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MCdONALD'S & aPPLE uP tHEIR eXPERIENCE.

3/31/2015

Image © by Brian E. Faulkner

Years ago, when McDonald’s first started its march to fast food dominance, during the days when you could buy a burger, fries and a drink and still get change back from your quarter, consistency was the company’s stock in trade (yes, the price was under 25-cents, about the cost of a gallon of gas back then). Another plus – and a critical success cornerstone – was that you could get the same McDonald’s fare about anywhere. Eventually, the price of a Big Mac even became a statistical measure for global economic well being because of their international availability.

These days, Ray Kroc’s golden-arched vision has come up against a new reality. Fast food customers expect more in the way of service, décor and food quality. In short, the same old McDonald’s experience will no longer do, even though the neon glow red and yellow plastic has been gone for several years now after a major restaurant re-do. But more change is underway and down the road. Food quality is on the upswing, driven both by consumer demand for fare unsullied by artificial ingredients and by fast casual competitors like Chipotle Mexican Grill that are upping the dining experience, forcing change upon the entire quick serve category.

McDonalds’ new CEO, Steve Esterbrook, calls himself an “internal activist.” Which means he's all about the business of change. A Brit, he's known for simplifying the McDonald’s menu and turning the business around, in a world where the company’s business generally is declining.

“This is where McDonald’s is headed,” Esterbrook said, referring to their stylish new 500-seat restaurant at the Frankfurt airport, where you can order at the counter or use a number of kiosks that fall easily to hand as you enter the store. There’s even a sit-down ordering option, thanks to a waiter with a tablet – and your food is brought to you so you don’t have to waste time milling around the counter.

McDonald’s isn’t the only iconic business that sees change in its immediate future. Apple, too, is upping its customer experience to accommodate the more upscale presentation demanded by luxury watch buyers.   The Apple Watch hits stores in about three weeks and reportedly may be had for as little as $349 (with a sapphire crystal screen) or in 18k at upwards of $10,000 (as rumor has it). But some marketing mavens are cautioning caution as the brand evolves. Can Apple stretch itself into the luxury category without losing its everyman base? Probably not without this store redesign, which – Apple Watch aside -- can’t come too soon for those serious Apple technology buyers who have tired of having to cut through the gadget gawkers to get serious attention – even out here in the burbs.

Customer experience is inextricably entwined with brand. Brand impression, a critical strategic distinction not so readily established, can be sullied in an instant by a buying or service experience that doesn’t match.

As for me, I’d be more inclined to check out McDonald’s given the new décor and ordering options exhibited in their Frankfurt airport store.   However, I’m not in the market for a watch at any price (haven’t worn one in well over 30 years), although I have been conversing with myself about a MacBook Pro purchase for some time (not to mention the iPhone 6 my family keeps after me to buy) and would genuinely appreciate a less carnival-like, more “considerate” atmosphere in which to make up my mind.

TakeAway: Where does your product or service stand? Does your customer experience match the brand impression you’ve created?

Read about my iPhone 6 dilemma here: www.brianefaulkner.com/blog/you-gotta-get-an-iphone-dad
Content © by Brian E. Faulkner

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Passion Is Calling. How Will You Respond?

3/18/2015

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Image © by Brian E. Faulkner

When I think about passionate people, one person always comes first to mind. I’ve written about this man here before, although not by name.

He impressed me from the start, not just because he started his business in a closet – quite literally -- but because of his passion. He was confident that he and his team could create a new line of apparel for a disorganized, under-served market that needed a more consistent branded product. So, with the blessing of his parent company, he gathered a small group of like-minded believers around the closet and went to work.

Their business took hold and prospered, and their brand became an icon in the trade. His team grew as they created opportunity, managed growth and guided the company into the future. No matter how successful they became (and they were enormously successful in a blazingly short time), they never lost that passion about their business, their customers and their purpose.

The passion was most obvious during their annual sales meetings, which were a combination of “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet!” commitment and a palpable awe that they’d all been graced with the privilege of working together. Love was afoot in that company. And no matter how many sales meetings we worked for successive clients, no other experience quite matched the sense of belonging my team felt when working with this passionate group.

