PGreenblog

My Private Self Goes Public - Not Really, Just A Wiki

A few months ago, I created a private wiki for those who wanted to help me with CRM at the Speed of Light, 4th Edition. I got a nice rush of people who wanted to join it and I thought, "hey, very, very cool. Gonna get some help. They like me, they really like me!!" Imagine my sadness, my crushed heart, my wall of hurt, when all those who signed up contributed literally absolutely nothing to the wiki. Nada. Nunca. Nothing. I still....tear.....up....when.....I (I won't cry, I WON'T). The only explanation that can sooth my brow is that there is some technical issue, but then why wouldn't somebody have emailed me and told me that.

So....

I'm making it public for ANYONE who wants to contribute to the book. What I'm looking for is ideas and pointers to research. I'm looking for vendor companies I should consider and why I should. Vendors are free to make appointments with me to talk as long as they put themselves in the wiki and the appropriate chapter(s) they think they belong in. Give me a vendor name, a person, a phone number and a reason to call and we'll talk.

ANY contribution or suggestion I use from wiki contributors will be attributed in the book somewhere (usually in the acknowledgments). In a rare case or two, I'll be looking for writers who will have their own conversation with the readers of the book. I'll explain if you are a writer. There won't be many of those only because I can't muddy the voice of the book with too many voices. But I'm willing to listen to why you should write a piece. Just realize its here in particular I'm going to be tough - really tough.

I'm also willing to quote key folks in the book too - either you or people you know IF IT MAKES SENSE.

This is wide open. CRM at the Speed of Light has been the best selling CRM book ever. This edition is going to break new ground because its devoted to CRM 2.0 and what it means in the new world of the social customer. So not only comprehensive but entirely cool. Style will matter as well as what always has - substance.

Help me create it.

My deadline for manuscript submission is a HARD August 1, 2008. Nothing will be considered after July 20, 2008. The wiki will go private again that day.

I WOULD LOVE YOUR HELP. I WOULD ADORE YOU FOREVER AND EVER. THERE WILL BE PRIZES!!! AND FUN AND PARTIES AND.....

Okay, its a wiki, not spring break.

If you'd like to work with me on the book, please go to this wiki:

CRM at the Speed of Light 4th Edition Wiki

The invite key is:

CRMSOL4

Thank you.

Technorati : CRM at the Speed of Light, pbwiki, wiki

A Few Items of Note Part Ten Million

Got an announcement, a request to everyone, a recommendation, and one thing I think is kinda cool.

The Announcement

I've been getting a fair amount of industry buzz for the Microsoft - salesforce.com configuration tool shoot out that I called for (and that Microsoft and salesforce.com) accepted. As a result, we've gathered up a great group of judges that I think can both be fair and know their stuff better and hold some sway all in all in the industry. You've probably heard of some and maybe not others, but the reality is that they all are knowledgeable, smart, and long standing experts in the industry. I tried to mix it up with technical folks and with business side folks so that all those who needed to be represented by judges were.

Without further ado, our judges:

• Denis Pombriant - for those of you who know him, you know him as the star analyst in the on demand world - not just CRM. He has a long and honored track record and is one of the most insightful and foresighted analysts in the business. Each year he issues his WizKids report (for 2008, go here) which gives exposure to up and coming companies in the world of on demand in particular though can extend beyond that certainly. He has his own blog and his own company, Beagle Research. YAY Denis.
• Brent Leary - if there is anyone who knows what small business needs when it comes to CRM, on demand technologies and Web 2.0 technologies, he is it. Brent is a popular radio/podcasting host, with his show, Technology for Business' Sake; a man who just simply "gets it" when it comes to how SMB and CRM work together. He and I are going to be partnered in the world class, super hot, awesomely spectacularly videocast,CRM Playaz by Summer 2008 which is easily going to be the best show on the Web for business - and where cool people want to hang out. That's because not only is Brent smart, he's cool.
• J. Bruce Daley - Having him on the team is just an outright honor. He is not only influential in the CRM and enterprise applications world, he is a serial entrepreneur and colorful quote in the major press when it comes to matters of software - and he is just a good man. He was the founder and editor-in-chief of Siebel Observer and now is the CEO of Test Common - a software testing company designed to hurry up the software development path. He knows from whence he speaks.
• Peter Churchill - Peter is the Director of CRM and Outreach Technology for the Center for American Progress - one of the smartest thinktanks in Washington D.C. - and one of the most influential. Peter is a CRM veteran, having been a CRM technical expert for the last at least 13 years. Because he brings, lets call it, a "wry sense of humor" to his work, he is a perfect person to judge this kind of contest because it needs an expert with some technical brilliance who can also laugh out loud. He is that man.
• Matt Witteman - Matt is the vice president of the CRM Practice at consulting firm, Customer Connect, based in Charlotte, NC. When I announced the shootout - before Microsoft and salesforce.com agreed - Matt stepped to the plate and said that his company, which is partnered with both companies was capable of doing the effort if that was the route I chose. While I chose the "get the parents to pony up" route, it occurred to me that what better judge than someone who knew both companies initimately. Matt, a clearly savvy guy, graciously agreed and that made me very happy.

