tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51090930706777797552024-03-05T20:59:03.056-08:00Action is BrandKeith W. Ford shares thoughts on User Experience, Brand Strategy and Culture.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03782245623495889527noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5109093070677779755.post-46427927568734613882012-01-03T07:30:00.000-08:002012-01-03T09:25:22.002-08:00Why People CheatIt's all about the relationship. That's a human thing; as a species, we have survived by creating social groups and evolved to maintain them. So naturally we are tuned to social cues and the intricacies of relationships. When I try to understand human behavior, I will often use a common human to human relationship as the framework and continue that metaphor in order to explain it to others. The three major frameworks I find useful are romantic, plutonic and nurturing (parent-child).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi38mxjdW9RWzDB7K8Y0CvlPpf2jEqXqm8SbnhSt0rqt6tDx-e4CFmC3XPnEdk5p114OmGnPyZqwQjmRW3BouHMRzoiz3ndGUD8fUdymVV9wQbWDBKWqyAxMYf_lc2uKiSCINr_fEOwMumu/s1600/courtship.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi38mxjdW9RWzDB7K8Y0CvlPpf2jEqXqm8SbnhSt0rqt6tDx-e4CFmC3XPnEdk5p114OmGnPyZqwQjmRW3BouHMRzoiz3ndGUD8fUdymVV9wQbWDBKWqyAxMYf_lc2uKiSCINr_fEOwMumu/s320/courtship.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Recently, I had a life experience that added a new twist to one of my old metaphors. I've always looked at job hunting through the romantic framework. You see a company you think you might like (attraction) and go on a series of interviews (dating) and eventually decide to break up or get into a committed relationship. As a husband I have never cheated on my spouse and have difficulty relating to those who do, but as an employee seeking a new job I was able to gain insight into this relationship dynamic.<br />
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It was time for me to leave and I knew it, the honeymoon was definitely over and I was seeing repeating patterns and felt I was evolving in a direction that was incompatible with my current employer. So like many others in the same situation, I started sprucing up my resumé, building connections and accepting interviews. While my direct supervisors and colleagues suspected it, there was no formal or explicit announcement that I was seeking a new employer. I was cheating... and it felt good. It was refreshing to be focusing on my own needs instead of those of the company. There was a new motivation to improve in my field, competition that didn't exist within the stale corporate environment in which I had settled. There were so many possibilities. Of course, there was also rejection but it didn't have the same sting because I didn't <i>need</i> a new job, I still had the cozy safe relationship with my current company to shield me from desperation. The job I had wasn't fulfilling all my desires, but it was keeping me sheltered and fed. The pace of job hunting while working full time is hectic, juggling all the names and appointments and evaluating the possibilities is a lot of extra work, but at the same time it is exhilarating and energizing, almost addictive. I didn't realize that at the time, I was too busy to reflect on any of this.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfZDb3-23Ow6L5Ix21UCuLfMHZcWhFj3DgqzIIhMu3WShV4qrQi16s95lzmVKcuJDh61edQaSH34A-OWXBSc3j5FIU26uvBIWwkq2O1O_fhXFu6UKgbPY7GKkc8K951hNOTWiOBMalUk9U/s1600/weddinghands.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfZDb3-23Ow6L5Ix21UCuLfMHZcWhFj3DgqzIIhMu3WShV4qrQi16s95lzmVKcuJDh61edQaSH34A-OWXBSc3j5FIU26uvBIWwkq2O1O_fhXFu6UKgbPY7GKkc8K951hNOTWiOBMalUk9U/s200/weddinghands.png" width="200" /></a>So after some searching, I found my match, a company that fits my needs and offers the kind of relationship I'm seeking. We got engaged, I left my former company and moved to a new city. Today we tie the knot. None of this was difficult or unexpected, the hard part was that now I need to stop dating. I had to tell my recruiters and contacts and other prospective employers that, at least for the short term, I am off the market. I want to focus on my new budding romance and build a trusting, strong relationship. Though I'm very happy with my decision and look forward to my new job, it wasn't easy to turn down all those other possibilities, to step away from all that attention. I've never been much of a ladies' man, never really liked the singles scene, but now I understand that itch for something new, the excitement of the chase (and the ego boost of being pursued), the fear of leaving the sure thing for the mysterious and enticing stranger and the pre-wedding cold feet.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03782245623495889527noreply@blogger.com0Seattle, WA47.6905356 -122.34301925.815406599999996 -162.7727065 69.565664599999991 -81.9133315tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5109093070677779755.post-31906906050360734662012-01-02T18:07:00.000-08:002012-01-02T18:07:09.882-08:00Top 10 Reasons I Left LA<ol>
<li value="10">Animals are not fashion accessories.</li>
