Comments for The Northborough Group http://www.northboroughgroup.com Sat, 22 Nov 2008 02:49:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 Comment on Simple Ways To Lose Customers by Derek Slater http://www.northboroughgroup.com/strategy/simple-ways-to-lose-customers/#comment-707 Derek Slater Fri, 21 Dec 2007 01:14:21 +0000 http://www.northboroughgroup.com/blog/2007/12/08/simple-ways-to-lose-customers/#comment-707 Hey Chris - something similar cost Gevalia our business a few years back. They shipped us a "special" that we didn't order and billed our card, saying that if we could certainly return the product if we didn't want it. Oh please. I suppose they probably sold more specials that way, but we cut them off altogether. Who comes up with these ideas? Somebody under the wrong kind of metrics pressure, I'd wager. Hey Chris - something similar cost Gevalia our business a few years back. They shipped us a “special” that we didn’t order and billed our card, saying that if we could certainly return the product if we didn’t want it. Oh please. I suppose they probably sold more specials that way, but we cut them off altogether. Who comes up with these ideas? Somebody under the wrong kind of metrics pressure, I’d wager.

]]> Comment on Simple Ways To Lose Customers by kevin francis http://www.northboroughgroup.com/strategy/simple-ways-to-lose-customers/#comment-671 kevin francis Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:09:36 +0000 http://www.northboroughgroup.com/blog/2007/12/08/simple-ways-to-lose-customers/#comment-671 multiply the loss of your potential business over 5 or 10 years times the number of referrals that you would have made to vista for being a good vendor to you,times those clients purchases over 5 to 10 years - then multiply that times all the other customers they pissed off, now we're talking real money. and in the go-go growth of a web-based business, sales falling off a little in a quarter or two spells DOOM - no funding, more costly funding, no IPO - very short-sigted kevin multiply the loss of your potential business over 5 or 10 years times the number of referrals that you would have made to vista for being a good vendor to you,times those clients purchases over 5 to 10 years - then multiply that times all the other customers they pissed off, now we’re talking real money.
and in the go-go growth of a web-based business, sales falling off a little in a quarter or two spells DOOM - no funding, more costly funding, no IPO - very short-sigted
kevin

]]> Comment on Using Social Media in the Workplace by Christopher Murray http://www.northboroughgroup.com/tools/using-social-media-in-the-workplace/#comment-604 Christopher Murray Tue, 04 Dec 2007 16:11:36 +0000 http://www.northboroughgroup.com/blog/2007/12/02/using-social-media-in-the-workplace/#comment-604 Thanks Derek. This has been the most satisfying part about working with different clients; the adventure of discovering new tricks and tools to make their information more meaningful ... and more fun. Thanks Derek. This has been the most satisfying part about working with different clients; the adventure of discovering new tricks and tools to make their information more meaningful … and more fun.

]]> Comment on Using Social Media in the Workplace by Derek Slater http://www.northboroughgroup.com/tools/using-social-media-in-the-workplace/#comment-603 Derek Slater Tue, 04 Dec 2007 16:06:39 +0000 http://www.northboroughgroup.com/blog/2007/12/02/using-social-media-in-the-workplace/#comment-603 Chris - Cleverly done. Have to love a simple solution. Intranets need this kind of thing - they mold over time, otherwise. Chris - Cleverly done. Have to love a simple solution. Intranets need this kind of thing - they mold over time, otherwise.

]]> Comment on WordPress Mu by Donncha’s Monday Links at Holy Shmoly! http://www.northboroughgroup.com/cms/wordpress-mu/#comment-33 Donncha’s Monday Links at Holy Shmoly! Mon, 05 Nov 2007 07:07:47 +0000 http://www.northboroughgroup.com/blog/?p=25#comment-33 [...] new WordPress MU user blogs. And now, having this multi-user version, we can literally host hundreds of blogs using the [...] [...] new WordPress MU user blogs. And now, having this multi-user version, we can literally host hundreds of blogs using the [...]

]]> Comment on Digital vs. Print Design by Rodger http://www.northboroughgroup.com/strategy/digital-vs-print-design/#comment-15 Rodger Sat, 27 Oct 2007 02:09:08 +0000 http://www.northboroughgroup.com/blog/?p=16#comment-15 Congratulations on your new venture, Christopher! Two things: 1. It is interesting to me how much of this stuff you are engaged with relates to the library world, and how the library world is struggling (too much) with the digital arena - even though an established library system knows better than anyone how to organize and deliver data (at least last century). The problem is, as this slideshow demonstrates, a matter of surrendering control while still delivering the best information. 2. This slideshow also makes me think about the sad situation the music industry finds itself in. I mean, initiating mass lawsuits against filesharers is a vain and destructive attempt to wrest control in an anarchic digital environment. I believe the RIAA would better serve both artists and consumers by somehow licensing the *behavior* (interactivity, end-user control=P2P) rather than futiley trying to stifle it. Anyway, your motto that "information management is not a cost; it's an investment" is profoundly apt given the above. Best wishes, hugs, and kisses, etc. --Rodger Congratulations on your new venture, Christopher!

