Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

You'd Think the Phone Companies Might Be Concerned

I've often considered where a company's responsibility lies when a product it sells and services is used improperably. Of course, it's fairly easy when bodily injury results. Government steps in and makes the company fix the defect or stop producing the product.

But, when the government fails to step in and stop (and, instead, encourages) the wrongful use of a product...what then? And, what if that wrongful use actually threatens the company's future profitability on one of it's legacy product lines? What if Congress actually causes the company's former flagship product to fail?

Outside of very lonely people, nobody likes to be robo-called. And, my friend Debbie Monterrey posted this telling line on her Facebook page yesterday:

"I am so close to canceling our landline. It rings all day with robo-telemarketing calls that I can't make stop!!"

Phone companies and candidates alike should know that the future viability of both enterprises is tied to stopping this kind of rampant abuse.

But, I doubt Congress will let them.

Greener than Green

I recently stayed in an exceptionally green hotel in an even greener community. I mean, they take this whole sustainability thing to a whole 'nother level.

As I returned to my room after a great day with my client's partners, I noticed that the housekeper had unplugged all my chargers (computer, mobile phone and headset). S/he did it again the second day of my stay.

The next day, I asked the Rooms Manager if this was a green policy...'cause I thought it was pretty cool. After all, there are some studies that seem to indicate we unnecessarily burn through a lot of electricity by leaving unused chargers plugged in all the time.

He said that it wasn't...and that this green housekeeper was clearly freelancing further than she had been instructed to. I quickly shifted gears and encouraged him to not come down on this employee, because I thought s/he was clearly onto something.

Like the A/B testing we do to gauge the effectiveness of our marketing efforts, I think this hotel should do a similar test to see how much electricity (money) they save by unplugging all chargers one week and returning to the status quo the next. Of course, they'll need to advise the guests at check-in on the test week so that the anal ones don't get all weirderd out by having someone touch their stuff.

But, I think this would be a fascinating experiment. And, if it plays out like I think it might, my housekeeper should get a big ass bonus.

Just a thought.

Farewell to the Cookie

It's been two years to the month that Republic Airways acquired Midwest Airlines...but swore they'd keep serving the Milwaukee-based carrier's iconic chocolate chip cookie.

Which, as we opined then, was just plain dumb.

Late last month, they announced that, as soon as their current supply runs out, the cookie is history. In its place...Animal Crackers and Goldfish.

Which is fine, really. Frontier never should have kept the cookie in the first place. It was never part of their brand...and never would be.

But, it is the end of an era. One that had its genesis when Midwest's Marketing Director Jay Sorenson was fooling around in the gally on an empty charter flight on its way to pick up the Indiana Pacers. It's a pretty cool story...and worth a read.

Farewell to the Cookie...and what it represented. As Jay said, "it was a grand airline."

The Price of Copy-Catting

When the Black Wolf Waterpark Resort opened in Wisconsin Dells, it was one of the first indoor waterpark resorts in America. It was the epitome of a game changer.

No good idea goes uncopied. And, the proliferation of indoor waterparks was swift and national.

In time, the Black Wolf shifted its brand to Great Wolf and, ultimately, built 11 indoor waterpark resorts across the country and became the largest chain of indoor waterparks in America.

Yesterday, Great Wolf sold their 10 waterparks to an investment manager for $158 million.

That's less than $16 million per resort.

Sigh.

Above and Beyond

I recently had a simply sensational dinner with friends during an industry conference. This after being absolutely underwhelmed with the service at virtually every other touch point during my stay.

There's really no point to out the destination...it could happen anywhere. But, I'm not doing it to protect the destination. I'm doing it to protect our waiter...because he did something so unusual, I fear that his manager would vigorously disapprove. And, yet...it capped off a perfect night.

Our waiter vividly described many of the featured entrees, going as far as to advise against one steak if anyone was planning on having it prepared any more done than medium rare, as that particular cut can't take a higher heat without getting tough. However, he said, if we liked our meat red, we'd love that item. He was fun, attentive and completely focused on our experience. And, then, it happened.

He had been paying enough attention to know that we were attending a conference and, as we prepared to leave, he brought over a hand-written list of other restaurants and nightspots that he thought we'd like during our stay.

Really? Did this guy have a "Miracle on 34th Street" fixation growing up?

That considerate move not only capped a fabulous night but helped redeem the destination's lackluster service from the previous 24 hours. And, completely sealed the deal that I'll be back, next time I'm in that town.

I want so badly to believe that the management of this restaurant has trained and enabled their people to create this kind of experience. But, my fear that this guy is flying solo (and could possibly earn the rath of his manager) means I can't tell you the name of the restaurant.