That, folks is our judges panel for the shootout. Stay tuned for the next details. More coming.

The Recommendation

You know, I've been a reader of all the CRM sites that have been out there ranging from the venerable (Customerthink) to the upstart (InsideCRM - who I'll be writing a monthly column for starting in May). There are a good nearly dozen of them and I'll be straight. They all have value, they all have some good (and some bad) stuff on the sites but the reality is that the best of them is the most underserved and one of the least known in the U.S. That would be MyCustomer.com. MyCustomer.com has some of the best writing, the deepest content, the most engaging thinking that I've read. Its UK based and has a significant readership (I think that I've seen 80,000 as a number somewhere though I'm not sure of that). Its organized well, the content is forward thinking and cutting edge and still manages to be fair to the traditional forms that we deal with. They don't spare vendors their wrath - but only if they deserve some upside the head clubbing. They have strong opinions and state them. I mean, holy crap, they are just friggin' excellent!

I'm going to do an assessment of the CRM sites and their strengths and weaknesses (someone is welcome to do mine if they want.) in the near future - maybe even with a grade attached. I'll do it here and I'll do it as a list on my podcast, Experience on the Edge sometime in the coming weeks. But until then, make MyCustomer.com a daily stop on your reading route. They are the best out there - bar none.

The Request

Could you all put a link to this blog somewhere in your blogrolls please? I'm asking because I want to expand my reach and also I'm testing something. I would appreciate it a great deal. Really.

The Cool Thing

For those of you who don't know, the Kindle Reader is Amazon's e-reader that can wirelessly get books and subscriptions anytime and anywhere because its tied into Sprints EV-DO 3G network. It has been wildly popular - something akin to a small Wii-sellout - and is backordered for about 100 years or so - even though its really ugly. That said, there are 80,000 books that have been chosen out of Amazon's millions to be Kindle-ready e-books and I found out, by sheer accident, that CRM at the Speed of Light, 3rd Edition is one of them. Isn't that way cool (it is to me at least)? That's certainly a reason for you to go out, spend $399.00 plus shipping, wait about 5 years to get the backordered device and then order my book over the air for an additional $17.81 plus shipping, isn't it? Well, isn't it? Why aren't you saying anything........?

Bye.

Technorati : CRM at the Speed of Light, Center for American Progress, Microsoft, salesforce.com

The Pure Arbitrariness of It All....Sunday is a Great Day For That.

This is a pure gathering of absolutely not-coherently-tied thoughts and ideas.

Favorite Rock Groups of All Time - Top 7 in No Particular Order

1. The Who
2. CCR
3. Traffic
4. Cream
5. Jimi Hendrix Experience
6. The Rolling Stones
7. The Beatles

Movies That Made Me Cry - I'm A MAN I Swear!!

1. Glory
2. Field of Dreams
   Old Yeller

Favorite Songs Of All Time Without You Reading Anything Into The Choices

• Sympathy for the Devil - Rolling Stones
• Bad Moon Rising - CCR
• The Weight - The Band
• Hey Jude - The Beatles
• All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix

Commentary on the Yankees

Joe Torre landing in LA with the Dodgers and Joe Girardi as the manager of the Yankees, makes some form of cosmic sense to me though I have NO idea why that is. I've read the articles that said, its good if Joe goes to LA because he's a native of Brooklyn, where the Dodgers orginated, and I suppose I like Girardi as the manager of the Yankees because he's the only graduate of my alma mater in the majors. That would be Northwestern University. So that's pretty cosmic, too, I think - especially if he gives me tickets. Now, we have to sign Posada and Rivera. A-Rod is a total putz and I wouldn't want the guy back - and I have been a supporter of his from the get go - even when he was bombing in the post-season and endured the wrath of the fans. But $350 million? 12 years? What an inflated ego. Enough is enough. I hope he lands no deals.

Back to CRM tomorrow.