<li value="9">Flip-flops are not always appropriate attire.</li>
<li value="8">Million dollar homes should have a yard.</li>
<li value="7">Bankruptcy in state government is scary.</li>
<li value="6">The sky should not be brown.</li>
<li value="5">Bald people can't handle that much direct sunlight.</li>
<li value="4">I'm over 22 years old and I'm OK with that.</li>
<li value="3">"Fire" is not a season.</li>
<li value="2">Life is too short to spend in your car.</li>
<li value="1">Seriously, the <b>sky SHOULD NOT be brown!</b></li>
</ol>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03782245623495889527noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5109093070677779755.post-65984374377506360412011-12-16T22:12:00.000-08:002011-12-16T22:12:27.283-08:00OverloadThis is just a quick update to say that I haven't abandoned the blog, but just too busy with some real-life transitions to sit down and concentrate on writing. After devoting some serious time to researching, networking and interviewing, we are now in the midst of relocating and finding a home in a new state, to be quickly followed by acclimating to a new job. Several topics have been bouncing around in my head and as soon as the craziness dies down to a normal flow, I look forward to writing again and exchanging ideas with all of you out there in the interwebs.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03782245623495889527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5109093070677779755.post-4272919501178647532011-09-19T11:29:00.000-07:002011-09-19T11:29:28.129-07:00Dear Netflix...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://connectedworldmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/netflix-300x225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://connectedworldmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/netflix-300x225.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="http://connectedworldmedia.com/2011/07/netflix-dreams-of-a-future-not-quite-here-yet/">Connected World Media</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Today I received an email from Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, but I'm not sure it was for me. He apologized for not making more of an effort to explain the pricing changes announced 2 months ago. Then he went on to say that I would be receiving two separate bills in the future, one for DVDs and the other for streaming media. Sounds complicated. At this point, it doesn't even feel like it came from Netflix, at least not the Netflix I've come to know and trust over the past 10 years. You can read the entire message <a href="http://blog.netflix.com/2011/09/explanation-and-some-reflections.html?lnktrk=EMP&g=8E7C07B7ABEC7BBF1CA847B1BA3FBA4F0AC0315E&lkid=netflixBlog">here</a>.<br />
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With all due respect Mr. Hastings, I have to wonder who is the intended audience. Is this message addressed to customers or an engineered PR initiative to placate shareholders? I've received emails from Netflix before with an apology for service hiccups and an immediate remedy in the form of a service credit. But there was no remedy here, only an explanation and the announcement of further separation of the DVD and streaming business units. The timing is curious since this follows an announcement 2 months ago that kicked off one of the worst quarters in Netflix history.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuHl68H3JMFAwcx8HYLfFMh_6a6snpWnKaTnqW7rnD67m_07pUYgKL1awwD12hO3NqeXmDY0IFSHP5efgMtpSXs46D4dAwKBJblyk7sFMkbOt7ZiejbrqHE1IXd-5-1e2eATncIG3347Hd/s1600/netflix_stock.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuHl68H3JMFAwcx8HYLfFMh_6a6snpWnKaTnqW7rnD67m_07pUYgKL1awwD12hO3NqeXmDY0IFSHP5efgMtpSXs46D4dAwKBJblyk7sFMkbOt7ZiejbrqHE1IXd-5-1e2eATncIG3347Hd/s1600/netflix_stock.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.google.com/finance?client=ob&q=NASDAQ:NFLX">Google Finance</a></td></tr>
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There was a fatal flaw in the Netflix streaming model from the beginning. They must have known streaming video would be their next flagship service and they offered it for free. Never offer your service for free. Trial period? Sure. Limited free account with an upgrade option can also work. Invitation only beta testing is another option that has been successful. However, when Netflix offered free unlimited streaming, they immediately devalued the service. They knew then that someday they would need to charge a fee for their streaming content, that eventually it would be the model that replaces the DVD by mail service. Had they offered the service as a reasonably priced upgrade, considering the quality of picture and volume of content at the time, many customers would have signed on. Incremental price adjustments over time would have been tolerated as quality and selection improved. That would be a transparent process with perceived value at each stage that is in accordance with evolution of the service.<br />
