shannonsays.com

People Who Owe Hootville Money

"Small business is a complex caper made all the more complex by clients who don't pay."

Yep sure is. So what to do when when of your customers doesn't pay.  In the olden days you might think about using a Debt Collection service, or maybe sending a member of Hell's Angels around (who is usually the neighbour of a cousin of a friend), but not anymore.  Now we can use the web to try and shame them into action.

It is an idea that stems from consumer-gripe sites like notgoodenough.org as well as countless blogs and discussion boards (try googling "company x" sucks) that let people vent their spleen over such things like crappy service or faulty products (remember hunterholdensucks.com?). 

How the successful these on-line campaigns are at damaging the reputations of a company is difficult to judge.  Sometimes all hell breaks loose; just ask the Kryponite bike lock folks.  Sometimes they are just screaming rants.  And how much notice do we take of negative feedback once we have decided to buy something anyway? 

So it will be interesting to see whether Wisegirls is affected by Brett DeHoedt's (Media Mega Star and owner of Melbourne PR Company Hootville Communications) campaign to get them to cough up the $5857 dollars they owe him.  He has a page titled "People who owe Hootville Money" where he lists clients who owe him for his services.  A Shame File.

It's a great idea, classic Cluetrain stuff.  Brett is using the Internet to get people talking about Wisegirls.  And the news is bad.  But why will it work for Brett?

Check out his site..  It's not like some on-line corporate glossy brochure shtick, it is a real site, run by real people using a real human voice.  It is less formal, less professional (you know what I mean Brett!) and less anonymous that many PR company sites (it is almost as cool as Huh Corp's).  It is written for us, not him.   And that is why this will really hurt Wisegirls, it is real.

People will believe Brett.

Plus, non paying shonks like Danielle Paruit deserve to be shamed (And not just because their website is just like every other travel website; ie a bland on-line brochure).

I'd get a bank cheque written tomorrow Danielle...   

*UPDATE 28/09:*
Here is an email Danielle fired off to Brett:

Dear Brett,

"I note that you have updated your site in relation to me and Wisegirls and removed the text that was clearly abusive, including the threat of stalking me. I suspect that my fax to your solicitor dated 22 September might have had something to do with it.

I also note your invitation ( as from 23 Sep) for my comments - also a new initiative. I don't believe that this type of forum is neither appropriate nor professional for any dispute resolutions. As you know I have written to your solicitor, and am now waiting from information from you, to progress this matter.

I would appreciate the entire and unedited contents of this email being posted on your website.

Regards, Danielle"

Hmm, as Brett noted there is a paradox in Danielle's wants:  Stop using the internet to air all this stuff, but make sure you publish what I have to say, in it's unedited entirety.  Whatever.

You can follow the saga via the link above.  It promises to get better, if Brett's parting words; "(It's) time to ramp up the campaign" are anything to go by.

The Company & I

I found this post over at Oligopoly watch interesting for reasons different to  Steve (the author):

"In business writing, the problem of how to write about a company's actions and intentions leads to shortcut expressions that don't represent the truth.  Let me illustrate with a number of random quotes off the Web, often from business magazines or business sections of newspapers:

• "The company wanted to cross sell products across business unit product lines"
• "What it all comes down to is that Microsoft intends to dominate every market that it contacts."
• "Apple doesn't want music consumers to have freedom of portability."
• "At the simplest level, he says, it is because GE wants to be known as a good company,"
• "Cargill would like to control the trade in food and to make larger profits by buying cheaply from farmers."
• "Looking at this acquisition on the surface, IBM has
  always wanted a piece of the retail market."
• "Known for its thriftiness, Disney hates being made to look like a typical money-burning Hollywood studio."

In all of these quotes, companies are presented as having wills of their own. It's a shorthand, of course, pointing at the management at companies cited. We all understand that, or do we?

I don't think we do understand it, and I think that it goes further than just being shorthand.  And I reckon that is just the way big companies like it.

It is common to give companies personal traits, particularly big companies.  As consumers we hate it because it gives the people in the business something to hide behind, and the managers hiding behind it love it for the same reason.

But if we talk about the company rather than  a person, or people, it lowers the chances we have of actually talking to someone real about anything of importance.  Or being pissed off by someone real, or even being delighted by someone real.

It's a bit like being told "It's Telstra's policy to do x."  You can't actually speak to someone who owns the policy, it just belongs to "Telstra".  Or "We can't do that."  Who's the "we", exactly?  The "we" is of course the company, who isn't really anyone.  At least anyone who is generally willing to put their hand up.

"Holden wants to reduce costs, so it is sacking 1500 staff."  No it isn't.  Someone, somewhere at Holden who made the decison to cut costs by sacking people is.  But because we don't always know who that person is, he/she is largely shielded from some of the backlash.  And I bet that is the way they like it.

Wake up.  We want to deal with people.  We want to have conversations with real people.  Why won't they let us?  What are they hiding from?

Cluetrain anyone?

A Thought Over Coffee... With A Lawyer

One of my favorite "blogs of the minute" is Jason Duncans "A Thought Over Coffee":

"Follow me through my journey towards opening Cafe Evoke. From my final semester at Belmont University in Nashville, TN to opening day in Bozeman, MT I will share my expirences with writing the business plan, doing the research, and opening the cafe."