Technorati : Beatles, CCR, Cream, Glory, Jimi Hendrix, Rolling Stones, The Who, Traffic, Yankees

Done Deal, Need Help, Got Some

First, great news for me at least. CRM at the Speed of Light, 4th Edition was approved by McGraw-Hill on Tuesday for their 2008 publication calendar. That means a complete new book on CRM - close to 600 pages projected - with all the new 2.0 stuff baked directly in along with the more operational and the case studies, and also this time best and worst vendor, technology, business model, etc. lists at the end of the book. I'm supposed to be done writing in March or April 2008 and publication will be September 2008.

Already, getting a bit o' press from literary giant and wordsmith, and damned eloquent columnist First Coffee's (TMCNet) David Sims which is nice news. Get's me going in the morning when I see something like this which, I suppose is the purpose of a column entitled "First Coffee."

Okay. I'd like some serious reader input for this book. I'm going to put up the chapter list when I'm done negotiating with McGraw-Hill (unless they REALLY don't want me to - which they might not) on advances and placement and international rights, and book club royalties and all the incredibly arcane things that book contracts have and that I don't pretend to fully understand and then solicit case studies, input, quotes from the blog readers, etc. Also I'm looking to make available some exclusive content posted on something that I can't talk about but is upcoming that I think you're all gonna REALLY like.

But before I go off and YAHOOOO it up a little bit, (I've also just managed to pour a scalding cup of tea on my arm and it HURTS! Mommy...), I have an apology to one reader of this blog who did offer me a chapter idea that while I'm not using it per se, I didn't respond in kind to him and that's just not right. I've been feeling bad about it ever since and still haven't rectified it, so I'm doing it publicly. His name is John Burton and not only is he a good guy, he's a smart guy. So while I'm not including the chapter he suggested per se, I'm going to interview him at some point where its appropriate for the book and include his insights. He also is a very good writer, though he, curiously seems to be a Tiger's fan. I didn't know it was possible to be both.

So, even though he said a non-answer wouldn't be taken personally, I would have and I apologize to him. But I'm not including him in the book because I feel bad. I'm including him because although I can't really use the suggestion, he's smart, a good writer and has insight and he cared enough to make a very good suggestion. If he lets me, I'll reprint the entirety of what he did write as a separate blog entry.

Hey man, I'm sorry.

Technorati : CRM, CRM 2.0, CRM at the Speed of Light, Customer Relationship Management

The New Influencers: A Proper Review

Ya know what? I don't do enough book reviews with this blog. I don't know why I don't. I can read. I swear I can. I can write. I write books. I love books. I think ebooks are okay but the thought of falling asleep with a laptop on my chest doesn't appeal to me much. My metaphors are clear as are my nasal passages and the neurons, synapses and segments of my brain which give me my cognitive capabilities, as limited as they might be.

So I have no excuse to not review books and I'm going to start today with one written by someone I highly respect, Paul Gillin and his "The New Influencers: A Marketers Guide to the New Social Media." This is something I should have done awhile back.

The good news is that the book is going into its second printing already and its only been out a few months. Shows what a great writer Paul is and what an important place this fills in the pantheon of marketing books.

Let's start by me making a blanket statement.

This is a terrific business book - not just a marketing book. Paul is both ahead of the pack and on the money (almost literally) in his intro:

"What's captivated me about social media is the extent to which new centers of influence have emerged in communities that have no rules, no governing structures, no standards and no hierarchies....Common sense says that a medium with so little structure should degenerate into chaos. But remarkably, exactly the opposite is happening. Complex patterns of governance are already emerging, driven by a set of shared values that are codified but just understood.....Powerful voices are emerging: people and groups who have the capacity to move markets and challenge institutions.....As each new voice is added, the community gets stronger."

This lesson shouldn't and can't be lost on either marketers or CRM professionals. The complexity of CRM 1.0 is being superseded but not eliminated by CRM 2.0 which is being driven by the social media and the democratization of voice that has been enhanced by the easy availability of both new tools and new channels for peer-to-peer and customer-to-company communications. It is powerful and while under attack from doubters and skeptics, pretty much unassailable at this point.

What Paul does just so damned well is make it clear what those channels are, how they influence, who they influence and who drives and/or participates in the channel. He takes a coherent and comprehensive look into not just what blogs, podcasts, social networks et al. are all about (especially the prior two) but also who the leaders are, what the standards and behaviors and value systems that are emerging as their the social media increases its impact and complexity, how the influence works and what marketers can do - including an all too brief look at the actual tools - to make this a part of their portfolio.