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The pricing model is just the surface, however, the deeper problem here is the loss of identity. Netflix forgot why they exist. In the beginning it was Netflix vs. Blockbuster. One was the establishment that had gradually killed off the mom and pop corner video stores and now dominated the market with a ruthless model of individual rental prices and exorbitant late fees. Then there was Netflix, the underdog, the David to Blockbuster's Goliath, that offered movies delivered to your door for a simple flat subscription rate. It was simplicity and convenience that killed Blockbuster. But what is Netflix without Blockbuster? They need an identity without being dependent on comparison. Better than Blockbuster only works when Blockbuster exists and, for all practical purposes, that is no longer the case. So how do they compare to their new competition in the streaming space? Who are they when compared to Google, Amazon, Apple and Hulu? I think if Netflix were managing their brand properly this wouldn't even be a legitimate question.<br />
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Netflix challenges the establishment, the very idea that you should pay for each rental and then be subjected to a deadline with late fees. They offered a simple honest alternative. Why not take on streaming the same way? Challenge the establishment of broadcast media. The model that dictates a schedule of programming with a subscription plan on top of an advertising platform. When I compare them to other companies that offer streaming movies over the internet it just comes down to price and quality, they are never going to beat large companies with diversified revenue streams on that front. However, comparing an honest little company with a simple business model to the establishment of the cable tv industry? Now that is something to rally a loyal following. Why not ask customers to question paying over $100 per month to watch 200 channels full of commercials? Why not empower cable customers to unchain themselves from their couches? The Netflix brand already has clout challenging and defeating a monopolistic empire. That doesn't transfer to building a shiny new technology platform, but it does transfer when you aim to take down a different empire.<br />
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I sincerely hope Netflix regains its footing and direction to achieve continued success in their new ventures.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03782245623495889527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5109093070677779755.post-41871015614689123722011-09-11T09:00:00.000-07:002011-09-22T08:43:27.652-07:00The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round... and round<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Three-Stooges-Tux-11x14-Poster-Print-/00/$(KGrHqYOKnUE2ZRS54(fBNpj2gEptg~~_35.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Three-Stooges-Tux-11x14-Poster-Print-/00/$(KGrHqYOKnUE2ZRS54(fBNpj2gEptg~~_35.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comedy or Tragedy?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Okay, I've been chewing on this for a while and I'm finally making some sense of it all. After the whole debt-ceiling circus we witnessed a couple of months ago, Senator Harry Reid made the statement, "Nobody left the room happy, that is the sign of a good compromise." What?? Did I hear that correctly? The polarization in Washington has reached epic proportions and the list of candidates continue gravitating to new extremes. The problems seem so obvious, yet the political process just keeps grinding away in the same old broken patterns to ensure nobody is happy.<br />
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Not too long ago, I read "Good to Great" by Jim Collins (highly recommended, get it <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Companies-Leap-Others/dp/0066620996" target="_blank">here</a>) who points out how a selection of fortune 500 CEOs transformed companies with flat or descending performance into tremendous success stories. According to Collins, one key element is to "get the right people on the bus." That means the right people in the right roles, which seems like common sense until you start looking at all the times it doesn't happen. How often have you seen a person with excellent technical skills get promoted to a management position, where he/she floundered? Or an executive that didn't understand the business or the customers? Or a customer service rep that was impatient and rude? Or politicians that don't collaborate?</div>
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So I began wondering what kind of people we have in our Congress, beyond career politicians. Where have they come from? What was their former profession? What is their mental model of the world? With some light digging online I found an article stating, "From 1780 to 1930, two thirds of the senators and about half of the House of Representatives were lawyers; the percentage seems to have stayed fairly stable" (Friedman 1985: 647). Though I'm not sure of the original source (Milton Friedman?), the quote has been referenced many times and I have found additional statements from other sources that corroborate the sentiment, if not the exact numbers and time span. Even as recent as 2009, 168 of 435 Representatives and 57 of 100 Senators listed law as their profession. Several articles I found online are right-wing attacks aimed at the number of lawyers in the Democratic party; however, both parties have their share of law degrees and the differences between the parties are more about ideological economic theory, their methodologies are quite similar. As a side note, I believe either theory is probably valid if followed 100%; but when you cherry-pick features and try to mix and match systems, the model breaks.<br />
