Costco Connection - September 2008

FRESHviews

PAUL AND SARAH EDWARDS: LIFESTYLES FOR THE MILLENNIUM
Certainly, piquing curiosity, as this sign did, is vital
^Paul ^& ^Sarahfor any marketing effort, but few folks are going to
^Edwards ⁽^www.call a number just to find out what a company offers.
^{middleclasslifeboat.}However, as we began perusing the Web and looking
^com⁾ ^are ^the ^authors ^of for vehicle signs on the road, we noticed they often
^Middle ^Class ^Lifeboat exhibit this same mistake: fancy, colorful graphics
^and ¹⁶ ^other ^small-that tend to overshadow or bury their message.
^business ^books.There are striking exceptions. One is a white
Austin Ice Cream Festival van with a fabricated
Signs of success strawberry ice cream cone on the roof that appears
to be melting over the sides, with key info that
“DINGO JUMPER,” read the brightly colorful sign leads us to a great Web site. Another is an old-
on the side of car inching by us in the service line. fashioned truck that belongs to Masseys Integrated
It caught our attention. Landscape Design of Middleton, Wisconsin, with
In a tight or contracting economy, what better a small living garden planted on each side of the
way than a vehicle sign to get wooden truck bed.
new business while lowering A winning vehicle sign
your marketing costs. You can doesn’t have to be elaborate or
get business coming to you “^What ^betterhighly unusual. The vehicle sign
without any extra effort every- way than a ... used by Dayton, Ohio’s Around
where you go in the course of Town Errand Service is simple
your daily life. sign to get but has all the needed elements
But Dingo Jumper? What of a good sign: company name;
did that mean? Was it a busi- ^new ^business.” an engaging, explanatory tag
ness? If so, what kind? Were line, “Not enough time in the
they breeding wild Australian day? Call us for list of services”;
jumping dogs, offering bungee-jumping sessions, the phone number; and, most important these
jumping dead batteries, selling a line of dresses, days, the Web site URL. All on a three-color,
providing parachuting adventures, training horses 12-by-24-inch magnet sign.
for competition or advertising a suicide help line? So, keep it simple and attractive, send a clear
There was a phone number over the flashy graph- message about what you offer, include a phone
ics, but no Web site. By the time we got through number and Web site, and a vehicle sign can be a
wondering what it was, the car had passed great way to get business with little cost in either
through the line. time or money. C

WHEN COSTCO member Steven S. Little travels— and, as a noted speaker, consultant and writer on business growth, he does so frequently—he maintains a positive attitude, despite the frustratio ns of modern travel. The reward: a vanilla milkshake when he reaches his destination. It was on one of those trips that Little discovered what he would write about in The Milkshake Moment: Overcoming Stupid Systems, Pointless Policies, and Muddled Management to Realize Real Growth (available on costco.com). Calling hotel room service to claim his “prize,” Little learned they did not have a milkshake on the menu. He could order a bowl of ice cream and a half glass of milk to make his own, but the “system” did not enable the employee to put the two together. Stupid system, milkshake moment. The book offers practical advice in an engaging, humorous style to break down barriers to growth. Little points out five key growth principles.

Stupid is as stupid does

1. Foster “grow” versus status quo. The drive for organizational conformity can cause the loss of a moral compass or an ability to think rationally about achieving real, sustainable growth. 2. Put purpose before profit. The purpose of any organization is to identify and fill the relevant needs of those it serves. 3. Solve the “people problem” problem. Focus on creating an environment where employees can thrive. 4. “Insource” crucial judgment. Outsourcing might work for certain routine tasks, such as payroll, but keep the most important functions inside the organization to tap the collective internal wisdom. 5. Care for customers. Focus on growth by removing self-imposed barriers that keep employees from truly delivering. C

PHOTODISC

Connecting with customers

THE IMPORTANCE of customer service cannot be overstated. Doing something distinctive can establish an identity and trust. Here and in coming issues, The Connection will highlight unique ideas that might work for you.

When Marc Hedlund and Jason Knight founded Wesabe. com, an online social networking site for managing finances and pooling information to help members make better financial decisions, they knew there would be concerns about security and other issues. Hedlund thought it might help if people could talk directly to the CEO to be reassured about the site’s safety and purpose. Knight, the company”s firs t CEO, jumped at the suggestion. From day one in November 2006, he took calls from noon to 4 p.m. daily, seven days a week.

DAVIDPAULMORRIS

Marc Hedlund

Hedlund is now the CEO and continues the practice, saying, “How could you learn better how to lead a company than by talking to people who come to the site and want to use it?”

He admits that some people call just to see if someone will answer. “It’s still important for me to do it just to say, ‘Yes, this is real. We really mean it.’”

The practice has paid off. According to Hedlund, “We have over 100,000 users on the site, with a healthy number coming back. It’s a strong community.” C