One thing he cautions marketers (or marketeers - or mouseketeers?) and PR people about though is that blogging and podcasting are tools in an arsenal that provide some exciting possibilities for those selfsame marketers and PR folks. But they are TOOLS, not substitutes for high caliber creativity and thinking.

He also has a few predictions that I think I'm going to reproduce right here with my comments on them right after so you can hold him to them (but not me to mine):

Predictions

1. The trend is unstoppable. "All the demographics are lined up to support that assumption." (While I think demographics can be lined up to support almost any assumption, I agree with Paul here)
2. Media institutions will matter less and less. "With the cost of entry so low, the need for institutions has diminished." (I'm not 100% in agreement here. I think that there will be new institutions that will be substantial, not just a few either. We're seeing that trend now with the dominance of the Facebooks beginning to take hold and the power of TechCrunch for being the market maker that Paul talks about earlier)
3. Very few traditional media will make the shift. "They are addicted to a business model that is increasingly irrelevant and they don't have the time or investor latitude to make the shift." (I agree for the most part, but I think a significant amount of the traditional media - the more recent variety like CNN or Gannett will be flexible enough in the long run - not the short - to make the transition. So will the NY Times... But on the whole, he's right.

This book is a must go get and read right now if you know what's good for you and your marketing (or CRM) career. Paul is not just a really smart dude and excellent writer, but he is an accomplished guy who was the chieftain of SearchCRM before he went to different climes and became both an independent consultant and the lead (or at least best) columnist for BtoB Magazine. He doesn't make mistakes so I think you need to read this (actually, now that I think of it, he did once make a mistake. He introduced me when he was emceeing a SearchCRM conference that I was speaking at - for free, if you can believe that - as "a pioneer in CRM." But otherwise, he hardly ever is wrong).

This is a FIVE STAR BOOK or 10/10 or whatever. I don't have a rating system. This book is a great experience. How about THAT as a review rating?

Just go get it.

Right now.

Technorati : CRM 2.0, Marketing, Paul Gillin, Web 2.0, blogs, podcasts, social media, social networks, user generated content, wikis

Housekeeping: Cleaning Up on A Sunday

Just wanted to do some announcements and one doesn't have my usual friendly demeanor with it.

CRM At The Speed Of Light, 4th Edition & The CRM 2.0 Wiki

First, I've put up a CRM at the Speed of Light, 4th edition suggestions page at the CRM 2.0 wiki site on PBWiki. First, the deal is that I need suggestions by June 7 for the new edition of the book - which will be acknowledged if used. Also, I would potentially be willing to include a chapter written by you in the new edition that would get you $500 and contributing author status in the new book, though this requires a really good idea for a chapter that I wouldn't otherwise be doing AND you have to give me a writing sample and establish why you should write the chapter (meaning, you have the expertise to do it). Sorry to be such a stiff, but you gotta be able to write if it comes to what's my bread and butter so to speak.

That brings me to another matter - the CRM 2.0 wiki itself. There are 150 members or so of this thing from 16 countries and yet NO ONE (including me until today) has done anything to forward the discussion on what CRM 2.0 is since the end of March.

Brothers and sisters, we're falling down on the job. Unless we don't give a (fill in the blank) about whether or not we have a consistent, community based definition of what we're going to be doing for the next part of our business lives.

If you remember, the requirement for joining is contributing and yet, most of you haven't. Although, the benefit of that is that I'll get to determine the definition all by myself which is pretty cool, now that I think of it.............

Technorati : Books, CRM, CRM 2.0, CRM at the Speed of Light, wiki

I Lied

I lied.

I did.

I've been steadfastly mocking myself publicly for a long time, saying that I'd never write a 4th edition of CRM at the Speed of Light because I was sick of it.

To my own defense, I WAS sick of the book.

But I'm not now.

Hell, it made my career. How can I be sick of that? Plus its a bit of a franchise if I do say so myself and that's pretty cool.

So, I was riding on a metro train past East Falls Church last week on the way to meet the good folks at the Institute of Politics, Democracy and the Internet and the former Finance Minister of Venezuela, a wonderful man named Luis Matos. I was chuggin' along, the train was above ground at that point and I was reading, and musing, and looking out the window.

I happened to be reading Seth Godin's new book."The Dip" on how quitting is a positive thing if done right. I had a bit of an aha moment as I was thinking about what he was saying. I realized that I was cutting off my....nose to spite my face. Godin was saying, know when to drop the things that you aren't passionate about or that you aren't so good at and focus on those things that make you the best at what you do.

So I quit.

I quit all other book projects and decided to do CRM at the Speed of Light, 4th Edition because in my heart of hearts, I knew that I really wanted to do that.