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So, what kind of person is a lawyer? How does a lawyer interpret the world? In the 19th century, acquiring a law degree was essentially an intellectual pursuit, steeped in history, culture and philosophy, ideally suited for a future statesman. However, in the 20th century lawyers began focusing on litigation. Today, lawyers are the gladiators doing battle for their clients (or constituents). They play a zero sum game, there is always a winner and a loser, and the bigger the win the better, since many will make a percentage of the awarded sum. Our government structure requires its members to work together in order to make progress, at its best it is a collaborative environment. Unfortunately, we don't have that. Each side uses any trick they can to try to "win" and give as little as possible to the other side. Each party becomes further entrenched in a tit for tat exchange that seems to get worse every year.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://marshmallowchallenge.com/Photos_files/Media/BMLasVegas_2010_1688/BMLasVegas_2010_1688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://marshmallowchallenge.com/Photos_files/Media/BMLasVegas_2010_1688/BMLasVegas_2010_1688.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maybe the <a href="http://marshmallowchallenge.com/Welcome.html" target="_blank">Marshmallow Challenge</a><br />
should be required training.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Our society is degrading, our economic model is faltering, our environment is turning hostile, progress is stalled and our direction is unclear. How can we send people to Washington who embrace collaboration? Not debate, not compromise, not spin everything to a perceived advantage. We need people who can see the common ground, think big picture and long term. We can't afford to keep electing leaders who cater only to specific regions and focus on just the next election. The status quo is a death sentence for this nation and will have an impact felt around the world. It is time to leave the mindset of the industrial age behind and look forward. Let's get the right people on the bus: the designers, architects, engineers; system builders who work as a team to create sustainable solutions. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03782245623495889527noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5109093070677779755.post-85423647270177719512011-09-01T09:00:00.000-07:002011-09-22T08:44:15.879-07:00What is Your Experience Brand?<div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section">
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Since I launched this blog a few weeks ago, some people have asked me what I mean by experience branding. It's essentially a merging of brand and user experience, which are both hot topics lately and the usage of the terminology is outpacing comprehension. Even people in the field argue about the exact definition. Further complicating matters, some people capitalize on the trends by applying these labels to work that is representative of neither. I hope after reading this post and the others that will follow shortly, you will have a clear understanding of the nature and benefits of these tools and be armed against the posers lurking within and outside your company.<br />
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/60/Maslow's_Hierarchy_of_Needs.svg/500px-Maslow's_Hierarchy_of_Needs.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/60/Maslow's_Hierarchy_of_Needs.svg/500px-Maslow's_Hierarchy_of_Needs.svg.png" width="320" /></a><br />
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First, user experience (UX), also sometimes called customer experience or experience design, is the foundation of a brand experience. It is a broad discipline rooted in user research. If there is no research then it is not user experience. If there is no actual user involvement, it is not user experience. It is mostly based on qualitative measures and driven by observation of behavior, with less emphasis on direct inquiry. One of the key disciplines under UX is usability, this is your baseline, the ergonomic and/or cognitive qualities of your product or service that ensures a user can both understand and interact to successfully complete a task. This is the foundation level of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs" target="_blank">Maslow's hierarchy of needs</a>, meeting the most basic requirements. The other aspect of UX is the level of engagement and delight experienced by the user while interacting with your product or service. This represents the mid and higher levels of Maslow's pyramid and results in customer loyalty and higher <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_Promoter" target="_blank">net promoter scores</a> (NPS) which are very popular among executives these days.