Unless I know you.

Why Do So Few Hotels Listen?

Is it that they don't believe the impressive research that comes out of the Cornell School of Hotel Administration? While I've never managed a hotel, I think I'd be paying very close attention to anybody that was telling me to quit discounting my stuff.

As in leaving money on the table when it would actually be more advantageous to, as Jimmy Fallen says, "take it." Especially if the advice was coming from a school as prestigious as Cornell.

First there was the study that confirmed that deep discounting to build occupancy actually had a negative impact on the bottom line. Now comes a new study that reveals that hotels using flash sale sites like Groupon may be selling rooms that would otherwise go unsold...but at a cost twice that of the Online Travel Agencies like Priceline.com.

Even more concerning is that, if the strategy is to generate trial with a hope of return business, it's not working. Only one in ten consumers ultimately changes their traditional brand loyalty.

The Cornell research continues to be compelling. Focusing on being a cool hotel beats being the low-price leader.

As a consumer, I hope that hotels continue to ignore the Cornell intel. I like the deals I'm getting.

But, as an industry partner, I encourage them to resist the urge to slash prices in this insane race to the bottom.

It's Not What You Say

A few weeks ago Terri and I had the chance to hang with the amazing Frank Luntz and his posse in Myrtle Beach (that’s him with Hannity backstage at the Republican Presidential Debate). I hadn’t yet had the chance to read his latest book, “Win”...but quickly devoured it on my next couple flights. And, for anybody that depends on influencing others (which would be, ummm, everybody), the book is a must.

Throughout “Win” (as well as Frank’s earlier works), he stresses that it is rarely what you say...but what people hear. Thus, those who win are those who craft their messages to resonate with what’s important to their audience.

I thought of Frank and had to chuckle the other day as I prepared to depart Omaha. The flight attendant apologized to the first class cabin that she wouldn’t be able to serve a pre-flight cocktail because they were running late...and that she knew we all wanted the airline to maintain its on-time record.

Actually...no, I don’t care about your on-time record.

I want a drink.

Creepy...but Kinda Cool

Word from Wired (via Iconoculture) is that KLM Royal Dutch Airline will be debuting a new service called "Meet and Seat" this year, allowing passengers to select their seatmates based on their social media profiles.

And, for all of us beautiful, trim and exceptionally interesting conversationalists, this sounds like a pretty cool idea. A little creepy...but cool.

Except, I have this nagging image of all the people that never got selected for pick-up games in elementary school or asked out on dates all ending up awkwardly bunched together in the back.

Or the front.

No Way to Select a CEO

We've been pretty clear about our feelings regarding "open" executive searches. You know...the kind where the finalists are outed to the media. And, even more bizarre, are put on parade in a public reception like so much livestock on which bids should be made.

Honestly? And this advances the community's interests how?

I have the utmost respect (and sympathy) for Searchwide, the firm that is handling the search for the new CEO of the Daytona Beach CVB. They would never divulge the short or long list of candidates to me. And, I certainly don't know whether the search committee asked Searchwide to bring a slate of candidates that ignored the best and brightest DMO pros in the nation.

But, that would be kinda odd, don'tcha think?

Nonetheless...that's pretty much what the final four looks like. With all due respect to the finalists, there are no instantly recognizable "name" candidates on the list. Which is odd for a "name" destination like Daytona Beach.

Only one in four is currently employed as a DMO CEO. To be sure, one used to be a DMO CEO. But the other two are from outside the DMO industry.

Not to be an "I told you so," but this is exactly the candidate pool I predicted a few weeks ago. Very few (as in ONE) sitting DMO CEOs would put their hat in such a dysfunctional ring. And, thus, Daytona Beach may well have forfeited its chance to lure a significant talent to their destination.

One of the four still in play may well be exactly what the destination is looking for...and I wish the ultimate CEO all the luck in the world. But the community will never know if it could have done better, thanks to its (and clearly not Searchwide's) hamhanded handling of the search process.

Sigh.

The Power of Secret Shopping Yourself

The teaser spots have begun. And, JC Penny is about to reinvent itself.

As the story goes, part of the impetus for new CEO Ron Johnson came when he subscribed to his company's consumer e-mail alerts...and was deluged with sales announcements. Sometimes two different announcements in the same day. Last year, JC Penny e-mailed 590 separate sales alerts.

It didn't work, as the average shopper only bought four times last year.

So JC Penny is about to radically redesign their strategy, their stores and their culture. And, it's about time somebody did in the Department Store category.

It's such a simple thing to secret shop yourself...yet so few do it.

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