Albert Einstein claimed to have no special talents, but he did have passion. He was “passionately curious” -- and look where that got him!

So I began musing about all of this today and wondered what might happen if the sort of passion discussed above were to be introduced to – even expected of – students in America’s public schools. I read occasionally about students, sometimes whole classes full of students, who are inspired by passionate teachers. But I hear far more frequently about classes held hostage by the bad behavior of a handful of kids who could care less about anything other than clever disruption. What if those kids – all kids – were routinely introduced to passionate possibilities? What if they were exposed to such a variety of these possibilities during their school experience that a spark strikes and leads them to careers … dreams … lives … that otherwise would have been beyond their imagining? They would act up less and learn more. Every child has that potential.

Some years ago, I had the privilege of speaking to second and fourth grade classes about reading and writing. One day I arrived to find a girl standing up in front facing the blackboard.

“What’s up with this?” I asked the teacher, who mumbled something about how the girl had been talking too much. So I turned to the girl.

“How would you like to be my assistant?” I asked. Her eyes brightened and a smile crept across her face, which then bloomed into pure delight. The class responded, too, and we had a great time. I often wonder about that young girl.   Grown up now, no doubt, perhaps with children of her own. She had a glint of intelligence in her eyes that said anything was possible … if only she was given the opportunity to discover whatever life’s pursuit would have been perfect for her – maybe even beyond her imagining.

I also recall, about that same time, speaking to an assembly of high school students in a large gym. As the principal was introducing me, a small group of students in the bleachers across the way began bleating like goats and snorting like pigs. So, when I finally got hold of the microphone, here’s what I told them:

“You guys up there in the bleachers think you’re cute. But if you keep on doing things like that, here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to graduate high school – just barely. And you’ll find yourself unprepared in a world that would just as soon chew you up, spit you out and leave you by the side of the road. So go ahead, make all the racket you want. Even though there’s not much of a market out there for animal noises.”

It got pin quiet after that.

The world does not owe every ne’er do well a living.   But everyone should have the opportunity to earn a living, a living shot through with optimism and passion. The sky should be the limit for both employee and employer as they succeed together. But not if you’re a slug who could care less about qualities like passion, team, responsibility and accomplishment.

“The saddest people I’ve ever met in life are the ones who don’t care deeply about anything at all,” Nicholas Sparks wrote in Dear John.   Which, unfortunately, can be seen all too readily in our schools.

So imagine what might happen if American students were introduced to their passion at an early age. Imagine the showplace of success our schools could become. Imagine the businesses that could be built, the art that could be created, the world that could be changed -- all because some child somewhere realizes what truly is possible and gets plugged into their passion.

I have friends who are crazy about pianos. Another who loves 1950s Fords. One who’s passionate about geology and the environment. And a daughter who’s passionate about planes and cars, the engines that make them go and the stars in the sky and the space that surrounds them plus all manners of fascinating, undiscovered things and is making wondrous progress on a path of her own making. She dropped out of high school in the 10th grade because she was unchallenged and bored, earned her GED, worked in New York, traveled the world for a while, took part-time calculus classes (for fun) and then got trained to be an airplane mechanic before settling herself back into college to study physics.

She’s got a natural spark, and her possibilities are endless. As it should be for everyone.

TakeAway: Passion is calling. How will you respond?

Content © by Brian E. Faulkner

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Experience Mustang -- All Over Again.

3/14/2015

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While scientists busily try to clone pets and people, an enterprising Orlando firm has re-invented the iconic Ford Mustang. Their product looks just like the real thing: a 1964.5 Pony car with all the Mustang badges and design cues in place. http://www.revologycars.com/

For all intents, it is the real thing – only thoroughly updated.

The Ford-licensed product was developed by Tom Scarpello’s Revology Cars in Orlando. Scarpello, who used to build high performance versions of Ford cars when he worked for the company, loves classic cars but doesn’t like the way they drive. “A lot of people agree with me,” he says. “Consumer expectations have advanced and people are finding that carefully and professionally modified classic cars are an exciting alternative. If the car is built right, the market potential for this type of vehicle is very significant.”

