TweetStats is currently taking donations and was created by Damon Cortesi http://dcortesi.com/. Very nice work Damon. Here’s some links from today’s TweetStat cloud:

Today’s Twitter TrendCloud

#3hotwords ACC AIG Astronaut Jones Austin Australia Big 12Big East

#blogger Bonuses After Huge #bsg Bush#BusinessMgmtJobs #cake
Comic Relief Dollhouse Duke Ellen#facebook #followmestephen FSU
#geek #ggslGoodnight Happy Pi Day HBO iPhone iPOD Ireland
#irescoIrish Italy Jimmy Fallon Jon Stewart
#joopwhimsyKelly Clarkson Let’s Dance Liverpool
Man UtdManchester United Midnight Oil #Music
#mwrc Old TraffordPac-10 Patrick’s Day Pi Day
Resident Evil 5 Robert Webb #ROIScotland Snl #SNL
#socialmedia #soundrelief Split Enz#sxsw Sydney Syracuse
#tech #todaysmoms Tony HsiehTorres Tracy Morgan #ttl
TweetDeck Twollars UNC United USCVidic Wales Watchmen
#wiimoms Will Ferrell #wxwmYou’re Welcome Zappos

 

Top 50 Trends of All Time
American Idol Apple AT&T BBC Benjamin Button Boxee Bush
Ces Christmas CoralineFallout 3 #flylady #followfriday Gaza
#Gaza Gmail Halloween HAPPY HOLIDAYSHappy New Year
Heroes Iphone iPod iTunes Joe #lastfm Macworld
McCainMerry Christmas Obama Plumber Prop 8 Santa
Sarah Palin Shorty AwardShorty Awards Finals Slumdog Millionaire
Snl Super Bowl #SxSW #tcot TGIFThanksgiving Tweetdeck Twilight
V-day Valentine’s Day Watchmen Wii Windows 7 Xmas

This Twitter statistics tool is one of the best I have seen. Give it a try!

The new ‘Late Night’ host may want to bring his own unique twist to the show.  I’m most comfortable watching someone having fun doing a daily comedy show.  Keep it fun and comfortable Jimmy!

If you’d like to catch an episode, visit http://www.nbc.com/late-night-with-jimmy-fallon/video/episodes/

When I do have a problem, the adventure starts with those simple little numbers I dial to start; 4-1-1 [send].  Since Verizon directory assistance answers, I always tell the directory assistance representative exactly what I need.   I assume they would always connect me to the right Verizon division.  This almost never happens and I can’t believe that Verizon executives never try calling 411 to ask a test question, like “how do I order a replacement for a broken TV remote.”  

I’m typically transferred to one of what I assume are many support cues.  The auto attendant doesn’t help.  She always states “also on the web at verizon.com.”  The live representatives that answer also give the “also online at verizon.com introduction.”  Perhaps they haven’t had a chance to visit the online website because you can’t do much there as a customer that would solve a problem.  I’m sure a Verizon CSR is reading this somewhere and thinking about how many things you “can” do at verizon.com, and I’m sure there is good value to using the website.  But, from everything to fixing the FIOS connection when it’s down, to Verizon home network, to TV remote repair – Verizon online won’t help and these represent most of my calls.  I usually carve out one hour to get these types of issues resolved when I must call Verizon.  You know, the types of things that would take 5 minutes if you were calling a smaller company.

My 6 Tips to Verizon about Call Center Support: 

1. Teach the people that answer the phone from any division to confirm your calling about an issue their division handles (I usually get traded to another division twice on every call before I end up in the right division for my inquiry.
2. Tell consumers during their wait time exactly what they can do online and warn them they will need an online account before they can access their profile.
3. Use the automated system to just get consumers to the right service center.  Then let a human save the next 20 minutes by asking why the person is calling and route the call.
4. Don’t let consumers navigate through automated systems for up to 25 minutes to ultimately get a division (billing in particular has been my experience) that says “our office is currently closed, call back…”
5. Do find out the urgency of the issue and for all non urgent matters just have the consumer leave their issue, their email, and call them back when you have the chance.
6. Go to the Verizon Office of the President and get the number spent annually for call center systems improvement, CSR training, quality assurance, and consulting – Use half this budget to personalize support within the first 60 seconds of the call.  Call it the new Verizon “Call Usher Touch,” and use a new TV commercial where just one of the hundreds of people standing behind the Verizon guy steps forward to say how can I make sure I get you to the right person the first time you call.

I have spoken with dozens of CSR representatives this year.  All very polite and victims of the call system that is incorrectly putting live calls in their laps.  Even the representatives that seem to be internationally based are very polite.  They too must be frustrated that they spend half their day re-directing calls that came to the wrong department.  Again, I must say the actual people that do solve problems are efficient and real professionals.

