in a few years – but just for a few months, because i honestly expect i’d get bored of travelling. I love it that much, to me its a game.
Take today i did the whole company executive “work day” (10-12 hours), later tonight i’ll travel to my favourite bar; and do a 5 hour DJ set. Tomorrow (Saturday) i spend the afternoon lecturing at the Dublin Music Achamedy (6 hours) Followed by another dj set DJing infront of 2000 people at Spirit (57) Nightclub. But to me thats fun.
One of the people i really look up to is Author Timothy Ferris, the guy is really inspirational. Here’s why:
One big marketing mistake that businesses make is they often shy away from their customers. If you do something right you have a duty to let the customer know and if you do something wrong you really need to talk to your customer and let them know you are aware of their problems – and what you are doing something to solve them. Every aspect of your business is marketing and every aspect is the responsibility of the first point of contact.
Take two examples.
1) I was recently eating in a restaurant, the food was good and at the end of the meal the waiter said this KILLER marketing tag line “I hope both the food i served and my service was to your satisfaction”. Nothing in your face about it, but he knew his job down to a fine art. The service had been perfect, so much so we barely even noticed until he mentioned it. Frankly we were glad he did as we talked about it the next day to our friends and were happy to tip that little more. Everytime our glasses we nearly empty they were filled up, we didnt have to ask for anything because when i looked for soya sauce he noticed and brought it before i asked. He had done a great job and was proud of it! Isn’t it funny how we tend not to catch people doing things right?
2) Take in stark contrast my relationship with waste collectors AES in Portlaoise – awful is an understatement. The expectations are similar – show up and preform a tast. The reality is disturbing. I’ve regularily called their office – usually they pay lip service then promise a call back – which they actually do less than 5% of the time in my experience. So I wrote to the Managing Director and also the admin explaining my frustration – i got a call the next day, so i asked did you get my letter? I’m not aware of any letter was the reply – so offfically i never was acknowledged for the letter nor the problems with their service. That day my bins were collected. Some weeks later i rang 5 times in one day after a month of non collections created a bad smell. This time when i arrived home the bins were collected (even though though it wasnt bin day); however noone called to tell me they were going to be collected, my 5 calls were never returned, no one addressed the problem and at the next collection day there was again no collection. Despite having paid twice for service till August i will probably hire another company and continue to quest, probably unfruitfully, to return my double charged payment – which they’ve now send three unrelated invoices for.
Whats the connection? It all comes down to ownership of responsibility. Would the sales person in the latter example stand face to face and ignore you. Probably not. But he doesnt feel its his problem hes in sales so not at fault for accountings mistakes, not to blame for the bin collectors not collecting the bins – its just not is him problem, nor the person who’s remit it is to answer phones. On the other hand the waiter in the previous story took responsibility for our whole meal – if the food was bad it wouldnt have been his fault but he still took ownership and would have apologised (and meant it).
So how do you turn a business around from the a group of individuals who work to a team who takes ownership? Really its simple, change the language you use and the way you approach problems. Your first point of contact with a business should become “Your Guy / Girl”, once they find out about a problem they must follow it up untill its solved and if its not they must keep contact to inform the customer of its status, if your company has closed doors then have ‘Your Guy / Girl’ be outside with the customer knocking on them. Every day a business owner should have someone with a list of customers problems and asking is this being solved yet? Make daily / weekly contact untill it is. Ironically it shouldnt just be considered the job of customer service – i feel it should be someone in the marketing department. Who knows how much their latest TV ad cost and how much the cost per conversion on a flyer is, when compared to one friend / neighbour recommending a restaurant or advising to avoid a bin company.
After all whats the point in having a sales force if you cant retain customers who want your service. Patch up the holes in your bucket before you fill it!