The “new” Mustang is technologically superior to the original and has great appeal for that reason, unless you’re a purist who can’t imagine cruising around in anything less than the real McCoy.

“The concept behind the company is to bring a scientific approach to the restoration of classic automobiles, utilizing modern components and manufacturing processes to ‘evolve’ them, to improve their performance, reliability, durability, fuel economy, safety, and comfort, while retaining their essential character and style,” explains Scarpello on the Revologoy Web site.   Open the ashtray and there’s a USB connection. Turn the window crank, and the power windows go up and down. Flip on the lights and LEDs illuminate front and back. Engines, power-trains, suspensions and brakes are sourced from modern vehicles, Revology says, including a Ford manufactured 302 cu. in V8 that puts 265 hp on the ground through either a 4-speed automatic or 5-speed manual transmission.

So, if you’ve got a spare $119K for the fastback – or $122K for the convertible, get in line. Or, you could re-build your own classic Mustang if that’s your idea of fun, starting with a 50-year-old (or newer) example, which may be anywhere from in barn-find dismal condition to pin-perfect. Even a shabby example of a base ‘60s era Mustang with a six cylinder engine can set you back a significant pile of dollars, while a decent survivor (a relatively non-neglected, unmodified car that can be put back on the road in reasonable time with less-than outrageous expense) can cost in the many tens of thousands.   Various examples: http://barnfinds.com/?s=1966+Mustang

Some people buy and restore classic cars for fun and profit then flip them to the next owner (who may not be so handy with a wrench) and go on to the next project. Others collect them, some of whom are hoarders with barns or fields full of cars rusting away (see one of the examples above) waiting for that day that never comes. Others buy (and enjoy) daily drivers. And some purchase only the best examples and show them.

No matter which path you choose, you’re investing in experience. You’re buying memories – not perfectly straight sheet metal, blemish-free paint and numbers that match. Maybe your dad or mom drove a Mustang when they were courting and you want to surprise them on their 50th anniversary with a great-performing car that looks like an authentic new Mustang – because it is, complete with a 100,000 mile warranty.

Experience sells, whether Mustangs or even something seemingly as mundane as groceries. Products with “experience” built in make you feel good and make you want to come back for more, whether that’s next week when grocery shopping time rolls around again or decades from now when you get a hankerin’ for that classic car you enjoyed so much all those years ago.   Experience is largely about pleasure. There are companies you look forward to doing business with (even in relatively mundane product categories) and those that leave you cold. There are tools that fit perfectly in the hand and are a pleasure to use and tools that barely get the job done. Airline A wraps its welcome around you, while Airline B treats you like cattle. Brand is a form of experience, a bridge between product and prospect.

Take one look at Revology’s “new” Ford Mustang and you’ll get the idea.

TakeAway: Does your product or service provide a brand “experience” that makes your customers or clients look forward to doing business with you -- all over again?

Content © by Brian E. Faulkner

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Car BUYING Decisions, Car Dealer Surprises.

3/6/2015

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Image © by Brian E. Faulkner

I've been thinking lately about buying a new car – a newer car. My 1998 Crown Vic with “only" 326,165 miles has been showing signs of terminal illness.

“It’s the transmission,” my trusty mechanic reported after a test drive. “You can feel it jerking like a fish on a line.” Sure enough, I could feel it – and could feel my wallet becoming much lighter if transmission repairs were to cost more than $2,000, which he said was possible.

“You could always donate it to the fire department for training,” he added, without a wink or smile, which would have meant he was kidding. As the local fire chief, he was always on the lookout for such things. But sacrifice my trusty old Crown Vic to the Jaws of Life, a car so clean I've been known to dry if off after a rainstorm? I’d sooner make a planter out of it. That way, I could still wipe the paint clean after it showers.

All of this got me thinking about buying another car:

On the PLUS side: I enjoy looking around at new cars.
On the MINUS side: I don’t like spending money I don’t have on cars I don’t think I really need.