Call center support has been this way for about the past 3 years for me.  And despite this I’ve switched to Verizon for everything because Verizon FIOS services are the very best!  I’d wait hours more on customer support to keep my high speed Internet access – 15 MBPS (megabytes per second) down and 7 MBPS up is faster than I can even get with multiple DSL accounts on my business lines at work.  The TV on screen guide and FIOS TV is superior to any other service I’ve ever had from cable companies.  The HD channels and DVR with room-to-room playback is better than any DVR system you can imagine.  I’ve also had the latest and greatest equipment from Comcast and Roadrunner in the past 3 years and it doesn’t compare.  The phone service via FIOS was also great.  Yes, I said “was.”  Since they didn’t offer VOIP, I switched this one service away from Verizon in the past 6 months.  

The people at Verizon are very good at what they do and improvements to their call center operations would make them even better.

By the way, if your TV remote is broken and you live in California, call this number first: 1 (888) 660-3666, I just shaved 20 minutes off your solution.

DOW Chart

Consumers now exist on the Internet and have a new set of core tools.  The early adopters are using tools that us mainstream users can’t even imagine.  Those of us just slightly ahead of the curve are on Facebook and Twitter daily.  We are learning how to get and share any piece of information we feel is relevant.  We even share things not so relevant.  

So if you are part of a business and your leaders are not integrating online processes to your business – the social Internet, then your own future is certain.    It’s going to be an interesting depressionary period and a great time to sharpen up on how you deal with customers and marketing.  Show you company leaders that onlines services provide utility that touches your customers.  Setup an example of how a Cloud (SaaS – Software as a Service) based database, knowledgebase, or collaboration tool can make your own colleagues more productive.  Perhaps you can replace an outdated and expensive business system with a $29/month service.  Show your company leaders how people are using these tools and how other companies are making it easy to do business together.

As you learn, make notes on everything you’ve learned and reward your progress.

Learning the things that make you valuable to your employer will keep the advantage in your court.  Learning job skills in the direction of where you’d like to advance will also insure you advance at your company into positions you enjoy.  Ultimately, this knowledge you bring will help your company advance and become more profitable.  In sales, we are always rated on what value we bring to the table each month or quarter.  However, ever person in a company has the ability to demonstrate skills that generate new revenue, reduce costs, or improve a process.

You appreciate that I’ll cut right to the chase for some product reviews.  The Amazon Kindle 2 will be looked upon in a similar view as the Kindle 1.  Ahead and behind of it’s time.  

“Kindle feels great in your hand” – So does an over sized calculator but I leave that on my desk.

Sorry guys – no matter how sexy you make the video, 16 shades of gray is boring.  We already have a thing called a notebook computer (or even netbook mini’s) that does a thousand other things more impressive than what looks like my first lcd watch and we’re not stuck carrying around an antique.

I like Amazon and always shop there first when there might be a chance the local Barnes & Noble won’t have a book.  Dear Amazon, let someone else come up with the technology and just focus on digital books.  Let’s gift the R&D department an iTouch, MacBook Air, and HP Mini.

For a complete review of this product, I turn this one over to Gizmodo.  I searched for a positive quote to offset my opinion from their review matrix.  None to be found.

The good news is that they have spent money promoting a market niche that will be easily taken by a full color screen device.  And this will save trees.

Of course we may see a Kindle 3.  Why would a Kindle 3 be significant?  We’ll lets assume they make a deal with two or more other industry manufacturers (notebook, PDA, Mobile) and dub the Kindle 3 a new competitor to the iPhone.  This might be interesting.

Update: Just shortly after this post, I started seeing many people who actually used the Kindle 2 talk about how much they liked the new device.  I stand by my previous observations… But wait, this just in – Amazon has created a iPhone App for Kindle!  Wow – now that’s what I’ve been waiting to hear – so they do “get it.”  Ok – I’m going to install this app and download some publications right now.  (10 mintues later) Just found out that the Kindle app does not download newspapers and magazines – just books (16 shades of grey.)  Unbelievable.  You think they might have made this clear.   We know the iPhone app could probably view more easily than the Amazon Kindle interface.  Oh Well…

Update #2: I continue to get positive feedback on the Kindle 2 from the online community.  I think I “get it” and the problem I have in understanding the value of this device is I’m not a strong print book reader.  People that like books like the Kindle.  Using the real Kindle 2 we bought, I looked at some samples and tried to insureI was not overlooking some other value element.  It was simple, it was easy to use, and the text looked good.  I’d even say I would prefer it to the newspaper.  Still, I just ordered another Dell mini netbook and have higher hopes for getting things read and done with that little guy and I can throw that on the coffee table when I’m not using it too.  

