This article first appeared in the December 20, 2004 weekly email to my Leaders Edge and Achievers Circle groups. It has since been circulated to Hertz employees all around the Southeast.
I was trying to decide if I should write a normal message this week. During the Holidays I love to take time for reflection. I also know that everyone is so busy these next two weeks and many of you take time off, that I wasn’t sure how much anyone would be in the mood for work. Or reading a long email about selling or some hot category.
But I got my answer about what to write this week when I had my most recent experience with James.
James works as a bus driver for Hertz in New Orleans. He ferries people between the airport terminal and the Hertz facilities a few minutes away. I fly into New Orleans a lot and I always rent from Hertz. So I’ve seen James a few times this year.
If Hertz has a more positive employee anywhere in America than James, I haven’t met them. (And I’ve met a lot!) Coming onto his bus is not a routine experience. He greets every customer in such a warm way. The very first time I rode with James he carried my suitcase out of the bus telling me, “Hey, you look like you need a break.” When I handed him a tip he said, “No thank you, sir. This is my job.”
Saturday I got into James's bus again. “Happy Holidays, sir. How are you today.” He greeted me like he had known me for years; even shook my hand when I got off the bus four minutes later and wished me a great Christmas.
James was back on duty when I returned my car on Sunday. “Hello again, Mr Doyle,” he said. How did he remember my name?) Before the bus departed for the terminal, he spotted a couple who had just returned their car and had a lot of luggage and Holiday packages. I watched as he jumped off the bus and went all the way across the parking lot to help them with their stuff. In all my years of renting cars I have NEVER seen a driver do that. The folks he helped offered him a tip. I watched as he turned it down.
He asked me if this was my last trip before the Holidays. When I told him I would be flying back into New Orleans on Christmas morning he said, “You’ll probably see me. I’m working a 12-hour shift that day.” When I started to commiserate with him for having to work he wouldn’t hear it. “It’s all good. My family is grown. Besides work is sorta like my vitamins, it keeps me going.”
Work is like my vitamins. It keeps me going.
I spent the flight home to Tampa thinking about James. And about Fred, the mailman who is the central character in Mark Sanborn’s best selling book about customer service and attitude, The Fred Factor. (Fred was Mark’s postman. And delivered extraordinary service to his customers!)
Here is my lesson from James. I love and frequently use a meditation/affirmation that says everything I give is given to me in return. I think that means that if I send love into the world, love is returned back to me. If I give service, I get service back. (I also think that if I send anger or resentment into the world I get that back!!!) While watching James two things became apparent to me. First, he gives abundantly. But here’s the cool thing. He gets back. James probably gets more genuine compliments and positive strokes than most of us will ever get. How? By serving in such a totally unselfish way. So in a wonderful way his service to others provides him with the fuel to keep going and keep serving. Positive energy CREATES positive energy.
How would it be if we saw our roles like James? Serving abundantly. Loving life. Giving to others with no expectations. But getting back abundantly as well.
That’s my goal for the New Year and for all years.
I send all of you Holiday greetings and much gratitude for your friendship and your business.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Dodge and Chrysler’s New AD Campaign…the WORST ever
“My name is Ram and my tank is full.”
Have you ever seen an ad campaign this bad in your life? This is the kind of ad that was likely written by a bunch of people who have never, ever even been in a truck; people who must think Texas is a foreign country. It’s that bad!!
And by the way, the new ad efforts for Chrysler and Jeep aren’t a whole lot better. If this is what we can expect from the new Chrysler, then sell your stock immediately. Oh, I forgot, they don’t have stock anymore. They went bankrupt and you and I, the American taxpayer, bailed them out.
Saying an ad campaign is the worst ever is a risky call. That means the Dodge campaign has to have defeated some of the biggest losers of all time. Ones like the Nissan campaign that promoted Mr. K (or was he Dr. K) and a car they had stopped making years before. That wasn’t too smart. Or the classic Infiniti launch where some smart ad agency decided that they shouldn’t offend customers by actually showing the car. So instead, let’s show leaves and streams and hope that customers accidentally discover that our cars look good. Well, the customer apparently didn’t. And 20+ years later Lexus still creams Infiniti in sales.