After all, the 3rd edition came out in 2004 and while still pretty damned appropriate if I do say so myself, it was getting dated. Plus the 2.0 phenomenon that's forcing the redefinition of customer strategy to move from management and operational to engagement and collaborative is well under way and at this point, a fact of life - not just business life.

And, there are NO CRM related books about it.

None.

There is one really good MARKETING book done by Paul Gillin, called "The New Influencers" that I HIGHLY recommend everyone read.

But no CRM books that handle the transition or point out the good and bad companies and practices engaged in this transition. Or the emerging thinking, business models or strategies for that.

So, on Friday, I spoke with my favorite editor of all time and one of my favorite human beings of all time, Roger Stewart, at McGraw-Hill. He has been there through the first 3 editions and I really wanted to have him for the 4th.

He checked on the 3rd edition sales and was happily surprised by their magnitude and thought that this new book under the old brand which would be named something like:

"CRM at the Speed of Light, 4th Edition: Customer Engagement Strategies in a Web 2.0 World" was a great idea.

So now I have to write the proposal for this and submit it to the Editorial Board and then they thumbs up or down it. What I also found out was that if, perchance, they didn't want to do it, I could get the rights to the book and the title back under my ownership entirely - which was totally cool too.

So that brings me to the next point.

I Want...No...I NEED...Your Help

I want input. I want your input on what I should write about, what I shouldn't write about, what you think of the world and what makes sense to cover in my usual overly effusive style.

But not just solo ideas for inclusion.

I'm also willing to entertain a chapter or appendix (that would be my choice) proposal that you'd want in the book (all you budding authors, take note) that you would write. You'd get paid for it and you'd get contributing author status on the inside of the book. But I retain the right to ask for some writing samples on this one. Any ideas I use that don't lead to chapters but are included as ideas will be acknowledged in the, ta da, acknowledgments.

It seems important to walk the walk on this so user generated content is the way to go.

Now, here's the deal as far as the ideas and chapter proposals go. I'm going to set up a section on the CRM 2.0 wiki to discuss the book ideas and chapter ideas. If you're reluctant to do it that way, then email me at [email protected] or post it as a comment here. But I want to have most of the discussion around the book on the wiki since whatever ideas you have will be germane to a CRM 2.0 discussion since the entire book will be about that though will cover the operational parts of CRM too.

The time limit is the end of the month because I want to submit the proposal by roughly the 7th of June or sooner and I'm going to write the Table of Contents/Chapter outline after I have all your ideas digested and decided on what needs to be in there.

So, join with me to write CRM at the Speed of Light, 4th Edition.

Whether McGraw-Hill publishes it or not, I'm doin' it.

And this time, I ain't lyin'.

Technorati : CRM, CRM 2.0, CRM at the Speed of Light

This Borders on the Sane - A Bookstore That Might Get It

I'm sad and I'm happy. Not morosely depressed or wildly elated. Just...a little sad AND....a little happy.

Boo hoo. Yay

Why? Because Borders, the bookstore one that is, is being smart, but what has been smart for them so far isn't realizing the revenue they hoped so far. That's what makes me sad.

But what makes me happy is that they are taking the risk of moving ahead with their scheme, rather than just retreating and cutting bait and running as most traditional companies - on the retail side - the so-called "brick and mortar" stores - would ordinarily do.

I'll explain.

Borders Loyalty Program

I'm a member of Borders Rewards program. I'm a member of theirs RATHER than Barnes & Noble because Border's program offers more in a much more attractive way. From what I can tell as a member, there are two pieces to their fundamental value proposition. First, regular earnings of bonus award $$$$. Second, benefits in particular to members of the program. But presented in a way that delights you by the uexpected in combination with the base rewards, rather than providing you with the base benefits - pretty much as expected.

So for example, I will get a regular email that indicates that I have either a certain amount of money earned by my Borders spending ("You've got $17.50 in your Borders Rewards account" so to speak) or that due to my spending I have a day in the month (any day I choose within the specific month) that all items I buy will be 10% off no matter how many I buy and how many visits to the store I make. So I can purchase 100 items over the course of the day through 5 visits to 4 stores and the 10% will uniformly hold for the entire set of transactions during that single day of my choosing.

The other piece to the Border's loyalty program is that I get one to two emails per week with a 20% to 30% off a single item in a variety of categories with the ability to print out the coupon presented to me online that I bring to the store. That means I can buy ANY single item in any store and apply the discount with the coupon. Or sometimes, there are categories for the rewards. I'm not sure that they've targeted me personally on those categories, judging from the mix.