The Kindle has more value as a brand  name representing digital periodic and ebook data.  Amazon should run with that and extend the mobile device (iPhone) applications to view their ebook formats.  Again, either way, it’s good for everyone except that people that make their money on selling print books.  Imagine what’s going to happen when Kindle readers start taking up seats in the local Barnes & Noble…

Well, here are some cafe setting photos that look as if they may hold a favorite seat for someone.  Have you found your perfect seat?

Photo by Phillie Casablanca

Photo by Salim Shadid

Photo by ooOJasonOoo

I will keep looking.  I also enjoy black coffee.  Since there’s a Starbucks on every corner here in town I’m typically drinking Pike’s Place Roast to go. I do think that certain Starbucks have created a very comfortable atmosphere.  I’ve seen a few seats that might have some potential.  Once you begin to know some faces, it’s always a bit more comfortable to start thinking about what might be the perfect seat.

My point here… Atmosphere, service, and perspective are too valuable to be overlooked when considering any leisure, social, or basic need service to consumers.  Hopefully I touched on the atmosphere element.  There are many more post opportunities to deal with the more tangible augmented service elements I mentioned.

Story Header Photo by Jeff kubina

Of 2009, “the number of couples getting married will remain steady overall…” – Wedding Industry Report Summary

For the people that have put career above relationship, this year the tables are turned.  I’d expect to see many people also looking for training and education.  And also look at the social media space as a location people will spend time. 

2009 Facebook Demographics and Statistics Report: 276% Growth in 35-54 Year Old Users – istrategylabs

Facebook has hit 175,000,000 users (Cnet News / Dave Morin) and appears to be positioned for even faster growth.  The user experience is great and very focused on adding the “friends” who have yet to show up on Facebook.

Photo Credit: Lauren Nelsen

 Intuit, the company behind the well-known Quicken suite of money management software that includes Quicken Online, can’t believe how well its competitor Mint is doing. In fact, they were so bewildered by Mint’s claims of gaining 3,000 new users a day and jumping from 600,000 to 850,000 users in a matter of months that they decided to send a threatening letter demanding an explanation for this apparently inconceivable feat.  - TechCrunch

I’ve used Quicken for many years and up until the past few years, I’ve been happy with the convenience of paying bills online – that is – using my computer and Internet connection as opposed to a web based service.  So what happened in the past few years?  I realised that it would be much better to have an online service that is web based and can be accessed anywhere to handle my accounting.  I mean for both business and personal finances.  I was frustrated with having to handle my finances at night on the home computer plus that added concern over backups.  I went looking for a Mint.com type service before this online financial service was popular.  At least I didn’t find it back in 2005.  I transferred the Quicken over to my wife who’s done it since.  

Even after I turned the controls over to my wife, I went to Intuit or Quicken’s sites several times trying to find an online version both for me and for a few other small businesses that asked me about the best way to manage the books.  I never found anything reasonable.  Now, be it cost, be it features, or be it ease of use – the incumbant had nothing of interest to me.  They send me dozens of upgrade offers a year but no simple message of moving my account to a web based online model.

Quicken’s still got our business.  I give them 1 year to get it (get us transferred) to an online version or else I start looking again.  But if I hear more compliments about Mint.com and give it a try – well – lets just say I hope they don’t offer a quick import from Quicken.

About Mint.com’s Product

From the Mint.com website: Mint is fresh, intelligent online money management. Not only is Mint free, it saves you money. While existing personal finance software packages require hours to set up, a passion for accounting (is that possible?) and hours of weekly maintenance, Mint is virtually effortless. 

And yet we look around and see everything moving along as if all is well.  Perhaps it’s the many union, city, state, and government jobs that are protected from the realities of the actual economy.  The workers at these jobs may indeed fear cuts but are not affected immediately like small business owners.  If I don’t sell something this week for my company to build then I don’t get a paycheck.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will put money into the economy with an accountability expectation (Recovery.gov) that we can all monitor the results.  I expect that this bill is not significant to the damage already done by the failed mortgage and banking industry.  As a marketer, I will give you my opinion on the economy.  This is an important consideration for how we spend budgets.  This will also provide you insight about any political bias.  I’m pro United States of America. I want the very best for our amazing country and the very best for the future of my (and your) children.  I’m a registered Republican but quite happy to see Obama in the White House.  I too am ready for change.

So as we put our economic outlook hats on, I predict that at this time next year we will be no better off than today.  This is not a negative prediction.  On the contrary, it’s a positive one.  The economic house of cards is clearly more unstable than ever before.  If we can change consumer confidence for the better, begin financing business growth, and can get foreclosed homes cleaned up in the next 12 months we will have a great chance at starting a new growth in 2010.  Perhaps by 2016 we will see our home values match our paper valuations of 2006.