Last year, HJMT had a booth at the small business expo at the Javitz Center in NYC.  While working the booth, I met a woman who told me she hosted an Internet radio show and wanted to know if I would be interested in being a guest.

Almost a year went by and I forgot about the conversation.  Then one day, I got a call from her.  She wanted to interview me for her community program on AllBlackRadio.com.  As a publicist of nearly 30 years, I figured that it would be a good opportunity to get the word out about my book, so I agreed to go on the show.

The show was taped in downtown Brooklyn.  I left Long Beach at 8:30 and arrived in Brooklyn close to 10:30 am.  I couldn’t believe it took me two hours to get there.  I called the show to tell them I was running late.  They told me not to worry.  Then I started to look for a spot.  I kept going around and around and around looking for a spot, any spot.  I called the production office again.

“Do you know where I can park?” I asked.

“No,” the woman told me and hung up.  I should have realized what type of an operation it was after she hung up on me.  I found a parking garage very soon after that and walked to the station.

The station was located in a law firm office.  Apparently, the law firm (an immigration law firm) had purchased all the equipment and had the show right on their premises.  Marilyn, the show producer, met me in the lobby.  She brought me to the studio and we started the interview.  The interview lasted about 10 minutes and after that she asked if she could talk with me.

I sat down at her desk and she started to pitch me advertising opportunities. Then she pitched me my own show…. Then she pitched me speaking opportunities…. Then she pitched me…. (That’s when I started to tune her out…. All I kept thinking – How am I going to get out of here!)

My head was spinning.  I asked her if I could have a copy of the recording.  She asked me for $5.  I gave her cash and you know what, even though the interview actually ran twice, I never heard from her again and never did get my mp3 recording of the interview…  It just goes to show you that anyone could have a radio show…

So while we are a couple of weeks past the holiday season, one hot topic of discussion around the dinner table was holiday tips. It was reminiscent of my Journalism 101 class: Who, What, Where, When and Why.
The disagreement between others and me was simple; do you give a holiday tip for service rendered or to ensure you receive better service in the coming year.

Perhaps I’m a bit old school, but my thinking is simple; a tip is no different than a sales person’s commission. The commission is given only after the sale is complete. Commission is not given prior to a sale.

I don’t tip my postal worker and I don’t tip my garbage collectors. Why? Well, what did they do beyond the basics of their job to serve me? My garbage cans on yard waste and recycling pick up days can often be found rolling around the bottom of my driveway or across the street. (Now where’s that missing lid?) My mail is in my mailbox, but the recent crumpled card and bills I received made me wonder why such a small bundle of parcels needed to be rubberbanded.

To me, a year-end tip is deserved only when the individual in question goes above and beyond the call of duty. I don’t expect them to do anything other than their job, but when I’m chasing garbage cans or wondering why my mail is at times crumpled, I can’t help but think this is not the way to earn a tip.

Those I do tip are my kids’ bus driver and my longtime hair stylist. The bus driver is friendly and make sure my kids are safe on their trip to and from school. At the start of school, he also let my fourth grade son sit with my kindergartner daughter so she was more comfortable. For the record, kids on the bus usually sit by age. And my hairdresser always finds time for me, sneaking me in when I need a last minute trim.

Some did argue that if I tipped others, perhaps my garbage cans and mail would receive greater respect. Perhaps, but isn’t this like giving a kid dessert so he/she eats their dinner? In an era when more people are looking for a handout, I’ll be happy to give something extra when and only when it is earned.

I always thought that boutiques offer more customer service and better value than department stores, until the other day.  I purchased a dress in October at PM Boutique in Oceanside.  It was a ball gown, black with embroidered flowers and a purple sash.  It was really special.

Since then, every couple of weeks I’ve been calling the store to see if the dress came in and was told the same thing every time — “we will call the manufacturer and let you know.”

Now the affair is approaching quickly and I called again.  They gave me the same answer.  I told them that I needed it for the weekend.  They told me they would call me back.  This time, they called me back.

“Mrs. Topper,” the woman said, “I am very upset, more upset then you could ever know….”

Now, I knew something was wrong.  “What’s up?” I asked.

“I really can’t guarantee that your dress will be in,” she said.  “But it’s not our fault, it’s the manufacturers fault. I hate dealing with these people” she told me.

“If you have had problems in the past, why are you still carrying their dresses?” I asked.  I was really upset and was frustrated that she was blaming everyone but herself for the problem.

“Don’t worry,” she said, “we have plenty of dresses here. We will put you in something….”

Well, I didn’t want to be in just “something” so I went to Nordstrom’s in Roosevelt Field during my lunch break and found another special dress.  I bought it and called PM Boutique.

“I would like to get my money back,” I said. “I found another dress at Nordstrom’s and I bought it since you told me you couldn’t guarantee my dress.”

She told me she would refund my money.  “And by the way sweetie,” she said, “be sure to come in after your affair and give me photos.  I would love to see them and also, I hope there are no hard feelings.”

No hard feelings?  Is she kidding?  Well, I guess as long as I get my money back, there will be no hard feelings….

A “social” friend of mine, Julie, turned me on to a Twitter site today that kinda follows one of my best practices for commercial tweeting. It’s Staples.  I preach to clients and friends that corporate users shouldn’t just broadcast promotional info and/or respond to help questions on Twitter. Rather, they should create a persona for their Twitter presence that embodies the brand and inspires positive thought and action. Think of it as a role in a movie with a motivation. The motivation should track to the brand plan and push the brand planks.

In the case of Staples, the “tweet team” consists of five people, each with their own tag. Michelle is MO, Kevin AB, etc. This allows them to be identified and personalized, plus it shares the workload. At this point, I’m not yet sure if these people are SMEs (subject matter experts) or generalists.  It would be a smart if they had discrete areas of expertise and personalities to fit.

Buy and Multiply

More and more companies are hiring people to handle social media.  Some are outsourcing (stopgap), others using interns (big gap), the smart ones employ senior people who get the brand strategy.  The big promise of Twitter is not to make customers happy – one at a time – but to inspire customers to buy, share and multiply.  The key word here is inspire. Tweeters have to be engaging individuals…with personalities.  And just like in a retail setting they can’t be shills. They must be sensitive, funny and friend-like.  If you are on the receiving end of a commercial tweet you need to “feel” the company tweeter – and like her/him. The persona is key.

Staples has made a good start here, let’s see hat they do with it. Peace on Haiti.

twitter.com/StaplesTweets

images.businessweek.com/ss/09/05/0508_ceos_who_twitter/index.htm

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Steve Poppe is the Managing Partner of What’s The Idea? Check out his blog at http://www.whatstheidea.com.

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I don’t understand why the women’s bathroom is always locked. In my Westbury office building, the women’s room is locked and the men’s room isn’t. What’s that about? In any event, each office has one key and they are hard to come by if they are lost. We’ve lost quite a few keys in the few years we’ve been in the building. Now we have the key on a long hanging chain that might be worn by a lifeguard or teacher. Fortunately, we’ve had this key for a while without losing it.

Today, I had to take my husband to his doctor. He had a knee injury and needed a follow up visit. As soon as we walked into the office, I dashed over to the receptionist.

“Do you have a bathroom I could use?” I asked.

“Sure, take the clipboard. The key is attached. Take the whole thing,” she said.

Down the long hall I walked with this huge clipboard and key, just to use the ladies’ room. I guess they’ve had problems losing keys too. Well, they won’t loose this key because it’s way to big to lose…..

What will people think of next?