What makes this particularly attractive to me - aside from loving books so much I could cry - is that when you get to the register, the checkout folks at the register, gasp, remind you that "you have x and y available and would you like to use it, sir?"

On the latter, for example, The Best Buy Rewards Zone doesn't remind you of anything when it comes to the coupons you provide and the only discounts come based on your spending. There is no other benefit beyond getting a certain amount for a certain amount of points. The points are about a zillion per dollar earned but it sounds really good when you've earned a gazillion points until the real world benefit is realized - which is about none. By not having the dollars you've earned at the register, its very easy to not be diligent (believe me, I know this) and not use the coupons you printed out the once or twice you're allowed to. Since they have expiration dates, the Best Buy program is a use it or lose it program. That's pretty sad actually. Big ticket items are sold at Best Buy.

Best Buy is even worse than that though. One day, I spent about $300.00 at Best Buy but forgot to use my Rewards card. After I was rung up but before I even left the counter, I remembered and asked the checkout person if I could enter my number. Their program had no way of doing that so I just simply lost the points. Even though I hadn't even walked away yet. It was a technology problem, because of the human problem of bad thinking.

Makes me want to shop at Tweeters.

Border's also beats its competitor, Barnes & Noble, when it comes to loyalty programs, too. Barnes & Noble charges $25 a year for the privilege of a discount. Border's charges zero dollars for the benefits of being a loyal customer. BN thinks loyalty has a price - it does but the other way around - the customer exacts the price of loyalty and provides the revenues in return. Paying $25 for a loyalty program might be a prudent financial move to handle administrative costs but ain't real smart when it comes to trying to create advocates. Books are already too expensive. How do I know. Simple, I have major publishers for my books that sell to Barnes & Noble. I know that Barnes and Noble buys a $30.00 book for about $14.00 and charges $30.00. A 40% discount still makes them $4.00 per book over their cost which is about 35% margin. Not too shabby. And that's AFTER a 40% discount which they don't always offer. So $25.00 becomes an insult, given that Borders is free.

But Borders Is Even Smarter Than That...

Border's doesn't stop with just a good loyalty program that keeps it interesting. They are "customer ecosystem-friendly" a.k.a. customer eco-friendly. That means two things. One minor. One major.

The Minor Key

They are the only chain that sells the Sony Reader at their stores. The Sony Reader, much as I dislike Sony, is the first digital reading device that reasonably successfully mimics the printed page, using e-ink technology. I have one and think its well worth the cost. I take this eight ounce device with me on travel via plane because it eliminates the weight of books. I have 10 books and it is still no more than the eight 8 ozs. Borders is willing to carry this first "threat" (though I honestly think NOTHING will ever take the place of a real book) to the printed page out there.

The Major Key of G with a Sour Note In Between

Most importantly, despite the fact that Borders' announced they were disappointed with their holiday results:

"The holiday season was very competitive and highly promotional. We are disappointed that store traffic and sales trends were not better, especially considering the significant investment made in the Borders Rewards loyalty program," said Borders Group Chief Executive Officer George Jones.

they haven't retreated but, instead, moved ahead and announced a major alliance with Gather.com - a community-based social networking site, where they will form literary communities - e.g. virtual book clubs. The communities will discuss multiple topics of literary and personal interest. A coffeehouse on the net to talk it all over - that warm, toasty conversation over a good book with a virtual hot chocolate, cup of coffee and a scone or two.

Smart

SMART

SMART

Why? Because they are figuring out that the newer generations of customers in their competitive world, need these communities ONLINE and they are providing them. They have become aggregators of products, services and tools, the very model of the 21st century business with a brain.

First thing they've announced in their newly minted partnership with Gather.com is a contest to find a publishable author. That means if you win, you get $5000 from Gather.com, distribution at Border's guaranteed and a publisher (though I don't think they've named the publisher in particular).

All in all, this company attempting to turn around is making a valiant effort by embracing the new customer ecosystem, not running from it.

Good for them.

Okay, time for me to curl up with the E-Reader. Just kidding. A book. Really.

Technorati : Borders, communities, literature, social networks, web 2.0

Random Is As Random Does

Entirely Entertaining Tidbits Worth Paying Attention To...

While working out this morning, I was watching Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip - an Aaron Sorkin (West Wing creator) written show starring Matthew Perry (Friends), Bradley Whitford (West Wing), Amanda Peet (hot), and Stephen Weber (Wings) that I'm totally into. Its a "Behind the Show" look at a Saturday Night Live-like weekly comedy thing that is just excellent. Matthew Perry is amazing on the show and while I loved Friends, it took a lot less of being an actor than it does on this one for him. He's really a terrific talent.

