Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

No More Racing Home to Let Out Your Dog

by Bruce Kasanoff

Sam looked up at his Mom, a blank expression on his face.

For the third time, she said, “How was your day?”

At last she penetrated the consciousness of her young son.

“I invented a business that’s going to make us all rich.”

“You did,” she smiled sweetly. “How nice that will be.”

“Seriously, Mom. It’s called Dogs Unleashed.”

Lisa sat down. Sam was not one to waste words, and he came up with some very creative ideas.

“Tell me how it works,” she said.

“Think of it as a supercharged version of an electric fence, only much, much smarter. The whole thing is based on a smart collar that always knows where it is, that can access online data, and that can communicate with people and other devices.”

Lisa smiled again. “That actually sounds pretty cool. What will it be able to do that a normal electric fence collar can’t?”

Now Sam smiled. “Well, for one thing, it will only open the dog door when it’s not raining outside, so Max won’t get soaking wet. It also has a moisture sensor, so if a sudden rainstorm gets your dog wet, it won’t let him back into the house.”

“So we won’t have another disaster like when Max ran across the sofa with muddy feet,” she prompted.

“Exactly,” said Sam. “Plus, it can open or close virtual roads to other parts of the neighborhood. So if you’re delayed at work and worry that Max is going to get bored, you can use the speaker to tell Max, ‘Go see Romeo’ and you can expand the fence so that it includes Romeo’s yard and the path between our houses.”

Lisa frowned. “But what if Max wanders out into the busy road? I don’t want him to get hurt.”

Sam shook his head. “There are certain places that will always be off limits, like the busy road, or the Huggins property, because they hate dogs so bad.”

“That makes sense,” said Lisa. “What a great idea.”

Sam got a bit agitated. He stood up, and started pacing around.

“What’s the matter?” asked his Mom.

“You don’t get the whole idea. This collar will be really, really smart. It will tell you where Max is, what he’s doing, and even what is around him. It can hear barking, and can tell the difference between two dogs playing and two dogs fighting. It even will let you give Max commands, like ‘Go home’.”

“Wow. That is pretty smart. I wish they had that technology today,” Lisa responded.

“That’s the thing, Mom. We do. It’s all there, but no one has put it together yet. I did research today from the school library, and some companies are close, but they don’t have the whole picture yet.”

Sam raced out of the room, most likely to go online. Lisa started thinking… Sam’s Dad is in the investment business… gotta ask him whether kids can get access these days to venture capital.

–
Companies hire Bruce Kasanoff to write stories that help their employees – and sometimes their customers – better understand what it will take to compete successfully. His clients use these customized pieces in many different areas of their business.

How to Get a Girlfriend, circa 2013

by Bruce Kasanoff

Cindy was so lost in thought walking home, she barely noticed the Penderson’s cute Lab puppy as it raced across their lawn to greet her. She patted the dog’s head absentmindedly and kept walking.

The high school junior was tired of living in a pre-professional town, where all anyone cared about was getting into college… not to learn, not to grow, just because that’s what we all do…

Her phone vibrated. Cindy pulled it out and saw a message from Jake, the guy who sat behind her in chemistry.

I got some flowers for you. Keep walking straight ahead.

Cindy paused and looked around. That was odd. She kept walking.

Two houses later, as she stepped around a segment of the sidewalk that was being replaced, another message:

cross over to the park.

She stopped, and turned all the way around. Was Jake following her? She couldn’t see anything. He seemed harmless, and sort of cute. But she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, and crossed over to the tiny park.

walk over to the bench, then towards the flowers behind them.

Cindy shrugged and kept walking. There were two Moms talking animatedly on the bench, with little kids spread around their feet.

aim your phone at the red and orange lilies

She looked around, at first seeing just a spread of purple flowers, and some yellow ones. There – some lilies were over in the clearing. They were fresh blooms, and gorgeous. She pointed her phone right at them.

you’re so pretty, even prettier than these lilies. (it makes me act so shy around you.) but what i really like is that you’re a real person, not a pretender. would you meet me for coffee? how about 5 at starbucks?

