To paraphrase Robert M. Pirsig, this blog is not so much about Zen or motorcycles as it is about how managers make sense of markets and collaboratively serve those markets effectively and efficiently.
Pull up a screen and take a gander. Hopefully you'll have a laugh, gain some insight or find an idea for making your customers' lives better tomorrow.
If nothing else, I'll feel better for having vented.
Reading AdAge's "Creativity On-Line" this morning, I became hopelessly entranced by a link to the "UNIQLOCK," which AdAge predicted may win one of the top awards at the Cannes Advertising Award extravaganza. Anyway, I'm just totally enthralled by this website/blog widget. Mostly, because I can't figure out how anyone makes money with it:-) The T-Shirts? Hiring the producers? I'm not sure.... Nonetheless, it is really cool. You can access the website directly - and post it's HTML into your blog/website as well....(I had to post pictures of the clock - because the widget was just getting too annoying for me. OK, maybe it's not that cool as a widget, but it is still cool to watch. 30Jun08.)
".... This is an idea straight out of an Excel spreadsheet designed by a newly-minted MBA with no concept of value propositions or game theory.
.... But what I hope happens, and is certainly possible, is that Southwest or JetBlue will start running ads that focus on "our price includes everything, including your bags." Or even better, "Why pay extra for your bags on AA if we're more likely to get them to where your going for free?" ...."
Regarding the first point, I subsequently found an AA press release stating exactly what I suspected:
Additional Revenue Initiatives
.... Today, American introduced a $15 fee for the first checked bag, given the increasing costs of transporting checked baggage.... American also said today that it has increased its fees for certain other services, ranging from reservation service fees to pet and oversized bag fees. The increases mostly range from $5 to $50 per service. The company estimates that new and increased fees announced this month will generate several hundred million dollars in incremental annual revenue....
I think we need to put that quote into a marketing textbook as the antithesis of a market-orientation!!
Hmmm...to paraphrase Dr. Phil, "How's that working out for you?"
Oh, wait, I think I have an idea how it's working out for you!!!
As I predicted, relying on rudimentary game theory, Southwest Airlines has responded with competitive gusto!! Rather than talk about it, I'll just offer the following evidence. Enjoy!