In amongst the commentary on the fun and games that are taking place as he attempts to establish his new cafe (Evoke), Jason offers lots of great quotes, lessons and other cool links.  Today he pointed me to this article on Jeffrey Hughes:

Thirsty for justice? Jeffrey Hughes' two Legal Grind cafes in the Los Angeles area offer "Coffee and Counsel" to those who may not otherwise seek legal advice. Through his innovative venture, Hughes has worked hard to both provide a valuable service to his community and change the public perception of attorneys.

It's Starbucks meets LA Law, and it's great stuff:

Over a dozen lawyers work out of Legal Grind on various days, generally between 3 and 6 p.m. For example, on the first and third Monday of every month, attorney Michael Goldstein offers a $25 "Coffee and Counsel" session on employment rights, worker's compensation, wrongful termination, sexual harassment, personal injury and civil/business disputes between 5 and 6 p.m. Another lawyer simultaneously offers advice on landlord/tenant disputes, auto accidents, restraining orders and small claims.

During the day, before the various experts come in, people can use the document preparation service, pop in to get something notarized or drink coffee while browsing the self-help books on the shelves, including "Your Divorce Advisor."

Coffee.  His point of difference is as simple as coffee, good coffee of course:

"We don't want to serve bad espresso, because then people will think we'll screw up their divorce"

It's a great story and is another example of what can happen when you really think about what your customers would really like from you, and it is almost an example of how Chris Carfi's "Transaction to Community" model works.

I don't know that you can ever feel like you are part of a lawyer's community, but at Legal Grind it is about as good as it is going to get.

The Car Dealer & The Blogger

One of the cool things about having your own website and blog is that you can vent your spleen whenever you like, and take aim ot whoever you like.  But spare a thought for Mr English and domain name registrar Go Daddy.

Mr English is a disgruntled customer of Hunter Holden, a car dealership on Sydney's lower north shore. This follows a run-in last February after his car, which he'd left for servicing, was stolen from the Hunter premises. Adam Kaplan, director of Hunter Holden, placed the matter in the hands of his insurers and arranged a replacement vehicle for English. The insurer sought to settle the claim without an admission of liability and offered to pay Mr English the indemnity value of the car at the time of loss.

But Mr English wasn't happy with that offer, and this being the dotcom age and all, he decided to take his customer complaint one step further and established a website called www.hunterholdensucks.com which included an invitation to “share your comments about Hunter Holden Automotive.”

Surprise, surprise, Kaplan wasn't all that impressed, so he successfully sought a court injunction in June to close down the website. That was later upheld in the NSW Supreme Court in Adam Kaplan & Anor v The Go Daddy Group Inc & 2 Ors, where Justice White said that English had established the site for "the purpose of disparaging the second plaintiff, its business and products," referring specifically to the word “SUCKS” that was displayed in large letters across the top of the website.

But what about free speech? Well, that argument didn't wash with the judge because "the name of the website and the comments posted on it do not relate to matters of public interest or concern.” In other words, English's website must remain shut down.

The moral of the story? Be careful what you blog. As for Hunter Holden's website (same address without the word "sucks"), it boasts of their customer service but does make one unusual admission: “We know we are not perfect, but we will always take action when things go wrong.”

(via Crikey)

Gillette's Close Shave With The Truth

I was reading a great conversation over at The Social Customer Manifesto (thanks Johnnie) about whether it is reasonable for marketers to "lie" to customers.  The conversation is centered around the content of Seth Godin's new book All Marketer's Are Liars, and in particular this:

"Tell a story that is memorable and remarkable and worth listening to. Seduce your customers, because that’s exactly what they want you to do. That requires ruthless selectivity and creative storytelling—in other words, lying."

Health and beauty product manufacturers are amongst the most prolific "tellers of tales" that are, if nothing else, "remarkable."  In their continual race to be better than the rest, they advertise relentlessly and are forever updating their products and telling us new stories that con us into believing that we can be better, younger or fresher looking.  They will make our skin softer and our hair shinier.  They tell us they have "the stuff" that contains "ingredient X" that will make us more relaxed, more alert, more energetic as well as increasing our sexual potency.

Whatever.

But in playing this game of manipulation, global shaving giant Gillette has come unstuck.
 

The Boston based company launched its M3Power razor early last year.  They told us that it was "a revolutionary powered wet shaving system for men," that delivered the world's best shave.  The trick was in the breakthrough razor technology that delivered gentle pulses that stimulated hair upwards and away from the skin.  I remember when it was launched in Australia, excited Gillette marketers hooked up with Sir Richard Bran son to have the Mach3Power livery adoring one of his Virgin Blue Jets..

But this week, a US federal judge rule that Gillette's claims about its new razor were "unsubstantiated and inaccurate," its advertising "greatly exaggerated" and "literally false".

(I thought all advertising was "greatly exaggerated" and "literally false")

As a result of this ruling, Gillette was ordered to change packaging and advertising for the product and remove in-store displays featuring the false claims.