Wow, she thought. That was really touching, and flattering. She texted Jake: you’re cute, too. See you at 5.

When Jake saw the text pop up, his heart pounded hard for a good two minutes. Then he thought: I’m so glad I discovered how to post virtual notes to sidewalks, trees and flowers.

–
Companies hire Bruce Kasanoff to write stories that help their employees – and sometimes their customers – better understand what it will take to compete successfully. His clients use these customized pieces in many different areas of their business.

How healthy are you?

by Bruce Kasanoff

Just stumbled onto what appears to be a 2007 mockup of a possible health card, one that contains a snapshot of the holder’s health indicators. Using today’s app-driven mindset, I can imagine an app that provides similar information, but that changes moment by moment.

Two questions: how might this impact individual behavior, and what if a healthcare provider has ongoing access to such a data stream?

One more: what if an insurance company gained access?

How to make Steve Jobs immortal

by Bruce Kasanoff

Steve Jobs by Jim George

In the spirit of thinking differently, I’d like to suggest that Steve Jobs was not a person, but a way of thinking. As long as others emulate his approach to “thinking,” he will never die.

From what I can piece together from afar, Jobs crossed boundaries that few dare cross. Not because they are difficult or dangerous, but because so many of us prefer to live in comfortable boxes.

Why is it that engineers don’t sometimes stare for hours at a flower, marveling at its beauty? Why don’t accountants write an occasional screenplay? What stops many doctors from treating patients instead of conditions?

I feel uncomfortable in boxes, but have often lacked the discipline to stay in one box long enough to make tangible progress. I know firsthand the challenge isn’t simply to get out of your box, but also to combine varied perspectives and activities into one mashup that makes a difference.

For all of Jobs’ willingness to think differently, he was able to muster a laserlike focus on excellence and execution. There are people who turn to drugs or New Age ideas just to escape responsibility, but a few turn there for inspiration that they bring back to the other side.

This is what so many of us fear: crossing to the other side, and then coming back with something tangible. By other side, I don’t mean death. I mean a Democrat hanging out with Republicans, a Rabbi going to church, an artist studying engineering.

If you stumble upon this piece, you are likely to read it and change nothing. But think about this: we don’t need more Steve Jobs. We just need more people to think, live and work like he did. Don’t think about it. Just do.

Netflix should rename Qwikster to Trickster

by Bruce Kasanoff

Lots of other people woke up this morning, saw the new Netflix video apology, and were surprised that the firm’s leaders never realized that Qwikster makes us think of Trickster… especially given the firm’s recent actions.

The firms’ CEOs (yep, there are now two) announced that they are separating the Netflix physical DVD business from its streaming operations, and naming the DVD business Qwikster. Each business will have separate websites, separate fees, and even separate rating systems.

I’m a Netflix subscriber, and my family would love to love the service. But as others have noted, the online streaming selection is actually getting worse, not better, as Netflix faces pushback from content providers.

Double the work. Half the movies. Great customer experience strategy.

Will having me pay bills twice and rate movies twice make me feel better about the service? Does paying twice make you happier?

If this trend catches on, we could expect to see:

- Citibank separate its checking, savings and credit card operations. You will now need to carry three cards: Citibank Checking, Prettibank Savings, and KnittingBank Credit.

- AT&T charge separately for email, text messages and phone calls. You will get three separate bills. Since text messaging is so different from email (they are shorter, for one thing), this change will enable all the services to thrive. (I’m joking.)

- McDonald’s spin off its french fry business, renaming them Death-DeFrying, which more accurately reflects one of the central “benefits” to consumers.

Since Netflix apparently needs some marketing help, it would be great if you could take our poll and help them out…


X6FEYUMK9VPS

Yoga vs. CRM

by Bruce Kasanoff

CRM, or customer relationship management, teaches companies to install software and get close to customers, so they can sell more stuff. Yoga teaches us to be present.

Which works better in business?

