Cab drivers are some of the most interesting people you'll ever meet. And some of the most knowledgeable about the places you visit for business or leisure. be super nice to them, chat them up, and get them to tell you a good story. it'll make your ride to and from the airport a great one, and they probably won't try to stiff you.

They'll also treat you extra nice, which always sets the stage for a great check-in at your hotel or at your airline terminal. Trust me, the doorman at whatever hotel you're going to will take his cues from how well your cabbie treats you as he drops you off. They have radar for stuff like this.

It's fascinating to me how much people open up to you when you engage them with curiosity and enthusiasm. And the upgrades... Wow. The upgrades. Turning on a little charm goes a long way to helping human touchpoints everywhere create a remarkable brand experience for you everywhere you go.

And wearing big Hollywood sunglasses at all times seems to help, for some strange reason.

Go figure.

Labels: customer experience, relationships, taxis, touchpoints, travel

"The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow."

- William Pollard.


That's worth framing and hanging in every meeting room from Portland to Tahiti (via Paris).

Thanks to Tom Asacker for digging that one up for us, and for his fantastic post on the very topic I wanted to explore today: What traps should exciting new companies be on the lookout for? As you can imagine, this post was going to be long. (Or at least long-ish.) Thanks to Tom's impeccable timing, you won't have to suffer through another endless essay. (See? Your good deeds are already starting to pay off.)

Check this out (again, from Tom's post):

- Donald Sull
(Revival of the Fittest: Why Good Companies Go Bad an How Great Managers Remake Them.)


So... your new mission every day is to keep it fresh. That's it. Whether you're in the business of designing ads, repairing engines, selling shoes or answering calls from angry customers, don't ever, ever, ever let routine set in. Try different things. Learn something new from every customer. From every sale. From every design challenge. From every product launch. From every commercial you hear on the radio. From every movie you catch on cable. From the games your kids play. From magazines you've never picked up.

Keep it fresh. Shake things up. Kill the routine before it starts killing you.

Ad go read Tom's full post. It's very good.

Have a great Monday, everyone. :)


photo by F360: Pita posing for the camera.

Labels: agile creativity, arrogance, brands, relationships, routine, success