Turns out there are plenty of Crown Vics for sale online, many of them retired police cars. Some look like they were driven by the Blues Brothers while others are shiny and new. There was one attractive non-police LX Sport model for sale recently that appealed to me right away. Unfortunately, the seller’s ex-wife had taken a baseball bat and high heel shoes to the sheet metal. He was offering the car cheap, since he’d already bought himself a Jag (wait ‘til she gets a load of that!).

Truth is, the Crown Vic is getting long in the tooth. The newest of them are 2011s and look pretty much like my ‘98, although mechanical improvements have been made over the years. Should I look at cars with a turning radius less than a small delivery truck? Should I consider something more stylish?

As a friend once told me, “Lookin’ don’t cost nothin’.”

So I headed out in the Crown Vic to see what I could find, with the transmission still jerking like it had a fish on the line. First stop? The local Ford store, where I’d heard they had a slightly newer Crown Vic for sale. Long gone.

“Those Crown Vics sell fast,” said Ed the salesman, who looked every bit the man who’d spent years in sun-soaked car lots talking to people like me. “So why not keep your Crown Vic?” he asked.

“The transmission may be on the way out,” I said, looking as hangdog as possible so Ed would feel sorry for me and cut me a deal on something else. “And my wife says we need a newer, more dependable car to ride our grandchildren around in, since even the closest ones live three hours down the road. And besides, she says, you need to make a more up-to-date appearance.

Right on both counts.

“You don’t need to get rid of that car,” said Ed. Right again -- me and the Crown Vic could keep right on goin’ if it weren't for that pesky transmission problem!

“Maybe it’s something else,” proffered Ed, who had taken an odd tack away from selling me something new in favor of fixing what I was already in.

“Why don’t you go up there to the shop and let them check it out before you make a decision.”

It’s worth a try ... thanks, Ed!

Jarrod the tech no doubt had seen his share of Crown Vics come through the shop, most probably driven by older folks like me who’d grown content with their cars and weren't so easily smitten by curvaceous new sheet metal, and thus appeared to understand where I was coming from.

“Feels more like an ignition issue to me,” he proclaimed during our short test ride. “Transmission’s shifting smoothly. Car runs good. Let’s put it on the analyzer.”

“I’ll have to come back,” I said, rather lamely, sliding back into the driver's seat and heading out the door. Gotta think about this:

* Option 1: Fix it. Maybe get to 400,000 miles before it breaks again.
* Option 2: Sell or trade the car before it breaks (or somebody's ex takes a ball bat to it).
* Option 3: Buy a newer car and KEEP THE CROWN VIC! We could use a spare car, right?

I can easily see myself in a sky blue Mustang convertible like this. Or maybe one of those svelte new Lincoln sedans, although stark reality suggests something more like a used Taurus. But then what would happen to the Crown Vic if the new car gets the garage? Leave it out in the SUN? Or the RAIN?!

One plus about buying a car is that I get to do business with Ed, a man who defies the car salesman stereotype. His first impulse was to help me make the right decision, not to feather his own nest by pushing me toward an immediate sale, which he said is not unique to him but an extension of his dealership's customer-first philosophy. So let me know if you’re in the market for a new (or newer) car. I’ll be glad to pass Ed's name along to you. Meanwhile, I've got an ignition module to replace on my Crown Vic.

TakeAway: Surprise your prospects with authentic, customer-first sales and service. They’ll come back for more -- and tell their friends about it.

Content © by Brian E. Faulkner

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sample blog:

This is a sample blog for writer Brian E. Faulkner. It presents stories about brands that do (or don't) communicate competitive advantage effectively. Stories have been gleaned from the business press, personal experience and occasional interviews. New articles are added from time to time, and every so often there will be a post of general interest -- about things like success, passion, social trends, etc.

Author

Brian Faulkner is a writer and strategic communication consultant who helps business clients explain their competitive advantage in compelling and enduring ways.

He also is a five-time Emmy award winning Public Television writer & narrator for a highly-rated and well-loved magazine series.

MCdONALD'S & aPPLE uP tHEIR eXPERIENCE.

Passion Is Calling. How Will You Respond?

Experience Mustang -- All Over Again.

Car BUYING Decisions, Car Dealer Surprises.

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