Megan Moss Freeman teaches my favorite yoga class at Kaia Yoga. She’s a highly capable instructor, but that’s not what most distinguishes Megan.

She pays attention, and she remembers.

Even with 30 or more people in a class, she notices when your movements differ from your norms. “Is your back bothering you?” she might ask.

A week later, she’ll ask if your back is better.

She notices new faces, and asks their names. Then she remembers the names.

A year ago, when I first started yoga, I got excited and started going to classes at the last minute, to squeeze in another one. One night, I dashed to class, and halfway through suddenly remembered I’d made an appointment to meet a friend at the same time. Oops. After waiting ten minutes to find the least embarrassing moment to race out, I left, whispering that I’d explain later.

That was my first class with Megan, and it took a few months before I took another of her classes. She not only remembered the moment, but also my name. She was amused, not upset.

Listen, learn, remember

These are the things that spell the difference between a service you want to recommend to others, and one that leaves you vaguely satisfied, at best. Megan listens, learns and remembers.

This is a mindset, not a technology. It’s a habit. You can’t install it, like CRM software, you can only do it, again and again and again.

Ten years ago, I wrote a book called Making It Personal, and thus am sensitive to the difference between personal service and everything else. In the first few seconds, I notice the difference between a service provider who cares about people versus one who is bored, frustrated or merely going through the motions.

Those who care about people change the entire interaction. Since they pay attention, you tend to answer their questions in more detail. Since they listen to you, you tend to listen harder to them.

One of the central flaws with CRM is that it tends to be bolted onto the side of an organization. Companies install a software program, and force employees to use it. But nothing changes in the culture, and customers often don’t notice a difference – which means executives don’t see a sales increase, either.

Yoga teaches you to be present, to focus on the present moment. This is sage advice for businesses, too. Instead of being obsessed with what you can sell customers, try paying attention to customers. If you do, they’ll tell you exactly what they need.

Photo of Megan Moss Freeman by Cathrine White

Common Sens(or) about innovation

by Bruce Kasanoff

I do not know whether stocks will rise or fall this year, cannot predict the next weekend’s weather, and do know know how many months it will be before I see a decent movie.

But there is one thing I know with utter certainty: innovative companies will add sensors into nearly every product and service. In doing so, they will dramatically change every industry.

For a sneak preview of the changes to come, visit our new Common Sensor Innovators list. It contains links to over 100 companies that are disrupting health, fitness and related industries.

We use the phrase Common Sensor to stress the point that sensors will be everywhere: in planes, trains and buses; in your walls, floors, garden and neighborhood; in schools, offices and public buildings; in your clothes, on your skin, and – eventually – in our bodies.

Innovators on our list are monitoring vital signs of patients. Athletes are improving their performance by getting instant feedback, and real-time coaching. Weekend warriors get motivated by TVs that react to their pace and performance.

For example, iWalk provides prosthetic feet that react like human feet, instead of like artificial ones. Each senses the ankle’s position and forces in real time and reacts seamlessly. This significantly reduces the strain on the rest of a person’s body, and lets him or her life naturally and normally.

The list reads like science fiction, but it’s all happening now. Do not underestimate the changes underway.

How to change your company without buzzwords

by Bruce Kasanoff

Toria Thompson and I are looking for feedback on Version 1.2 of a potential way to simplify the task of making successful firms more customer-focused.

We are thinking along these lines…

1.) Teams are the building blocks of companies.
2.) If you change the way teams work, you can change a company and its performance.
3.) Teams that adopt a short list of organizing principles will operate differently.
4.) Teams should volunteer. This must be a bottoms-up approach.
5.) Success will spread.

This thinking led us to a system we’re simply calling The Team. It’s a set of four principles that any team can adopt:

We are in an early stage of developing this idea, and are looking for both feedback and teams willing to try the system.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

The Dos and Don’ts of Differentiated Instruction

by Bruce Kasanoff

Some tips on the dos and don’ts of differentiated instruction, and an overview of the key reasons that some teachers resist this educational approach. Read article or check out model lessons for differentiation.