Give your Facebook password for a job?

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Calvin

I just read this article http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/11162.aspx# and have been hearing a lot about this topic from various sources. In essence, this is a case of trust. If the company does not believe what you say and want your passwords to verify, then it begs the question: why are they hiring you?

If the interviewer asked you to undress to “verify” that you are male/female, would you do it?

If the interviewer asked you for your bank PIN codes so they can “verify” you are ask rich/poor as you claim, would you do it?

Everyone knows that an interview process and background checks do not guarantee that you will end up hiring a top notch employee. There are just too many factors. Even a top-gun coming into an environment where he cannot get along with other colleagues, will make him a mediocre performer at best and a destructive force at worse.

If you entered an online contest and it asked you for your Facebook password to win $1 million – will you do it?

Asking for passwords to delve deeper into a person’s private live is not really ethical. It is called prying. So, why is it wrong in your neighbourhood but becomes right when a prospective employer does it?

There is a word for doing something in return for the hopes of getting paid… let’s not say the word out loud…

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Posted in Ethics, Personal | Leave a comment

New Year, New Resolutions – Excellent Customer Service

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Calvin

Welcome to 2012. Happy New Year. It is that time of the year where many people reflect on what has taken place in the year before and what they want to achieve in the following year.

Yes, it is the time for a New Year Resolution. For businesses, many people think about this in terms of key objectives. That is good. But there is one “management objective” that gets to me at this time of the year. Yes, you see it in the title “excellent customer service”.

You hear the head honchos, the chiefs, the GMs; the boss – they say this, “This year, our key strategic focus will be on a) profits, b) growth and c) excellent customer service.”

You know, if you have excellent customer service as your focus this coming year, what were you doing last year? Lousy service?

Let us not confuse what would amount to the essentials with the differentiating factors that set your business apart. A business is always about profits. Growth, maybe also true in many instances, but excellent customer service is not a strategic thrust. Really. It is actually, surprisingly, a fundamental expectation from your customers, of your business.

As a small business, most of us have no time for fluff. We need to focus on the essentials and then, try to identify the one or two defining qualities that set us apart from our competitors. What do you do for your new year’s resolution?

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Posted in Corporate Blogging, Customer Service | 4 Comments

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Posted on December 24, 2011 by Calvin

Here is wishing all our readers a very Merry Christmas and a fantastic New Year!

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Posted in Customer Service | Leave a comment

Social Networking in the Working World

Posted on December 1, 2011 by Calvin

It is so easy to take part in the social networking world when you are just a student. What you had for breakfast, where are you now and the many other foibles don’t seem to matter that much.

Then, look at the people who have had some really bad things happen to them when they too participated. The lady who lost her job because she was partying while on Medical Leave, the guy who bad-mouthed his boss…

Well, I don’t know where my friend got this, but I thought it was a really interesting decision tree to share with everyone. So, take a look and let me know what you think.

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Posted in Corporate Blogging, How to ...? | 4 Comments

Coupon Deal Sites in Singapore

Posted on November 19, 2011 by Calvin

Did you hear that Groupon might be in trouble? Did you also hear that a lot of coupon sites are still coming up?

Isn’t that strange? For example, in Singapore, there are more and more coupon sites and deal sites coming up. Of course, many of them come and go. Some last a while and disappear, while others tend to stay on for a bit. Some have even been expanding.

Why do some coupon sites fail while others succeed? Why do some deal sites have so much activity while others are like ghost towns?

Niche.

Yes, proper appreciation and understanding of your marketing niche is critical. If you are able to understand your customer’s needs and wants, if you are able to identify them and them position yourself correctly, you are in. Otherwise, you are out.

Take a look at these sites from Singapore and see if you can spot those who will be still around in a year’s time!

Posted in Marketing Rants, Marketing Strategies and Tips | Leave a comment

How is your relationship with your agency?

Posted on November 5, 2011 by Calvin

I just read a short but interesting post over at Marketing Agency Talk titled: “Does The Agency Model Still Work?“.

This has gotten me thinking about how our business has evolved over the years. It is quite true that while we used to have regular clients who work with us no matter what, such instances are rare today. Most clients know what they want and they also know that there are plenty of choices out there.

Worse, with the technologies evolving so quickly and the possibilities expanding everyday, it is almost impossible for any agency to be “excellent” in every aspect. This then results in clients working with multiple agencies across a wide spectrum of marketing needs.

As a small agency, this is particularly telling, as we will not be able to hire all the specialist talents needed. There are, of course, workarounds that we can employ. But the fact remains that a whole plethora of skills are needed and that no single agency will be able to have a monopoly on them.

But what is the core to your success with clients? I would hazard a guess and say that most likely, it is the relationship of trust and goodwill that keeps the business going. If you are able to maintain that, you will have a chance to be the main go-to agency, the cog in the wheel, so to speak.

