Monthly Archives: March 2009

Following up on obstacles to making sales

In January we blogged about Hyundai America’s buyer assurance plan. We noted in that post that we loved the idea and that time would tell if it worked. On February 17th, we notedthat JetBlue had picked up on the idea. … Continue reading

Posted in Automobile Industry, Down economy, first mover advantage, sales | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Changes at GM

I have had the day to think about how I feel about Rick Wagoner being fired as CEO of GM and the process by which it happened. Those who have heard me speak know that I have cited GM as … Continue reading

Posted in Automobile Industry | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Videos to watch

I have finally posted a couple of videos on the power and importance of business process management in marketing and sales up on YouTube. You can watch them here. Ralph

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Does tele-commuting work?

We don’t normally comment on general management issues, but I have always wondered about the true effectiveness of tele-commuting and flex hours. I understand some flexibility in start and end times, but over the last 15 years flex time/tele-commuting has, … Continue reading

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Signs of life

In my discussions with CEOs I am noticing a more upbeat tone. Perhaps it is just because they have gotten their costs in alignment with today’s reality, or maybe there are signs of life. On that note, in my air … Continue reading

Posted in Down economy | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Some silliness has left the building…

Or should I say the airplane. I don’t fly US Airways very often for at least the reasons noted in a prior post. While I too commend Captain Sully and his crew for their terrific efforts, one of my goals … Continue reading

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Quote of the day

I heard a terrific quote today from the CFO of NHS Inc. While not specifically talking about NHS, let’s be clear they are a fine company doing a great job, she described the job of the CFO/Controller as the person … Continue reading

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Another newspaper bites the dust

The Seattle Post Intelligencer announced today the end of their print edition. This continues the decline of print newspapers that many people believe is tied to fewer people reading print papers. While it is probably and provable true that fewer … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Let’s quit spending money on Marketing

A lot is being written these days on how to justify Marketing expenses in this difficult economy. Advice comes from many quarters on the dos and don’ts of what you should promise or where you should look to make sure … Continue reading

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Too funny or sad to pass up

I write a lot about airlines because I fly a lot and they are prime examples of how to become a commodity in a market where differentiation opportunities are plentiful. However, yesterday a story came to my attention that is … Continue reading

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