That's not why I'm CRMcasting (I made the word up. Let's digg it and adopt it and love it and nurture it) it, though. There's a scene in an episode called "West Coast Delay" that has Amanda Peete and Bradley Whitford talking about the audience affluence of a magazine target market. She quotes a myriad of demographics about this audience and Bradley Whitford asks her, "where'd you get that? You sound like a (what sounds like) "cred sheet." She holds up what looks to be a Treo and grins.

That's what I'm talkin' about. Mission critical data available on a mobile device. 2.0 indeed....

The Washington Post reported on October 29 that "In Teens' Web World, MySpace Is So Last Year." The article covered a trend among teens away from any loyalty at all to any type of site or online presence. In fact, they covered a study done by Nielsen-NetRatings on the most popular teen sites as of this past month or so. They were Snapvine.com; PLyrics.com; Picgames.com - none at that exalted level last year at all. Additionally, apparently, as the teens get older they are doing two things - first, spending less time on MySpace and more talking on the phone or listening to music (online or not, I don't know) and second, migrating to Facebook, the site devoted primarily to higher education students. God, the kids are just growing up so fast aren't they? Who would have thought Facebook already....?

The Sports Business Journal is sponsoring a conference in mid-November in NYC on "Sports Media & Technology" that shows the increasing importance that is being placed on the new business models for any industry - sports being among the most thoughtful about it. There are sessions at this conference on topics like "Sports Web 2.0 - Social Networking and User-Generated Content" or "Balancing Repurposed and Original Content for New Media" or even "Developing Games That Expand the Player Universe" and finally, "Mobile Devices That Put the Action in the Fans' Hands." There is NO industry that escapes the new customer and entertainment, particularly sports, often leads the way. Why? Because billions of customer dollars in a highly competitive market are at stake.

Article in USA Today last Thursday, that reflects one of the things that I teach in my classes on the Customer Experience for BPT. That would be the fact that customers are being bombarded by so many messages - 23 million by the age of 21, that they are expecting compensation to simply pay attention to your particular message. VERY smartly, a web startup, e-Miles, is now aiming at getting road warriors focused eyeballs. They are giving away mils on Delta, or Continental, Northwest or U.S. Airways if you'll watching ads online and answer followup questions about what you watched. Hilton, 1-800-Flowers - an always progressive company - are among the companies who have signed up to join this service (Rearden Commerce - add this to your stable). Very cool. But they NEED to add United to this or I can't do it. Damn. I want to do this one. The rate is 20-30 mpm (miles per minute) and quarterly add-ins to your account. I'm not a believer in the Attention Economy as you might remember, but the concept merits real thinking and actions like this one.

Another sign that user-created content has something to do with the apocalypse from the September 2006 Fast Company. "We're With The Band: The new cultural tastemakers: you--and everyone else" (not related to my Route 56 I Can't Dance That's Why I'm With The Band" segment) obsesses over iMix - a place on iTunes that allows users to provide playlists that are based on something or another and they are sequenced accordingly. So the one that the author, Howard Parnell, talks about...oh, crap, I'm too lazy to write it out, just go click on the link and read the article.

Finally, the November 6th issue of Business Week, has an article entitled "The Long Arm of the Cell Phone" which focuses on the integration of GPS and social networking via cell phones that leads to on the one hand, location based services such as finding the nearest restaurant or club or where your buddy list is congregating - given your real time location. Sites like Dodgeball.com or Plazes.com do stuff like that. Dodgeball allows your network of buds to find out within seconds where they're congregating so you can go have a beer or a brief interlude or a gab session or whatever.

But Why Is This Important or Entertaining?

Its entertaining because it is to me and its my blog. I hope you think so too. Some of this is cool but all of this is a lesson in the world of the next stage. The fact is that THIS next stage is here now, not next. I could have easily have chosen a hundred or a thousand or 10, 000 other articles or blog entries or references on the web to talk about. Note one thing in common with all of this. Which is deliberate. All of it is reported in or part of a mainstream channel or company. Every single "random" bit of reportage. It is now an indisputable fact that the new breed of customer and the new business models being designed and deliberated are pervasive, even though most businesses haven't figured it out yet. What I say is considered cutting edge, but the reality of it all is so encompassing, it really should be seen as mainstream. Though by all means, keep calling me cutting edge. Helps my business model.

I don't want to harp on these facts, just leave them with you. If you're a business-focused human, pay close attention. If you're not, cool stuff anyway, no?

