You forgot about me, didn’t you?

Do you ever get customer letters? How do you respond? Should you respond?

The following letter is one that I wrote and sent to the San Diego Padres. Since I have had no positive experiences with the Front Office I am not expecting anything back beyond a form letter or email. I share this here as an example of an unhappy customer. And it’s my blog…

Think about being a business owner and receiving a letter like this – how would\should you react?

~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Padres Front Office,

I am your target market.

The stats – Baseball and Padres fan (since mid-nineties), taught my wife the game and got her hooked, comfortable 2 career household with disposable income (yes, even in this market), own my home in Carlsbad, in my late-forties, like to take the train and trolley to games, enjoy spending time and money in the Gaslamp Quarter, love to watch the younger players that were just called up play their hearts out, understand that baseball is a business, respect and revere the iconic symbols of the game, buy new hats and jerseys every year, try to get to spring training every couple years, and finally became a season ticket holder when the new stadium was built.

You forgot about me, didn’t you?

In the crazy rush of running a multi-million dollar business and the growing internal office mess you created over the last couple years, you forgot about me. Me and the thousands of others like me in San Diego.

I kept the faith. I believed. I even caught the excitement. I was sad when Tony Gwynn retired and burst with pride when he was inducted. I cried when Cami died. I stood and cheered every time for Hell’s Bells even when watching on TV. I stood in the stadium with awe and respect for save number 479 and yelled myself hoarse with the crowd for an hour afterward. I laughed with the Chicken, got angry about steroids, made excuses for the losses, understood (but didn’t always agree) when favorite players were let go or traded, stayed until the end for 14+ inning games, and kept coming back.

You forgot about me, didn’t you?

This year I didn’t renew my season tickets, I was angry about being forgotten. I was disappointed that in spite of my loyalty and money over the years you forgot what was important to me and the thousands like me.

I have not been to a game this year. My friends and family can’t believe it but it’s true. I still pay attention and am still a fan. I agonize over the win\loss record but am not surprised. I get a thrill every time Adrian hits a dinger. I feel bad for Jake with 5 losses already (in early May!) that he doesn’t deserve. I have new favorite players named Jody, Scott, and David knowing they may not be around long. I know it’s a long season – a marathon, not a sprint.

You forgot about me, didn’t you?

I actually got a call from a junior sales guy a couple months after my season tickets weren’t renewed – first call from the Padres in 5 years. He wanted to know why I wasn’t renewing. I was honest and gave him 5 or 6 reasons including lack of ownership commitment, bad and expensive food, poorly run concessions, and feeling that what is important to the fans has been forgotten.

He said, “You can bring food in to the park” and “looks like we may have a new owner soon”. I kid you not, that was his entire response. His response only confirmed that I made the right decision.

I was ready to be persuaded to renew. Heck, I was already beginning to regret not renewing. I was actually happy to get the call so I could reconcile my being a fan with a team that cared about me. But during the call it became painfully clear that I was right all along.

You forgot about me didn’t you?

~~~~~~~~~~~

Think Big, Start Small, Act Now.

Party Conversation

Have you noticed that party conversation has changed these days? I usually like to mingle with as many people as possible at parties, listening and participating in the various conversations. Once you get beyond the family and kids portion of the conversation, socioeconomic trends become apparent – if you are listening.

Over the last several months, I have had the chance to attend 6 or 7 parties with a very broad mix of people. These events went beyond the typical 4 or 5 couples that we consider our “group” and provided an interesting look into what is happening with a small sampling of the population.

Several years ago, the party topics were home prices and equity, ambitious home remodeling projects, stocks that should be hot or cold, big vacations that had been taken or were being planned, retirement accounts that were doing well, and friends that somehow stumbled on the “next big thing” and were making a killing. Politics always seemed to play a part somehow, but the general trend was usually prosperity.

Recently this trend has shifted. I still hear some of the same topics – with a negative slant – but the main topics have changed. Now the conversations are about getting together with friends more often, the new garden being planted and the varieties of vegetables being grown, the benefits of a compost pile, the job that is still paying the bills but the new business idea that is percolating (if financing ever comes around), or the vacation deals that are out there if you were to take a vacation.

Big to small, excess to conservative, broad to narrow – all positive shifts towards adapting to the current economic reality.

I have always found it fascinating how these conversational topics provide a barometer into the true feelings of the participants. It is important to understand that surface conversation – while often fascinating – is not the real barometric indicator. What the conversation says in a “between the lines” view provides the true barometer of their lives, emotions, and concerns.

Interpretation can go either way. Not only does the barometer provide an interesting view into the true feelings of others – but the interpretation itself often shows the true feelings of the listener. Too eccentric for most perhaps, but I find it interesting.

Think about it and enjoy!

Focus On Your Core

A month ago, I posted what I felt were the 6 tactics business owners should utilize in this economic correction. I meant to get back to it sooner but, as will often happen, life got in the way.

Today I want to expand on the first tactic – Focus on your Core Competencies.

Trying to determine if your company is straying from its Core can be difficult. I usually look at this in 2 ways, are you or your team performing business functions that you shouldn’t? Or, are you trying to take on business – or capture market segment – that you are not prepared for and don’t know enough about?

In the first case, we often think we can just work harder to take care of some of the daily tasks of running a business. You or your team jump in to help – that extra effort shows drive and leadership right? True, that’s what we are taught to believe but it should be the exception rather than the rule. Extra effort to put out a fire that no one saw coming is part of the job – not part of the daily routine. Right now, you and your team need to be doing what you know best to make your company the most money (manifested as cash flow). This is not the time to be distracted by anything that keeps you from that goal.

As a business owner or manager, look at what you spend parts of your day on that are not directly making you money. Do something to push those tasks or issues off your plate. If you get tied up in the mechanics of trying to generate payroll, manage email/computers/phones, write financial/sales reports, or deal with a myriad of other headaches, look at outsourcing it.

Over the last couple years, the term “outsourcing” has taken on a bad connotation. What I want you to remember is that it doesn’t have to mean loss of local jobs – there are hundreds of companies in your area that exist and thrive because you can tap into their skills. They can take on parts of your business that you aren’t good at or is not considered your Core.

Regarding the second case, I have seen some of my customers try and take on new products or services that they really aren’t prepared to sell and\or manage. They think that they have to try and be anything and everything and any sale is a good sale. Unfortunately, the mistakes caused because they did not have the experience or knowledge (wasn’t part of their Core competency) cost them more than it was worth.  

Obviously, this wouldn’t include decisions to expand or grow in a prepared and practiced manner. That’s just good business to decide how and when to expand and strengthen your Core…

But that’s a post for another time. Focus on your Core!

Think Big, Start Small, Act Now.

Getting back to writing

Wow, somehow it became January – late January at that! I have been saying for weeks that I need to get a post finished and uploaded but I just realized it has been a month since my last…

I have several posts in progress and the first should be published this weekend. Thanks to all for the gentle – and not so gentle – nudges.

Think Big, Start Small, Act Now.

Merry and Happy!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, whatever warms your heart and demonstrates the joy of man and our hope for the future – I wish it for you.

Somehow, Christmas Eve has arrived (again) without me taking the time to relax and appreciate all that it means. With everything that is evolving with business and the economy, days have become a bit of a blur for me. This year (more than ever) new contracts, new and existing projects, Christmas cards, shopping, running from one party to another, clients, family, friends - these have all appeared as items on my task list. Time for me to step back and take a breath, put on some Christmas music and reflect on the true joy of this season and the blessings that are my family and friends.

So, Feliz Navidad my friends. May the true joy of this season fuel the hope and build the love that sustains us and makes us whole.

Ken

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