YouWish

Hi All

I have looked at a few recent posts and worry that at times I may seem like Victor Meldrew.

It’s just when one becomes sensitised to the gap between brilliant and crappy service, examples of both seems to be all around you (is this a Wet Wet Wet song?).

Anyway, today I am celebrating the eternal beauty of a moment when someone “comes alive” to you. Interviewing a somewhat dour woman in her mid 20’s carrying a bundle of post, we asked het to describe a business  that had done a great job for her. Immediately she beamed a smile that transformed her  with animated beauty, as she described a local company who was planning her wedding and doing so down to the last possible detail.  The post was of course the invitations.

I am minded at such times of the moment in the novel “The Great Gatsby” when Nick Carraway realises that Gatsby’s seemingly meaningless existence in throwing lavish parties was all in the hope that his lost love Daisy would turn up one day. As Fitzgerald puts it “He came alive to me, delivered suddenly from the womb of his purposeless splendor”.

There is a potential for anyone to find fulfillment if they care to look or have friends to help them  or dare I say it, can find the  best businesses to tip them into action when it matters. 

Nothing grumpy about that.

Until tomorrow.

Nick

Hi All

We were out filming today on Oxford Street, taking the pulse of how people feel about financial services at the moment and banking in particular.

What was striking is that the idea of Tesco moving into banking is generally well received by people on the basis of what are known for  “to give people what they want, when they want it” and who they are not  “they can’t be any worse than the fu**ers who have just f**cked up the whole fu**ing country”  .

Somewhere between these quotes lies quite a tidy opportunity for Tesco as long as they avoid the consistently cited dark side  “They’ll know more about me than than I do, it’s like having your mother in law looking over your shoulder”!.

It just proves once  again that the consumer has little fear of telling it how it is if asked. Maybe we should ask a bit more……

Until tomorrow.

Nick

Hi all

It is Sunday and I’ve lost an hour due to the clocks changing which is bad in the sense of lost sleep but good in that it brings the walk and “pub for pint” closer.

It’s a day of rest so I’ll keept today’s thought short. What will happen today is:

“I go into pub and get a warm smile from cheery bar person. I ask for exactly what I want (London Pride) and they give it to me with a thank you and another smile”.

Not hard is it really…….

Until tomorrow.

Nick

Hi All

Today I watched a local amateur production of genius Lionel Bart’s musical Oliver.

The moment when Oliver asks for more and get locked away for his troubles is a real crowd pleaser and they were great. 

Personally I think that we should all be asking “for more” a bit more often. Let’s make businesses realise that shareholder value is really only deliverable (indeed earned) in 2009 if consumer value is first created.

But watch out for Bill Sykes!

Until tomorrow.

Nick