Take nothing for granted

I like winter in New England for the variety and for the cold water that comes from the faucet. It is naturally cold and refreshing. During the summer, if you want cold water, you need ice or the forethought to put some water into a jug and put it in the refrigerator.

Standing at the sink this morning, I think how easy it is for me to enjoy this cold drink. I generally spend little time thinking about it. Grab a cup or glass and turn the faucet.

This time my thought also turns to those who would love to have a good clean drink. Like those in India, Sri Linka, Somolia, Thailand, and other countries affected by the tsunami.

For the survivors, a normal life will take time. Will they have enough time?

The donations are on their way. Will there be enough to prevent additional deaths?

This I Believe #6

We do need to spend time learning and planning (from events like the tsunami) or we will condemn ourselves to repeat the past.

We also need to be mindful that little events can be learning experiences, not just the big ones.Boston's Coconut Grove Fire did not prevent Rhode Island's The Station Fire, nor did these prevent the latest nightclub fire in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

I believe we need to consider ourselves as inhabitants of this world, first. What happens there can happen here. The globalization of the markets has inter-twined our economies and our lives such that we our neighborhood has now grown. Technology will continue to provide instant and realtime information bringing us closer together.

What has happened to your neighbor today?

This I Believe #5

The world is naturally violent. Thunder storms, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, and most recently, the tsunami have had an opportunity to shown the power of nature.

We (the people who inhabit this land) have gradually calmed it or held it at bay in many ways. It is a learning process. Significant events (the great Chicago Fire, the San Francisco Quake, for example) provide learning opportunities. What can we learn from this to help either prevent or minimize the next time? It is not a perfect process. We have not been able to anticipate all that can happen. We do need to spend time learning and planning (from events like the tsunami) or we will condemn ourselves to repeat the past.

I believe we need to be good learners. It should be a never ending process.

What have you learned today?

Who are you? How do you reveal your identity?

via Doc Searls, found Kim Cameron's Identity Weblog and he has just added a 5th Law of Identity in an effort to form a Universal Identity System.

There are good ideas on how to do this. Once you read and start thinking about the implications the affect that the pending decisions will have on future life will be enormous. More from Doc on identity can be found here.

As a blogger, and you reading a blog, you and I understand that we reveal a little of ourselves each time we post. If we were to meet in person, our first impressions would be added to what we have already read and stored on each other. As we continued our relationship, these bits would be added to the storehouse on what we know of the other. These relationships take time to build. Hence, the dating game, the pre-engagement, then engagement, then wedding preparation before the actual day and the new life begins for a couple.

The time line changes quickly in this technology world. How we reveal the information about ourselves to each other could be akin to walking up to someone and doing the trenchcoat flash, or stripping down to our birthday suit, or standing in our bithday suit with a series of flashcards folding out and telling our life story.

As I read it, the point of the 5 laws thus outlined by Kim would make this process more like strip poker, a layer at a time (and only just a layer at a time) until we have provided enough information to be acknowledged or accepted. This I could live with.

Are you ready?

The Human Person is Disappearing from Customer Service

In some case, but certainly not all. I agree with Patrick that

"Have you ever felt a need to talk to someone at eBay or Amazon? I haven't. Why? Because they do such a great job in meeting your needs that you don't need to talk to a person. A few mouse clicks and you have accomplished your mission. The places where people get frustrated and want to talk to someone are the ones not fully meeting people's needs. If they met your needs, you wouldn't feel the need to talk to someone."

So you want to improve your service? Check out your web site. Seriously use it. Try it. Abuse it.

If it is meeting the needs of your customers, then you should need less phone support staff.

If it is not meeting the needs of your customers, then you may not be able to staff the phones sufficiently.

Delivering good customer experience is the key. If you are good, they will talk about you to their friends. That is the best kind of talk!