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiby2waFIZ3vNstZib1BxrYQf-q9fPZMZstTPZ1r0WlPKMOegjWUMwZt7UMxQzZUhvLaLZw5NlNv2lP8lqiMp5kCo2MSsvrYoUk92ttphTsilfMN2-0LvluZjxo0AXdkq28aSKhAzoCrHik/s1600/nascow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiby2waFIZ3vNstZib1BxrYQf-q9fPZMZstTPZ1r0WlPKMOegjWUMwZt7UMxQzZUhvLaLZw5NlNv2lP8lqiMp5kCo2MSsvrYoUk92ttphTsilfMN2-0LvluZjxo0AXdkq28aSKhAzoCrHik/s200/nascow.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a Nascow!</td></tr>
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The term brand has a long history, originating as a symbol burned into the flesh of livestock to prove ownership. As we entered the industrial age it represented the company logo on products, and expanded to include the full look and presentation of corporate advertising as companies grew even larger through marketing with the expanded reach of broadcast media technologies. Today we interact and engage with media much more deeply than ever before and the meaning of brand is evolving again, this time to be a feeling associated with a company and even individuals. People now talk about personal brand, brand image, brand identity, brand marketing, brand engagement, brand equity, brand loyalty, brand experience, ad infinitum. So what is brand now? What do you think of when someone says the word 'brand'? A logo? Color scheme? Catchy tagline or slogan? Packaging? All of them combined? Or maybe something entirely different?<br />
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As defined by Sasha Strauss of Innovation Protocol, "A brand is an exclusive and desirable idea embodied in products, places, services, people and experiences." That is a pretty solid definition of a modern brand but, in my opinion, it suffers from a problematic assumption typical of marketers transitioning from the propaganda marketing era: it implies control. A flawed concept suggesting your company or an agency could create an idea and keep it exclusive. It's completely understandable since that concept is at the heart of a marketing agency's business model. However, in a world of multi-part conversations instead of one-way broadcasts, that control is ever more elusive. Robert Brunner, founder of San Francisco design company Ammunition, recently described brand as simply a gut feeling. That description does a great job of conveying the intangibility of brand and focusing on the emotional over intellectual aspects, but in its simplicity it opens some big questions. How does one create a gut feeling? What factors influence it? If it isn't a good feeling, can it be changed?</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.tattoodesigns.net/ufiles/blogs/images/biker2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.tattoodesigns.net/ufiles/blogs/images/biker2.jpg" width="184" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now that's customer loyalty</td></tr>
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For practical purposes I prefer to think of brand as an identity, like a character in a story; while the actual brand would be the feelings people have towards that character, the character is something that can be designed and added upon, or grown. Through interactions with the character, you influence the feelings people have about you or your company, thereby building your brand experience. For good examples of successful experience brands look at Disney, Southwest Airlines, Harley Davidson and Zappos to name just a few. How can you identify the great experience brands? A broadcast brand pushes its message and logo out onto the world; with a great experience brand, people speak the message freely and steal the logo to put on themselves.</div>
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So hopefully that clears up the "whats" and now maybe you are thinking of creating an experience brand. Well, you can't create it, you already have one, we all do. Chances are it wasn't planned, crafted or maintained but it's there. The good news is that experience brands aren't static, they are always in motion and you can steer towards a new goal and change your existing brand.<br />
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Coming up in part two, I will cover how to build your your experience brand, who it is for (not just your customers) and why you can't hire a consultant to do it for you.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03782245623495889527noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5109093070677779755.post-90686642231600922992011-07-31T09:00:00.000-07:002011-09-22T08:42:27.646-07:00How Toyota Cleaned My HouseProcrastination is a common affliction and usually fairly harmless, unless you don't live alone, and your cohabitant feels you should help out around the house, and the stuff you are procrastinating happens to be the household chores. So when this situation reared its ugly head at my house, I decided to reach into my professional toolbox to see what I could find to make routine chores more fun and engaging.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