But the Chrysler ads may even be worse than you think. My opinion? They're making the “It’s Not Your Father’s Oldsmobile” mistake. Don’t change the product. Change the ads. Oldsmobile told me it was no longer my father’s car, but they didn’t bother to change the car. So customers would go into showrooms and say, “Gosh, it sure looks like my father’s Oldsmobile.” And we all know what happened to Oldsmobile.
It’s a pretty fundamental rule of marketing that the customer is actually rather smart. And when they see a sexy ad for a not-so-sexy car, they get it. Or a truck ad written by people who have never driven a truck.
Want to see a great ad campaign? How about Howie Long’s TV spots for Chevrolet? Watch those and you’ll think about switching from Honda or Toyota to Chevrolet. They clearly understand their #1 marketing challenge. They’ve built cars that are competitive and look good (note to Chrysler - you might try that!!). And the ads stake out a clear difference and benefit for the customer.
The Fiat takeover of Chrysler was supposed to bring some new thinking to a stodgy company. But if this is what’s going to happen, my Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep dealer friends are in even bigger trouble than I thought.
“My name is RAM. And my tank is full” What crap!!
Have you ever seen an ad campaign this bad in your life? This is the kind of ad that was likely written by a bunch of people who have never, ever even been in a truck; people who must think Texas is a foreign country. It’s that bad!!
And by the way, the new ad efforts for Chrysler and Jeep aren’t a whole lot better. If this is what we can expect from the new Chrysler, then sell your stock immediately. Oh, I forgot, they don’t have stock anymore. They went bankrupt and you and I, the American taxpayer, bailed them out.
Saying an ad campaign is the worst ever is a risky call. That means the Dodge campaign has to have defeated some of the biggest losers of all time. Ones like the Nissan campaign that promoted Mr. K (or was he Dr. K) and a car they had stopped making years before. That wasn’t too smart. Or the classic Infiniti launch where some smart ad agency decided that they shouldn’t offend customers by actually showing the car. So instead, let’s show leaves and streams and hope that customers accidentally discover that our cars look good. Well, the customer apparently didn’t. And 20+ years later Lexus still creams Infiniti in sales.
But the Chrysler ads may even be worse than you think. My opinion? They're making the “It’s Not Your Father’s Oldsmobile” mistake. Don’t change the product. Change the ads. Oldsmobile told me it was no longer my father’s car, but they didn’t bother to change the car. So customers would go into showrooms and say, “Gosh, it sure looks like my father’s Oldsmobile.” And we all know what happened to Oldsmobile.
It’s a pretty fundamental rule of marketing that the customer is actually rather smart. And when they see a sexy ad for a not-so-sexy car, they get it. Or a truck ad written by people who have never driven a truck.
Want to see a great ad campaign? How about Howie Long’s TV spots for Chevrolet? Watch those and you’ll think about switching from Honda or Toyota to Chevrolet. They clearly understand their #1 marketing challenge. They’ve built cars that are competitive and look good (note to Chrysler - you might try that!!). And the ads stake out a clear difference and benefit for the customer.
The Fiat takeover of Chrysler was supposed to bring some new thinking to a stodgy company. But if this is what’s going to happen, my Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep dealer friends are in even bigger trouble than I thought.
“My name is RAM. And my tank is full” What crap!!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Thoughts on Black Friday by Executive Vice President, Tom Ray
This Friday is Black Friday, the official start to the holiday shopping season. The media is all prepared with their stories and advice on what to watch for and what to watch out for. This morning the "expert" on the Today Show suggested that consumers get to the stores early for the best deals and that supplies may be limited...really? I needed an expert to tell me that!
I don't set my alarm for 3am for much of anything in my life except maybe to catch an early flight or catch a trout. But hey, if crowds of people want to gather at WalMart at 4am, I'm not gonna stop you!
I like what the new electronics retailer did in my neck of the woods. I walked in yesterday and the greeter told me that all the Black Friday deals were already on the sales floor, no need to bust the doors down on Friday morning. Now that's convenient.
And doesn't it seem as if the holiday shopping season starts earlier each year. Black Friday used to really signal the official kick off of holiday shopping, but if your house is anything like mine, you already have a closet holding a cache of Christmas gifts.