It will be interesting to see if Gillette in Australia- which is a separate entity- follows.

So whilst All Marketers might Be Liars, it is good to see some of them getting caught.  It will be interesting to see what kind of precedent this decision sets. 

My bet is that marketers, advertisers and companies will thumb their noses at the decision, and  that the practice of deceiving customers about the performance of products will continue unabated.

"Hello, it's Russell Crowe, here..."

Poor Rusty Crowe.  He's been coping it a bit after engaging in a bit of a fracas with a hotel staff member on Tuesday.

I mean what's a bloke expected to do in the wee hours of the morning in a hotel a long way from home when the concierge is giving him the sort of attitude a celebrity shouldn't have to take? If you're a gladiator and you're holding a telephone, the solution is obvious.... you turf it at their head....

And whilst the UK Sun gave the tale the full tabloid treatment, complete with hilarious graphic recreations you can see here, the front of today's Daily Telegraph had a completely different angle thanks to reporter Matt Frilingos:

"Stretched on the couch watching TV, on the verge of drifting off to sleep, the last thing I expected late on Tuesday night was a call from Russell Crowe," is how Frilingos starts this backgrounder today.

That phone call, which proves that some hotel phones do work,  led to this front-page story in today's Tele, (and you've gotta love the headline!):

HOW MY BRAIN SNAPPED

EXCLUSIVE by MATT FRILINGOS

Shattered actor Russell Crowe has bared his soul to The Daily Telegraph, saying the violent incident that could see him jailed was entirely his fault.

In an exclusive interview, Crowe spoke of his shame over the altercation, but insisted he was "not aiming at" concierge Nestor Estrada when he threw a telephone in the lobby of an exclusive New York hotel. He conceded that the incident may not only see him locked away in a New York jail, but could prevent him from ever working in the US again.

He blamed his state of mind on "the combination of jet lag, loneliness and adrenalin," having just returned to the US after a flying visit to London for the Kostya Tsyzu fight, without wife Danielle. "I'm at the bottom of a well. I can't communicate how dark my life is right now," Crowe said. "I'm in a lot of trouble. I'll do my best to solve the situation in an honourable way. I'm very sorry for my actions."

You can check the full story here.  And some very funny letters in today's Australian

The Monthly: reviewed

Earlier in the week I promised to tell you what I thought of new Aussie mag The Monthly, which according to it's publisher will fill the space that the New Yorker' or Atlantic Monthly might fill in the States.

I have never read either of those, but The Monthly was a bit disappointing.  For a start, after having a quick flick through it, I was surprised at the crude, cheap looking layout.  I almost just chucked it straight onto the coffee table, ready to be put out with the thirteen supplements that come with the Saturday Age.

But back to The Monthly. The articles (well essays really) are pretty good, once you remember that Aussie writers sometime become a mistake throughtfulness and seriousness with being over tedious.  That aside, you can expect lengthy, generally well written articles by Margaret Simons on the ABC, John Birmingham on his home town of Ipswich, John Harms on 1950 Stawell Gift winner Ken Trewick, an piece by one of my favorites Don Watson on how country towns have changed,as well as contributions by Tim Lane, Helen Garner, Robert Forster and others.

They all combine to make The Monthly a reasonably good read.  It is just that it looks really crap.  I know that mags like this don't need to offer a graphic experience, but this is 2005 and I would expect a bit more sophistication.  One thing I still don't get is the cover image. Now isn't it standard practice that the image on the cover is somehow linked to the a story, usually the cover story?  Most magazines I know use the cover to illustrate a theme or central point in the story.

But not with The Monthly.  Strange.  I  am at a loss as to why you would want an ordinary photo take up the whole cover of your first edition that adds nothing to anything inside..

Anyway, I'll pick it up again next month.

(If anyone else has any thoughts on the first Monthly, I'd love to hear them)

Kyrptonite- Still battling against Bic Pens

Remember the Kryptonite bike lock people and the saga with the Bic pen?

Johnnie Moore points to this update at Community Guy here.

Doing the Always

This from Seth Godin:

Figure what the always is. Then do something else.

Toothpaste always comes in a squeezable tube.
Business travelers always use a travel agent.
Politicians always have their staff screen their calls.

Figure out what the always is, then do exactly the opposite. Do the never.

Nice.  Simple.  Clever.  As usual from Seth.

See No Evil, Hear No Evil

In case you needed more proof as to how dumb big companies are, and just how "valued" your feedback is, Chris (The Social Customer Manifesto) reports the following:

"Forbes did a profile on ten customer-initiated corporate hate sites. Every corporation mentioned was contacted for the article. The responses from a few of the corporations, from the article:

Walmart:  "We have seen some corporate complaint sites. We don't spend a lot of time on them."

Microsoft:  "No comment."

Verizon: "What's really pathetic is not Verizon but this sort of lame Web site. In this day and age, anyone with a gripe can put up a Web site and make outrageous claims as the authors of this one did."

American Express:  Did not return repeated phone calls.

I can just hear the spinmeisters now:  "Shhh...no...no...just ignore them.  They'll go away...

One word folks: Cluetrain