Twenty lessons from 2020 – Part Four: Society

Following the first three parts of my 20 Lessons from 2020 - on marketing, business and the economy – part four is a slightly longer read, and looks at lessons 15 through 20, what we can learn from society.  The next and final part will summarise what we can all learn from 2020 and where we might go from here. 15. Zoom kept us together I couldn’t write a Top 20 without reference to Zoom. It’s been so prevalent, I [...]

Twenty lessons from 2020 – Part Three: The Economy

The first two instalments of my 20 Lessons from 2020 looked at marketing and business. This piece focuses on the lessons we can learn from the changes to our economy, highlighting three of the sectors, and the one demographic, that have been hardest hit. 11. Will streaming finally kill off the multiplex? In the late 80s, the death knell sounded for cinema as annual admissions hit an all-time low (around 54m p.a). But it [...]

By |2021-01-12T15:19:39+00:00January 11th, 2021|Interim Management, Business Strategy & Development, Brands & Branding, Retail & Hospitality, Management, Marketing Strategy, Customer Service & Experience|Comments Off on Twenty lessons from 2020 – Part Three: The Economy

Twenty lessons from 2020 – Part One: Marketing

Well here we are, the start of a brand new year, although for many of us the only evident change is the number on the bathroom scales…  Ever the optimist, I wanted to look back at some of the events of last year and see what lessons we can learn as we head bravely into 2021.  So here’s part one of my 20 Lessons from 2020, starting with a game on my home turf, marketing. 1. [...]

By |2021-01-11T15:04:35+00:00January 11th, 2021|Advertising, Digital Marketing & Social Media, Management, Marketing Strategy, Customer Service & Experience, Interim Management, Brands & Branding|Comments Off on Twenty lessons from 2020 – Part One: Marketing

Disruptive. But not always in a good way.

The ‘on demand economy’ and the 'disruptive' brands that are creating and supporting it is the current buzz in the marketing world.  In the last week, I’ve attended two presentations where the likes of Uber, Airbnb and Deliveroo have been held up as great examples of a new way of doing business. Putting the customer experience at the centre, relying on crowd-sourced reviews, shaking the complacency of established brands and service models, moving to a [...]

By |2017-01-04T19:51:25+00:00June 17th, 2016|Customer Service & Experience, Corporate Social Responsibility, Brands & Branding|Comments Off on Disruptive. But not always in a good way.

Licensed to spam?

Last week, I wrote a piece about how poor digital marketing practice is damaging our industry.  At the heart of this is not just how brands are failing to build meaningful relationships with their audiences, but the fact that they're often actively disengaging them. Like many areas of marketing practice, addressing the basics is not rocket science, but it does take work.  Putting yourself in your customer’s shoes will help ensure they’re truly engaged [...]

Tipping point?

Back in December 2014, I wrote a blog about the archaic and confusing practice of tipping serving staff in restaurants.  I suggested it was time to end the frequent ‘bill shock’ and the lottery of who actually gets the money.  A few months later, the media was full of stories about the big restaurant chains withholding or deducting tips (for ‘admin fees’ or to 'share' with the wider team) and in some cases, actually [...]

By |2017-01-04T19:51:25+00:00May 2nd, 2016|Customer Service & Experience, Retail & Hospitality|Comments Off on Tipping point?

To Tip Or Not To Tip? That Is The Question…

A recent survey claimed almost two thirds of Britons were “unwilling” to pay a service charge and many are confused about tipping etiquette. There’s worse news for bartenders, as 98% would never tip for a drink. Is it a cultural thing, or is it down to a generation growing up with fast food and takeaways? I know I always (inwardly) question exactly why I’m tipping my hairdresser or taxi driver, when all they’ve done is [...]

By |2017-01-04T19:51:26+00:00December 15th, 2014|Customer Service & Experience, Retail & Hospitality|Comments Off on To Tip Or Not To Tip? That Is The Question…

Want Great Restaurant Service? Then Pay Attention!

I just read a fascinating piece about a New York restaurant, whose owners couldn't understand why they kept getting such bad online reviews. The food wasn't a problem, but clearly the service was - how long it was taking, wait times for tables etc. But as they'd recently shortened the menu and employed more staff, it just didn’t add up. To help them understand what was happening, they watched some 10-year-old CCTV tapes, and compared [...]

By |2017-01-04T19:51:29+00:00July 24th, 2014|Retail & Hospitality, Digital Marketing & Social Media, Customer Service & Experience|Comments Off on Want Great Restaurant Service? Then Pay Attention!

Happiness On The High Street? Cheap Clearly Isn’t Cheerful

Regular readers of my blog may remember the post I wrote in January about how retailers blame poor sales on just about everything apart from the customer experience. Which? Magazine has just published its annual Shopper Survey, based on satisfaction and likelihood to recommend - and the importance of excellent customer service could not be clearer. The headlines are that Lush, Disney, Richer Sounds, John Lewis and Waterstones make up the Top 5 and Apple [...]

By |2017-01-04T19:51:29+00:00May 23rd, 2014|Customer Service & Experience, Retail & Hospitality|Comments Off on Happiness On The High Street? Cheap Clearly Isn’t Cheerful
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