I really hope Black Friday is huge for retailers, they need it. I hope shoppers sense the many signs of recovery and take a positive attitude into the holiday season. I also hope consumers take a responsible attitude into the holiday shopping season.
For those of you who set your alarm for 3am Friday morning, good luck, be safe and have fun. I'll be hitting the snooze button around 6:30am.
T. Ray
EVP, Jim Doyle and Assoc
I don't set my alarm for 3am for much of anything in my life except maybe to catch an early flight or catch a trout. But hey, if crowds of people want to gather at WalMart at 4am, I'm not gonna stop you!
I like what the new electronics retailer did in my neck of the woods. I walked in yesterday and the greeter told me that all the Black Friday deals were already on the sales floor, no need to bust the doors down on Friday morning. Now that's convenient.
And doesn't it seem as if the holiday shopping season starts earlier each year. Black Friday used to really signal the official kick off of holiday shopping, but if your house is anything like mine, you already have a closet holding a cache of Christmas gifts.
I really hope Black Friday is huge for retailers, they need it. I hope shoppers sense the many signs of recovery and take a positive attitude into the holiday season. I also hope consumers take a responsible attitude into the holiday shopping season.
For those of you who set your alarm for 3am Friday morning, good luck, be safe and have fun. I'll be hitting the snooze button around 6:30am.
T. Ray
EVP, Jim Doyle and Assoc
Monday, November 23, 2009
Thanksgiving Quotes by EVP Tom Ray
Here are some great Thanksgiving quotes...
The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving. ~H.U. Westermayer
If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. ~Meister Eckhart
Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude. ~E.P. Powell
Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow. ~Edward Sandford Martin
Our rural ancestors, with little blest,
Patient of labour when the end was rest,
Indulged the day that housed their annual grain,
With feasts, and off'rings, and a thankful strain.
~Alexander Pope
What we're really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving? ~Erma Bombeck, "No One Diets on Thanksgiving," 26 November 1981
Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action. ~W.J. Cameron
He who thanks but with the lips
Thanks but in part;
The full, the true Thanksgiving
Comes from the heart.
~J.A. Shedd
Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day. ~Robert Caspar Lintner
For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence. ~Erma Bombeck
The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving. ~H.U. Westermayer
If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. ~Meister Eckhart
Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude. ~E.P. Powell
Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow. ~Edward Sandford Martin
Our rural ancestors, with little blest,
Patient of labour when the end was rest,
Indulged the day that housed their annual grain,
With feasts, and off'rings, and a thankful strain.
~Alexander Pope
What we're really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving? ~Erma Bombeck, "No One Diets on Thanksgiving," 26 November 1981
Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action. ~W.J. Cameron
He who thanks but with the lips
Thanks but in part;
The full, the true Thanksgiving
Comes from the heart.
~J.A. Shedd
Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day. ~Robert Caspar Lintner
For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence. ~Erma Bombeck
Friday, November 6, 2009
Sleazy…or just stupid
The things our AE’s do sometimes really make me fear for our future.
So the questions is, could either of these have come from one of you AE’s?
Sometimes you think your sales team is pretty good, only to find out that one of them has done something really stupid. Last week I saw two powerful examples of stupid.
Stupid Example #1 – An AE from a TV station trashed the coverage of cable using a statistic. The buyer asked him for documentation of where he got the number. Here’s part of his written answer:
It comes from the marketing firm, Jim Doyle and Associates, who have done extensive research on TV, radio, and newspapers. It’s based on Nielsan research over the last 10 years. The networks ALWAYS dominate TV viewing. The 23% watching hundreds of cable channels makes it virtually impossible to attain reach in cable. That's why it's so cheap! You can buy it for $5 a pop, but you only reach the 9 people watching the History Channel.
There were only a few problems with that answer.
Problem #1 – Jim Doyle and Associates hasn’t done any research on that topic. And never will.
Problem #2 – The agency buyer was a friend of mine and a former member of our Achievers Circle, so she called me (bad news for the AE).
Problem #3 – The buyer used to sell cable. Can you see this AE slipping deeper into a hole?
Problem #4 – Oh yeah, he spelled Nielsen incorrectly.
We need to remind our AE’s of three things:
– Liars get caught and when you’re caught you’re toast.
