Yeah, if my post about my parents having sex wouldn’t have been frowned on over at the corporate blog, this one surely would!
There’s a thread going around on a couple of blogs about how MISO is getting it all wrong in the recession. How they need to be more customer focused, and provide more relevant solutions.
What really got me going in Dave’s post was the quote:
What’s the point of selling me shiny new technology which I’m struggling to understand anyway when I need to pay the bills more efficiently but more importantly find new business.
The point is, because that’s what customers are asking for.
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Anyone who reads me regularly knows I love analogies. They don’t even need to be that great, and I’ll run them to the ground.
Earlier, I was recommended on #followfriday by Jason English (Jason blogs for ITKO who makes, as far as I can tell, a great set of testing tools) as “biz or bizarre“. Now, I’m feeling like I need to have a more professional look-and-feel, so I’m going to write about technology instead of funny iphone screenshots and fantastic women in tech.
Ironically, doing so brings to mind the way we all felt when we realized that our parents actually had sex. Read more…
As some of you know, I’m working on starting a non-profit that will improve people’s lives through charitable living. My idea is to bring people together around global events and generate infectious positive energy that will give participants a sense of fulfillment and purpose. The rewards we’ll receive by participating will reinforce our place in the community, rather than our current materialistic habits. I believe our culture is changing, and we’re going to lead the charge.
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I was at a sake tasting last night listening to a lecture on how sake is made. I got a real sense for the craftsmanship that goes into sake making. It seems that high end sake almost exclusively does one key part of the process by hand, though they could easily get machines to do something almost as good.
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Was just on the phone with my hand surgeon’s office making an appointment. Turns out, I need x-rays before the appointment. The receptionist says “would you like to hold so I can call and make the appointment with the x-ray lab for you?”
She must have taken my stunned silence for yes, because she efficiently left and returned confirming my appointment and answering my question before I could even verbalize it (Yes, I do need to wait for the film to be developed and then bring them and my hands to the office).
How’s that for service? Surprised. Maybe you wouldn’t be if I told you that this doctor is not in my insurance plan.
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My friend Sal posted a unique tip for using Twitter favorites as a way to learn more about people. He noticed his own behavior of using others’ favorites to better get to know them. Simple, and different than most of the tips out there. Sal’s a good thinker and this is a perfect example of a tip that separates itself from the noise.
Here’s one I’ve been using myself recently, and I thought I’d share.
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I’m an 8-month old iPhone convert. While I hate myself for converting, I’d do it again in a heartbeat (and continue to hate myself for it).
I love my iPhone, or rather, what my iPhone could be. Apple owns the end-to-end experience and has turned the mobile phone into a piece of art, that is, when it’s doing what Steve thought it should. If I want something even a little bit different, no way. I’d love my iPhone on Verizon’s network. Can’t do it. I’d love a new-email count to display on the lock-screen. Nope. I’d love to build a library of short-cuts so I can type faster. Not gonna happen. I don’t want the complexity of unlocking the phone, and don’t want to lose the features I gain by locking myself into a proprietary system (visual voicemail). And, for these missing features, as well as the pleasure of a 2-year lock in, I pay a premium for the service. Approximately 20% more cost with less functionality between AT&T and my former carrier, T-Mobile.
Why did I move to the iPhone? A few simple reasons:
- Visual voicemail
- Better end-to-end integration experience (less stuff I need to figure out to get everything working right by using a carrier-supported phone)
- One-device to carry for music, PDA, and phone
- Single place to find 3rd party apps
- Reasonable browsing
Let’s switch from db-the-geek to db-the-enterprise-architect, examine and reword that list:
- Features specific to my current needs (visual voicemail, reasonable browsing)
- Lower complexity (better integration, single device)
- Lower cost of ownership, easier to maximize my investment (single app exchange, one device, end-to-end experience has less moving parts)
What if Larry is taking a page from Steve’s playbook with the acquisition of Sun?
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On a birthday post in 2007 (my, time flies!) I was defending what I actually do… and to save you the trouble reading it – the kicker was that it took me years to realize that my Grandfather “made stuff” whereas I really just “talk a lot”.
Today, it’s different. I mean, I still talk a lot, but that non-profit I’m starting… A lawyer asked where we were based. Huh? Two of three founders are in NY, the other Wyoming. If we consider phone numbers, we can add Nevada to that list. I’ll probably use my home in NJ as the address, just because I’m moving apartments in NY and at least that’s consistent. I thought about the location of the technology infrastructure we’re deploying, but
where the heck is GoDaddy?
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