Do you agree that it is essentially the good relationships you have that keeps your agency going? Or your skills, or both?

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Posted in Marketing Agency Secrets, Marketing Rants, Small Business | Leave a comment

Go Get Business, Go GREEN – Part 1

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Calvin

Let’s face it, we are living in a world that is more than just competitive, competition today is so intense that it is no longer enough just to be “good enough”.

Most of us must have heard that in order to be noticed, we must have a USP, a strong Unique Selling Proposition. Much easier said than done. But there is an alternative. Rather than try to aim for a single big-bang, hot potato type of advantage, you can build your value by incorporating smaller values.

We would like to share with you a simple, mini-series on how to “Go Get Business”. In this first part, we want to incorporate a very simple, low cost, and yet high impact approach – Go Green.

Many people are becoming more and more conscious of the importance of preserving the delicate balance of our environment. Going green is becoming one of the checklist items for many people. Most people understand that for small business owners, it is going to be hard to be “green certified”. But people appreciate every effort that is put into this.

Take for example the business card. Today, with email, websites and even Facebook, many people don’t really exchange business cards any more. But no matter what, a business card remains a staple for businesses. It is just a fact of life, for now. Imagine, if your staff carry eco-friendly business cards, how will that affect the way your clients and business partners see you?

Immediately, there will be a positive attitude towards you. They see you making an effort to make the world better. Yes, it is a small gesture. But it is through such small actions that great things can be achieved. People understand that, and your contribution in this way means much to concerned people. Even those who are not personally concerned by green issues will give you the thumbs up.

This is one nice way to put a little distance between yourself and all your competitors. After all, if you are able to take time to bother about something as trivial as using a green business card, your clients will feel that you will put even more care in handling their needs.

While it is true that we can never eliminate all business cards today, we can do a small part in at least making sure we don’t add to the ecological burden.

In our next installment, we will be talking about how you should go mobile. Meanwhile, go green!

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Posted in Marketing Strategies and Tips, Small Business | 2 Comments

Burger King Retiring it’s King Mascot

Posted on September 21, 2011 by Vivienne Quek

The Burger King’s King Mascot is supposed to lure young men into the stores to eat more burgers.

I am not a man. Still, I wonder if the men really resonate with the King? Seriously, guys, will you respect a weird bloke that puts on a creepy plastic mask who enjoy lurking outside you window or next to your bed? For sure, a woman will not find him at all desirable.

Using a mascot to represent your brand is great. Just look at the contribution of Mickey Mouse from Disneyland, Tony The Tiger from Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Cereal, Great Root Bear from A & W Root Beer & Restaurants Burger and of course, Ronald McDonald from McDonald’s. But the King mascot of Burger King? While I have no evidence, I seriously doubt His Majesty has enriched the vault or the image of Burger King since 1955.

The King was first spotted on the sign at Burger King’s first store in Miami in 1955. During the last 55 years, the King has undergone various makeover including going animated in ads and running with a crew of other food-themed royalty like “Sir Shakes a Lot.” So far, he was most distinguished in the NFL broadcasts. His Majesty was digitally included in the real NFL footage and of course, he must be seen scoring touchdowns. The King even performed the “Lambeau Leap”. Real cool for a king eh?

Not so cool when Burger King announced the retirement of the King in August 2011.  Reportedly, Burger King has been badly lagging behind its main competitor, McDonalds’, both in popularity and sales, as well as Subway and KFC for many years. Targeting just the men doesn’t work anymore because lots of them are out of jobs or tight with money during this economic tsunami period. So mums and kids are the new target audience. Immediately, this calls for a different ball game with the King being booted out unceremoniously. It is a wise move as I’m pretty certain mums and kids don’t like scary looking man bouncing up and down around them. Eeeek!

Anyway, let see how long the King will get to enjoy his retirement. This is not the first time the King has gone for a holiday. In 1989, Burger King got him to take a vacation so that the “Kids Club Gang” can have the playing field. The King returned in triumph in 2004 when the company hired Crispin Porter + Bogusky, known for its edgy work, in 2003. CP+B dolled up the King and gave Burger King an edgy campaign, just look at the “Wake Up With the King” TVC. Sadly, it just didn’t help capture market share from it’s competitors. Still, Burger King keeps its faith in it’s King, until now.

Over the years, we have not seen Ronald McDonald touting burgers nor have we seen Energizer Bunny making lots public appearance. Perhaps , these companies are just letting their products do the talking. And Burger King decides to take a leaf from there. They intend to let the freshness of their products do justice. That’s good. I always prefer Burger King’s burgers to McDonald’s, though I wouldn’t say the same of the french fries. Anyway, I doubt Burger King, and its customers, will miss the King very much. I won’t at all. However, I’m eagerly looking forward to see what the new agency, McGarry Bowen, come up for Burger King in 2011 and beyond.

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Posted in Marketing Strategies and Tips | 16 Comments