– You should assume that anything you put in writing is seen by a competitor.
– You never, ever win by trashing a competitor, especially when the buyer loves that competitor.
In case you thought the above was an exception, here’s an actual email exchange between a large market AE and an agency. Tell me if you think this AE has any chance of getting this order?
Email from Rep:
Subject: On air schedule
Bob, looking for an update. Thanks, Joe AE
Agency response:
Subject: Re: On air schedule
Almost, Don. Will know which way I go next week...you're delivering good reach but you're
short on frequency when I compare what your competitor has sent me.
2nd Response from REP
Subject: Re: On air schedule
Thanks, as you know TV is a reach medium and the idea is to let the MOST people know about you and if they are hunters or thinking of going hunting then they are paying more attention to the ad, plus radio will help bring that frequency up cause (as you know) radio is a frequency medium.......Thanks and I hope we are able to do something. Joe AE
And the agency replies:
Subject: Re: On air schedule
Respectfully, I disagree. TV must do both or it does neither. In fact it should be able to outdeliver radio in both cases.
Final AE response…for today and maybe forever with this buyer:
Subject: Re: On air schedule
We agree to disagree..........or maybe we don't!! Have a nice day.
The AE got a simple price objection and totally ignored it. In fact, the rep basically tells the agency that he was stupid to even bring it up. I’m sure that went over well. This is a rep who is clearly more interested in winning than making a sale. And that is not smart. What frightens me is that I think this kind of thing goes on much more often than we managers think. Scary.
So the questions is, could either of these have come from one of you AE’s?
Sometimes you think your sales team is pretty good, only to find out that one of them has done something really stupid. Last week I saw two powerful examples of stupid.
Stupid Example #1 – An AE from a TV station trashed the coverage of cable using a statistic. The buyer asked him for documentation of where he got the number. Here’s part of his written answer:
It comes from the marketing firm, Jim Doyle and Associates, who have done extensive research on TV, radio, and newspapers. It’s based on Nielsan research over the last 10 years. The networks ALWAYS dominate TV viewing. The 23% watching hundreds of cable channels makes it virtually impossible to attain reach in cable. That's why it's so cheap! You can buy it for $5 a pop, but you only reach the 9 people watching the History Channel.
There were only a few problems with that answer.
Problem #1 – Jim Doyle and Associates hasn’t done any research on that topic. And never will.
Problem #2 – The agency buyer was a friend of mine and a former member of our Achievers Circle, so she called me (bad news for the AE).
Problem #3 – The buyer used to sell cable. Can you see this AE slipping deeper into a hole?
Problem #4 – Oh yeah, he spelled Nielsen incorrectly.
We need to remind our AE’s of three things:
– Liars get caught and when you’re caught you’re toast.
– You should assume that anything you put in writing is seen by a competitor.
– You never, ever win by trashing a competitor, especially when the buyer loves that competitor.
In case you thought the above was an exception, here’s an actual email exchange between a large market AE and an agency. Tell me if you think this AE has any chance of getting this order?
Email from Rep:
Subject: On air schedule
Bob, looking for an update. Thanks, Joe AE
Agency response:
Subject: Re: On air schedule
Almost, Don. Will know which way I go next week...you're delivering good reach but you're
short on frequency when I compare what your competitor has sent me.
2nd Response from REP
Subject: Re: On air schedule
Thanks, as you know TV is a reach medium and the idea is to let the MOST people know about you and if they are hunters or thinking of going hunting then they are paying more attention to the ad, plus radio will help bring that frequency up cause (as you know) radio is a frequency medium.......Thanks and I hope we are able to do something. Joe AE
And the agency replies:
Subject: Re: On air schedule
Respectfully, I disagree. TV must do both or it does neither. In fact it should be able to outdeliver radio in both cases.
Final AE response…for today and maybe forever with this buyer:
Subject: Re: On air schedule
We agree to disagree..........or maybe we don't!! Have a nice day.
The AE got a simple price objection and totally ignored it. In fact, the rep basically tells the agency that he was stupid to even bring it up. I’m sure that went over well. This is a rep who is clearly more interested in winning than making a sale. And that is not smart. What frightens me is that I think this kind of thing goes on much more often than we managers think. Scary.
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