Technorati : CRM 2.0, Facebook, Web 2.0, business model, culture, customer experience, mobile, user created content

Blogging & Podcasts and Warm Woolen Mittens

Okay, this is cheating. For this week just ending and next week, I'm writing a guest blog for TechTarget (separate from my regular SearchCRM Board of Advisors "gig") for their Expert Answer Center. I'm the CRM expert. This is the entry that I'm using for them tonight too, but I'm tired and want to take the easy way out and if you don't see it there, there are some useful things that are worth looking into. I'm admitting culpability with myself in producing this entry for two different blogs. Never did it before, probably won't do it again. but I'll let you know, if I do.

I don't imagine that you don't know that much of my own work is in this list. What kind of "thought leader" would I be if I didn't recommend my thinking? Huh? D-OH!!

CRM 21^st Century style books

1. CRM at the Speed of Light, 3^rd Edition - by Paul Greenberg - Hey, its my book and its been in 8 languages and 3 editions so I must be saying something interesting….


2. The Experience Economy - by Joe Pine II and James Gilmore - This was the book that wrote the book on the customer experience and personalizing it through mass customization


3. The CRM Handbook - by Jill Dyche - Aside from Jill being a great person, this book is, bar none, the best handbook for understanding what goes into a project within a CRM program and framework.


4. The Future of Competition - by C.K. Prahalad & Venkat Ramaswamy - a cogent, incredibly smart, book on how customers require co-creation of value and what it takes for a business to do it.


5. The Long Tail - Chris Anderson - one of the most controversial yet influential books on an influential idea - the long tail - that there are zillions of businesses that are at the tail end of the long tail that are small and fulfill particular needs for particular people and if the right model is developed - these little niche businesses could be enormously profitable e.g. the idea of dock and download.

Important Blogs

1. PGreenblog - mine, so of course, I want you to go to it.


2. Brent's Blog- Brent Leary's significant insights into SMB and minority CRM and some of the cool gadgets out there.


3. Beagle Research- The blog of the best "big idea" guy and cool company finder in the CRM biz. (see below)


4. CRMChump - I love the name of this blog and the kid who does it does an excellent job of newsgathering on CRM


5. The Social Customer- Chris Carfi gets the 21^st century customer and sure knows how to reach them


6. Springwise - not really a blog but they need to be here. They cover long tail markets through the use of the 16,000 eyes (roughly) attached to the 8000 springspotters who are looking at the niche ideas that are out there and they identify on their trendwatching site- the big, new, trendy, trends. Spectacularly smart and gets the creative juices flowing.

Podcasts to Listen To

1. Route 56- Also mine - Edgy, and cool CRM production.


2. Knowledge@Wharton Podcast - This one actually has useful and interesting interviews with forward-thinking business thought leaders.


3. Business Week Innovation Trends- It's exactly what it says it is. Interesting innovation trends from mainstream smart thinkers.

Training You Need to Get

1. BPT Partners- I'm a co-owner of this company and frankly, without bragging, we have easily the best CRM training in the business because we focus all of it around the central idea that customer value rules. Endorsed by Rutgers University CRM Research Center, The CRM Association, Greater China CRM, CRMGuru, etc.
   

Analysts You Need to Pay Attention to - NOW

1. Denis Pombriant- Beagle Research Group


2. Michael Maoz- Gartner Group - Smartest CRM analyst - blunt and insightful


3. Charlene Li - Forrester Group - Gets the idea of social computing, brilliantly. Awesome blog.

Companies with Disruptive Potential

1. Salesforce.com- AppExchange in combination with Sendia acquisition means mobile platform that's here to stay


2. SAP - This is more like the "singin' in the rain" dancing elephant than an 800 lb. gorilla. They have a real message for the enterprise that is just so 5 minutes from now.


3. Rearden Commerce- the first and only fully realized service oriented architecture coupled with over 200 services delivered on that platform that establishes productive connectivity between personal and business life - better than any company out there anywhere.


4. Communispace - facilitated user communities for business. They do it best.


5. The entire country of Singapore- Since August 2005, the entire country is mandated to improve the customer experience for all visitors and citizens and any one else touching its shores through their National Service Excellence Initiative - and they are serious about it. This is about the smartest thing a nation can do when it comes to its citizens and its visitors. I LOVE this idea. Here's an example.

That about wraps up this episode of....oh, damn, I'm thinking Route 56 podcasting while ending for this week. Have a great weekend. No need for warm woolen mittens, that's fur shure.

 
  Technorati : CRM, CRM 2.0, SAP, Web 2.0, blogs, books, customer experience, podcasts, rearden commerce, salesforce.com, training