Two things:

1. It is interesting to me how much of this stuff you are engaged with relates to the library world, and how the library world is struggling (too much) with the digital arena - even though an established library system knows better than anyone how to organize and deliver data (at least last century). The problem is, as this slideshow demonstrates, a matter of surrendering control while still delivering the best information.

2. This slideshow also makes me think about the sad situation the music industry finds itself in. I mean, initiating mass lawsuits against filesharers is a vain and destructive attempt to wrest control in an anarchic digital environment. I believe the RIAA would better serve both artists and consumers by somehow licensing the *behavior* (interactivity, end-user control=P2P) rather than futiley trying to stifle it.

Anyway, your motto that “information management is not a cost; it’s an investment” is profoundly apt given the above.

Best wishes, hugs, and kisses, etc.

–Rodger

]]> Comment on Where Art Thou, Intranets by Vario Creative Blog - Marketing, design, web tech and small farm animals http://www.northboroughgroup.com/strategy/where-art-thou-intranets/#comment-11 Vario Creative Blog - Marketing, design, web tech and small farm animals Tue, 23 Oct 2007 13:03:22 +0000 http://www.northboroughgroup.com/blog/?p=10#comment-11 [...] He posts this morning(by the way, new url alert - he’s changed the location of his blog, so update your reader): But a common theme in business seems to be “our Intranet sucks” or “I can’t find anything in our system” or ” that’s your stuff, I need to find my stuff.” Too many businesses see their information systems and processes as a cost center rather than leveraging them as competitive advantages and assets. [...] [...] He posts this morning(by the way, new url alert - he’s changed the location of his blog, so update your reader): But a common theme in business seems to be “our Intranet sucks” or “I can’t find anything in our system” or ” that’s your stuff, I need to find my stuff.” Too many businesses see their information systems and processes as a cost center rather than leveraging them as competitive advantages and assets. [...]

]]> Comment on Redirecting Feeds by Christopher Murray http://www.northboroughgroup.com/tools/redirecting-feeds/#comment-5 Christopher Murray Fri, 19 Oct 2007 01:39:27 +0000 http://www.northboroughgroup.com/blog/?p=9#comment-5 Actually, Derek, I do put you in that space with the others (and having little ones, I totally appreciate the Sesame Street jingle). These are the blogs I check and read first every day. And every day you have something interesting, intriguing, thoughtful, and indeed educational ... and sometimes something just entertaining and silly. I like that about all you guys. There's always a great mix of content to make it worth coming back to each day. Actually, Derek, I do put you in that space with the others (and having little ones, I totally appreciate the Sesame Street jingle).

These are the blogs I check and read first every day. And every day you have something interesting, intriguing, thoughtful, and indeed educational … and sometimes something just entertaining and silly. I like that about all you guys. There’s always a great mix of content to make it worth coming back to each day.

]]> Comment on Redirecting Feeds by Derek Slater http://www.northboroughgroup.com/tools/redirecting-feeds/#comment-4 Derek Slater Thu, 18 Oct 2007 20:55:25 +0000 http://www.northboroughgroup.com/blog/?p=9#comment-4 "pretend to be one of the Churbucks, O’Regans, Cahills, or Slaters in this space" [to a cheerful tune:] one of these things is not - like - the others... [i.e. thanks, those are three people I'm flattered to be lumped in with.] Slick work on the redirects. “pretend to be one of the Churbucks, O’Regans, Cahills, or Slaters in this space”

[to a cheerful tune:] one of these things is not - like - the others… [i.e. thanks, those are three people I'm flattered to be lumped in with.]

Slick work on the redirects.

]]> Comment on Welcome to The Northborough Group Blog by Derek Slater http://www.northboroughgroup.com/strategy/welcome-to-the-northborough-group-blog/#comment-2 Derek Slater Wed, 03 Oct 2007 13:44:03 +0000 http://www.northboroughgroup.com/blog/?p=3#comment-2 Hey Christopher - I'll look forward to reading your insights here! Derek Slater Hey Christopher - I’ll look forward to reading your insights here!

Derek Slater

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