Archive for September, 2007

According to the New York Times:

“As part of what Wal-Mart is calling its “Customer Contact Reduction” program, by next week, Walmart.com, the company’s online arm, will no longer give customers a toll-free phone number to call–or any phone number, for that matter–if they have a question.

Instead, they will have to rely solely on the Wal-Mart Web site as their guide to the solution for whatever problem they might have, whether it is a question about a credit card charge or the status of an online order.”

Now, they can move their support centers anywhere in the world without getting middle America upset.. because emails and help files have no accent. Mr. Sam Walton might frown on this. But Sam Walton knew a good deal when he saw it.

Some CRM solutions that are entirely web-based can save a company $20-25 per customer interaction. And if these people are already using the Wal-Mart website to order items, this is not a huge leap.

Postscript:

Seth Godin focuses instead on a system where efficiency (i.e. customer buy or repeat buy rate) is the reward offered to successful operators.

I’d focus on building a system that measures [sales rate before call] vs. [sales rate after call]. If the sales rate goes up, give the call center person a raise. It’s that simple.

I’m trying to envision how one could set this up for customer service organizations.  Sales call centers, yes, but service oriented businesses?  Now we’re thinking long-tail.  We’re talking relationships. You would need some rather sophisticated operators to think in terms of the long tail, but if the philosophy was drilled in from day one, you’d get service centers that acted a lot like brand welcoming committees, who are there to improve your brand BY WAY OF fixing problems.  THAT sounds good.

The Yellow Bikes concept is a community sponsored, all volunteer program dedicated to providing human powered transportation to residents, workers and visitors in and around downtown Lexington, Kentucky.

There were originally around 80 Yellow Bikes meant to be shared among all members of the community for use in and around the downtown area - then people started STEALING THE BIKES. A lot of the bikes are now gone - acquired by private individuals and locked in the bylands far from their intended use - probably far from Lexington by now. Or so I thought…but as David Hohney’s article pointed out that outrage about the bikes’ disappearance has been categorized as one big “meh” so they could be in the sheds and garages of ‘burbs all around town.

But now, we have Christopher Rowe, Bike Wrangler. There’s a new Sheriff in town, folks. But we need to deputize this guy. Take him to the gun range. Arm him with some serious firepower. Give him the power to lock people in stocks downtown, or at least make them ride the bikes on Vine Street or along Main Street between Midland and Ashland … nah, that would be cruel and unusual punishment.� I suggest that you bring the bikes back and quietly lock them somewhere downtown and slowly leave without drawing his attention.

Ok, Christopher … time to get serious now.� put away the spoke clickers and choose your weapons - it’s you against the world. The six shooters will fit in the basket, but the rifles will help at long range. And if you can learn that cool trick where you cock the rifle one-handed while in motion, I’ll bet the intimidation factor will speak volumes. I recommend a warning shot,� ONE warning shot.

But really, people admire Lexington’s efforts here. Take some pride in this effort and bring the bikes back downtown. Otherwise, Christopher cannot guarantee your safety.

Perhaps we should have a Yellow Bike “Hall of Shame” collection of photos and a Google Map. Thoughts? I’ll set it up if people will snap photos of the Yellow Bikes OUTSIDE city limits on PRIVATE property. Let me know what you think. We could send the photos to Christopher . “Turn over the bike and nobody gets hurt.”� � People… do you really want to tangle with this guy?

I’m hopeful that we can proceed with a trust-based system soon, or perhaps a European style rental solution or call solution because downtown is not that big, but just big enough, for a bike to help.

 

First hope…. roses, poetry, a heartfelt request.
Rejection.
Then, it’s seen with another registrar! Lost!
Alas! it turns up on the doorstep in the rain for a tearful embrace.
Mine forever.

A lesson when using Godaddy backorders. Don’t transfer your credits too soon. This happens to me almost every time.

Well, we need a grill. Badly.

I noticed last time the hose was leaking propane gas out the hose while you use it, and someday, it will light up, roman candle style, and give the cook-of-the-moment a magic rocket ride over downtown Lexington, Ky. If it happens, please, someone post it on Youtube for me. Actually, we’ve stopped grilling, so no need to send over Fire & Rescue. Various duct tape suggestions did not earn husband points, and Fall is an excellent time to buy grills.

Our last grill lasted 12 years with 3-4 uses per week. I wanted the new one to last at least that long, and we wanted to find one that was entirely stainless steel - peeling paint just didn’t seem like a healthy condiment for burgers.

So here are two grill purchase experiences that couldn’t be more different. It was fun. (more…)

In an article in this week’s Wall Street Journal (subscription, for now), Miriam Jordan writes of Louisville Mayor’s progressive stance on immigration and diversity. While Nashville and others have been drafting anti-immigration ordinances or vetoing those which help immigrants, she writes of Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson’s very visible position towards welcoming individuals from all nationalities into the Louisville economy:

“In speeches, Louisville Mayor Abramson champions the city’s immigrants, whom he calls “internationals.” In each of the past four years, he has handed out “international awards” to individuals, companies and organizations working to integrate and improve the lot of newcomers. “Communities that embrace diversity are going to be the most successful,” says the mayor, who has been at the city’s helm for most of the past two decades and avoids distinguishing between legal and illegal immigrants…..

….There’s a practical reason for the city’s openness: Like many other U.S. cities, Louisville faces an aging population and falling birth rates that are shrinking its work force. United Parcel Service Inc., General Electric Co. and other major companies with operations in Louisville say they need immigrants to keep thriving….

The article tells the story of the Bantu in Somalia, and their transition to Louisville, and is well worth the read.

In addition, I recommend Richard Florida’s book The Rise of the Creative Class as a great primer into the reasons such diversity is so important.

Ok, waaay off topic, but we all want to see this succeed, and I have particularly strong personal reasons. I have experience with someone close to me going through innovative cancer treatments at Wake Forest and I tend to listen up when something hits the news from that facility.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week gave Dr Zheng Cui permission to inject special immune cells into 22 patients. These donors have cells that are super-strength (up to 50 times more effective in fighting cancer than others’.) But How, and Why?

Dr Cui, who presented his latest findings in Cambridge last week, extracted such cells from 100 people, including some with cancer. When the immune cells were mixed with cancer cells, those from different individuals demonstrated vastly varying abilities to fight the cancer. Those of the strongest participants killed close to 97 per cent of the cancer cells in 24 hours, while those of the weakest killed only two per cent.

Dr Cui was the one who identified granulocytes as the cells responsible for mouse cancer immunity, a dramatic step forward in cancer research, for which he received acclaim last year. He injected the cells from immune mice into ordinary mice, and found it was possible to give them protection from cancer, often for the rest of their lives.

MUST READ: Wake Forest School of Medicine has Published a Summary of Current Research that is easy to read, and it’s better to get it there than from me.

Also: See New Scientist, 20 Sept 07, Issue 2622 (subscription)

Watch the yellow arrow on this video which points out where a type of white blood cell called a granulocyte is killing cervical cancer cells.