Glossy Business

High expectations are abound in today’s business world. That is one of the reason many companies adapt to the flashiness and make them self appear to be much more than they are. It is what I call “Business Pretense”

One of the ways I most often find this evident is in company’s websites. When looking for products or services smiley fake faces and promising slogans abound. But when it comes to delivery smiley faces and promising slogans don’t deliver. People do!

This website click here is dedicated to selling high resolution pictures to incorporate in to websites or print for product labels and packages. Over 60,000 of the pictures are of people with “smiles”. The subscription cost to obtain pictures is $99.95 per month or $449.95 per year.

Just about everybody can come up with fancy slogans. Sometimes when I drive along the highway I read slogans on commercial vehicles and can’t help but smile. Here are few slogans:

Let Us Take The Load Off Your Mind"
You can do it! We can help
We're number two. We try harder
Finger-lickin' good
You deserve a break today

And a few famous slogans: "Best customer service you will find" and "We put our customers first".

One of my criteria for product and service purchases is personal service and attention to detail. It is rare in today’s business world. Here are a few companies I’ve had personal involvement with and stand out.

Westjet Airlines is great! First and foremost for the excellent personal service they provide. It is evident on their website; they have pictures of actual people working for the company. When flying with them the staff is courteous, friendly and most of all they are humorist. Westjet is currently running a promotion with a great marketing touch! Check it out!

About 2 years ago I sign up for a company tour at http://www.1800gotjunk.com/ headquartered in Vancouver BC Canada. Brian Scudamore the founder and CEO was personally available for questions. The atmosphere was great and personable. Training and team collaboration is evident at its headquarters. Pictures of real people and biographies of the executive team on their website. Great company!

Recently I was browsing http://www.dell.ca/. Dell has a good reputation. I notice pictures and biographies of the executive team on the website. It is rare to find biographies on website, especially from the executives. It is personable to do business with Dell!

There are prevailing fears in people to be personable! I will write more about fears in people and how they are manifested in businesses in an upcoming blog post.

Here is a marketing pitch. The first person to post a comment on my blog with the company name corresponding to the first five slogans above I will give a $10.00 Tim Horton’s gift certificate. This is to see how well slogans work.