Wikis in the Classroom Aug 28 Jason Moore

We are currently using PBWiki for our internal communications and looking to possibilities of expanding its use to our community.  Here are two articles on their blog about how wikis can effectively be used in the classroom setting.

10 Reasons Educators Love Us

15 educators respond: “How would you use PBwiki in your classroom?”

Check out PBWiki!  We have been using it for a few months now.  And for most purposes of minimal features needed, it is a free tool.

Grocery Stores Customer Service Aug 22 Jason Moore

One of my passions outside of my family and work is food.  I love the whole aspect of it... when it's the right situation.

Going to the grocery store is one of situations that has to be right.  A weekly trip to the grocery store to get the staples is work (not fun).  Going to the store to get preparations for a dinner party or special meal is a blast!

We are at an interesting time for grocery chains.  We have a huge presence of high-end retailers such as Whole Foods, Fresh Market, Trader Joe's, etc.  Then we also have the upper-middle class of stores such as Harris Teeter and sometimes Kroger.

So my question is that it is absolute standard policy to have a "butcher" in the meat department; a "baker" in the breads and pastries department; so where is the helping hand in the produce department?

You can read all you want about how a "firm but ripe" mango (insert any of hundreds of ingredients here) is to be used in magazines or recipe books.  But I need someone to take me, Anne Sullivan style, and spell out R-I-P-E M-A-N-G-O in my hand until I "get it".

Your average grocery store is leaps and bounds better than it was 10 years ago, but I need more!!

We Can't...But You Can! Aug 15 Jason Moore

Elaine Fogel of Marketing Profs talks about her recent experience where an old school retailer, Macy's, just doesn't get it with customer service.

Her story is a great reflection of how companies (not just old retailers, by the way) stop at a good customer experience.  The lady she spoke to may have been friendly and knowledgeable, but she was not empowered to give the customer a world class client experience.

We use Hertz for most of our car rentals.  Hertz is relatively expensive compared to other rental car companies.  But the overall satisfaction level due to low/no hassle, nice/clean cars, and readily available service makes up for the price difference when traveling... most of the time.

Out of curiosity, I checked around for pricing on other rental cars for my recent trip to Houston and Atlanta.  The list price for Hertz was almost double on a one-way, one-day rental as opposed to the lowest priced option, Budget!!  So I called Budget.  I was quickly reminded why we use Hertz. 

Budget had a location less than 2 miles from where I would be.  But that location did not allow one way travel to Nashville.  Only the Atlanta airport location did.  That means that I was more than welcome to fight through the entirety of Atlanta traffic (two ways once I start back to Nashville), but Budget will not do this for me.  That made zero sense to me.  You are a rental car company! There is not a way for you to get a car from one location to another in the same city at some point?

So I called Hertz, told them my story, and they discounted my rental to just $2 more than Budget's after all fees and taxes.

Hertz proved this time that they get the idea of world class client fulfillment.  Budget??  Well, you get what you pay for, I guess.

No Customer Service Needed Aug 14 Jason Moore

Is this not the true sign of ultimate client fulfillment?  If you and your entire company/organization have done such a bang up job that you have little to no need in old-fashioned customer service, certainly give yourself a pat on the back.  But, please don't stop there!

To go from a good experience that needs no customer support to a world class client fulfillment experience, you must be proactive in your communication.  Is your client not contacting you?  Why not give them a buzz.  Almost dare them to find something that irritates them about their experience with you.

If you don't do this, then that minor irritant has a very strong chance of turning into a major annoyance and could ultimately ruin your reputation with them.

How many outbound support calls are you making in a given week?

It's the little things Aug 09 Patrick Clements

It's the little things that people don't always notice.  It's the 'Thank You's', smiles, and staying a little later to help resolve a customers problems.  For a new company these are the the things that you can afford to do right now, today to shape your company culture and provide an excellent customer experience.  Customers and employees are people.  They are not just statistics or 'units' that need to be evaluated in quarterly meetings to determine profit margins and lined itemed resources.

Create relationships with your employees and customers, have fun, learn what they like to do and not do.  Everyone has a job to do and just doing some of the little things can help make not only someone else's day better, but your day as well.

BarCamp Atlanta Aug 03 Patrick Clements

Atlanta is one of the most wired cities in the country and as well as one of the fastest growing technology center, however we have always taken a back seat to the Valley, Boston, and Austin as a tier one innovative city.  It looks like the skyline and the condo market are not the only things changing in Atlanta.  A group of guys have finally put together an old school forum to brain dump ideas.  It is a no frills camp (with tents!) where....get this...people actually just sit around and talk about new ideas.  The agenda and sessions are driven by the attendees and once they are done speaking they won't be pushing you to buy their books in the lobby.  The event is called BarCamp and it will be held in Atlanta for the first time this fall.

Jeff Haynie, Michael Mealling, Stephen Fleming and Lance Weatherby are a few of the guys responsible for bringing the event to Atlanta for the first time.  It sounds like an awesome time and some a good start for Atlanta and innovation.

The Rules of Bar Camp

• 1st Rule: You do talk about Bar Camp.
• 2nd Rule: You do blog about Bar Camp.
• 3rd Rule: If you want to present, you must write your topic and name in a presentation slot.
• 4th Rule: Only three word intros.
• 5th Rule: As many presentations at a time as facilities allow for.
• 6th Rule: No pre-scheduled presentations, no tourists.
• 7th Rule: Presentations will go on as long as they have to or until they run into another presentation slot.
• 8th Rule: If this is your first time at BarCamp, you HAVE to present. (Ok, you don't really HAVE to, but try to find someone to present with, or at least ask questions and be an interactive participant.)