Things needed for this project:<br />
<ul>
<li>one Sharpie marker</li>
<li>several large Post-it notes</li>
<li>one large sheet of paper (approx. 20" x 23") or other writing surface that can be put on a wall</li>
</ul>
Step one was to organize and define the goals. Apparently they have different definitions of "clean" and "organized" on Venus than what we have on Mars. So how could I keep track of my responsibilities and when they are due, as well as manage the communication? We needed a system that's simple, efficient and shared. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanban">Kanban</a> immediately came to mind. Developed for Toyota as lean management for their Just In Time (JIT) manufacturing process, it seemed like the perfect solution. We got a large sheet sheet of paper (<a href="http://www.officemax.com/office-supplies/easels-easel-pads/easel-pads/product-ARS19745">Post-it flip charts</a> are good) and drew 5 columns: "To Do," "Done Today," "Done Yesterday," "2 Days Ago" and "3 Days Ago." Next, we wrote each chore on a large Post-it note. The idea was to choose items that could be done by any member of the household and didn't need to be done on a daily basis or a set deadline. We also ruled out things like personal laundry that we kept up with pretty well. So a good list would be:<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_BBzwqvLx4afl6kh9eF6V8OOZkhy1Yfz6wiyhLHad0gbNGY_ZZUbrvsRZzCs50UzALdeh24TJ5Z7uCXQdf-XTMe0JoSnJWeEXOt5MtweYH3Q4BKFp4i9RPSUl-nD4PE2Tr-nWkBgQSegU/s1600/kanban_chores.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_BBzwqvLx4afl6kh9eF6V8OOZkhy1Yfz6wiyhLHad0gbNGY_ZZUbrvsRZzCs50UzALdeh24TJ5Z7uCXQdf-XTMe0JoSnJWeEXOt5MtweYH3Q4BKFp4i9RPSUl-nD4PE2Tr-nWkBgQSegU/s320/kanban_chores.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kanban Chart</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<ul>
<li>things anyone can do</li>
<li>no set deadline</li>
<li>routine, but not daily</li>
<li>easy to avoid or procrastinate (no immediate consequence)</li>
<li>equally beneficial to household</li>
</ul>
<div>
Our initial list consists of:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>launder bedding and linens</li>
<li>brush cats (we have two)</li>
<li>sweep and mop floors (hardwoods & tile downstairs)</li>
<li>vacuum (carpet upstairs)</li>
<li>dust & clean countertops</li>
<li>clean bathrooms (1.5 baths)</li>
<li>clean shower</li>
</ul>
<div>
Things that didn't make the cut because of deadlines, personal incentives, consequences or frequency:</div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>cooking</li>
<li>washing dishes</li>
<li>watering plants</li>
<li>feeding the cats </li>
<li>emptying the litter box</li>
<li>cleaning the kitchen</li>
<li>shopping for groceries</li>
<li>washing cars</li>
<li>personal laundry</li>
<li>taking out garbage</li>
</ul>
<div>
Each morning the notes in the "done" columns are shifted one column to the right and tasks in the last column are moved back to the "To Do" queue. There can be exceptions to the rules; for instance, we allow brushing the cats to be done again (for points) once it reaches the "second day" column.<br />
<br />
With the kanban chart and sticky notes, the organization part was done. Now I knew exactly what I wasn't doing, so the next challenge was to create an incentive. Want to make something dull and routine more interesting? Turn it into a contest and place a wager on it. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamification">Gamification</a> to the rescue! We would keep score and reward the winner upon reaching a set number. This accomplishes two goals, it provides incentive and a sense of urgency through competition and also shows acknowledgement for work completed. If I sweep the floor today, it might just be dirty again two days later, but that point stays on the scoreboard in recognition of my achievement.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Some final tips:</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>set a point goal that takes some time to reach to make it a fair contest (we chose 15)</li>
<li>when someone reaches the point goal the scores are reset</li>
<li>rewards for winning need to be given quickly; otherwise, recognition turns to resentment</li>
<li>to support point 3, choose rewards that aren't dependent on uncontrollable circumstances like weather or large time commitments that will be difficult to schedule</li>
<li>chart needs to be visible and accessible (we have ours on the entry closet door; it is concealed, but we each see it a few times each day and it is in a central location)</li>
<li>play fair and HAVE FUN</li>
</ol>
<div>
If you try this or come up with more variations, please post your experience or ideas in the comments.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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