Fire the wrong customer

"Even though we have signed a letter of agreement with you to hold our October tournament at your Ian Baker-Finch Woodlands course, we have decided to to reverse our decision and not hold the event at your place." The email from Raymond read. All this was due to the non-waiver of 2 no-show charge for the previous event, despite the fact that we have built a supposedly strong business relationship over the past couple of years.

The saying used to be "If you've got the money, we've got the time." I spent years finding out the hard way that just because the customer can buy doesn't mean we should sell to them. The wrong customers can be abomination.

We should always start with and constantly assess who the "right" customers are and what they value when they buy. This is done by laying out the criteria doe the wrong customers. They either need a deep discount or too many concessions or impossible service levels. They believe us and our competitors are all the same. They behave badly.

I have since learned to "fire" the wrong customer (abusive, inebriated) while pulling out the stops for the right customer.

fromright: David, Francis, Georgina, Margaret, Ernie

The right speech

ACE will undergo his English language oral assessment today.

I have seen speakers deliver extended, dry remarks filled with complex financial projections, or sermons filled with dire predictions about the future - and admonitions to work hard or else.

The right speech, I feel, needs to be authentic, and it needs to be delivered with sincerity. It is more important for the message to be delivered from the heart than with flowery language.

I am still learning how to communicate. I am used to writing articles and preparing reports, but these are not really very effective communication tools. People can fall asleep after 2 minutes of reading. But speech can be like an article is we are not careful. So the speech has to have emotional content. To be effective, we have to tap into people's sentiments, feelings and emotions.

Respecting individuality

"Flight diversion: Jetstar gave passengers an option." That was the headline of a letter in the forum page of The Straits Times today.

Remember the last time you received poor service, at a restaurant or hotel? For many, such ordeals create our lasting recollections of a company - and often our best happy-hours stories. We forget consistently dependable service while remembering the occassional mishap.

The surest way to provide poor service is to walk every client through the same route, impersonal routine, never varying, no matter who the individual client is or what he really wants - like they are part of an assembly line.

The way I see it, customisation is a sure route to providing a positive experience. I always respect my customers' individuality.
from left: Shirley, Francis, Ernie, David

Marketing, not product, is king

"Have you seen the first 3D newspaper ad?" screamed the headline in TODAY online. "The 4-page front and back cover advertisement by Panasonic in the newspaper today is the first 3-dimensional (3D) newspaper advertisement to be published in Singapore. When viewed through special glasses that come with the newspaper, vivid images appear to pop out from the pages."

The formidable hurdles we marketers have to overcome in advertising, or any marketing communications are principally the problems of clutter, audience distraction, and claim inflation.

Lesser known brands like Bintan Lagoon Resort has no choice but to try to stand out; differentiation is a question of survival. We must demand to be noticed. Whereas established brands like Angsana/Banyan Tree can rely on weight of exposure and repetition to drive the message home, for us smaller brands, clear communication alone is not enough - we must capture the target's imagination, rather than just communication.

Delayed enlightenment

"I just want to be happy," Ms Foo answered when I asked her what it was that she wanted out of her relationship with her Caucasian boyfriend. But she could not define what that meant. She really had not worked out in her mind what it would take to make her happy in a relationship.

I feel we need to know what we want out of a relationship. We can't expect to figure it out as we go.

It is one thing when we are courting each other and holding hands. It's something else altogether when we are snoring in each other's faces. When we get married there are lots of things we learn that we didn't know before.

A lot of people blow relationships because they expect people to change for them. People don'tchange unless they want to change. We should make sure what our bottom line is up front.

Eat the humble pie

"Eat the humble pie: to admit one's error and and apologise." This was one of the idioms/phrases in ACE's week 5 study list.

According to Collins, a mistake is an error, blunder in action, opinion, judgement, misconception, misunderstanding, misintepretation, to choose badly.

When it happens, I am never afraid to admit it. Stop it, correct it, and most importantly, don't repeat it. In my dictionary, mistakes are nothing but education and the 1st step to something better.

Dead people are the only ones who don't make mistakes. I'm not saying celebrate mistakes, just admit them, correct them and go on.

Nail those heel draggers

"It's been 4 months since we were to start implementing the feedback/referral forms," Shirley queried. "But why have you been distributing a different form, and sporadically as well?"

There are people who oppose initiatives or change quietly through non-cooperation. They'll nod their heads yes but they'll act no. Every HOD's seen one of these, although they can be hard to spot for obvious reasons. Tell-tale signs are like lateness in completing new procedures after specific , detailed instructions have been given.

I will bring resistence into the open.

The good and the bad

"Travel Distribution Summit Asia Final Information." That was the subject of an email I received from Stevie Bell this morning. Organised by Eye For Travel, this is their 6th TDS conference which discusses web and mobile technology in travel distribution.

Although a website doesn't have to be beautiful to work, it sure helps. An eye-catching and appealing site will hold the attention of visitors longer than a site that is difficult to navigate or look at. More importantly, however, is whether the site helps users get something done. That's what differentiates between good and the bad sites.

Good sites engage visitors, give them reasons to spend time there, and bring them back again. Even some poorly designed sites can still attract visitors with a strong marketing campaign. So , for us marketing folks, the real test is: whether a visitor comes back.

What is loyalty?

"I was with Pan Pacific for 8 years in total," Thina, my long lost colleague from KL said when we bumped into each other. "I have now been with this new company for 2 years in Singapore."

To some loyalty means sticking around. To others, loyalty means telling the truth. I personally like that latter definition better. If the staff stick around with her mouth closed, what good is that? I'm not afraid of losing those people who stick around just to collect a paycheque; I'm afraid of losing the people who care enough to challenge me every step of the way.

I don't hire someone with the idea she'll be my staff forever. If when she leaves - after 3 productive years - though I may feel I have lost, I have actually won - because I have done such a good job that people want my best staff.

Jiaye (left), Brian (right)

Step out of your bondage

"He wants to break up with me," Stephie lamented. "Now, even my parents don't want me to see him anymore."

I have got news for you: wives and girlfriends who become clinging vines are not attractive to intelligent men. Hunsbands/boyfriends eventually walk all over wives/girlfriends who lean on them and exude an attitude that suggests, "you are my whole world, and if you let me down, I might as well kill myself." Ladies who become independently happy and content in and with themselves suddenly become mystifyingly attractive.

This is also a message that every young person must heed to survive the pressures of broken relationships so common today. They need to learn not to depend on others for their happiness and to find their own sources of happiness: they must no longer depend on their partners to create it for them.

Confidence builders

"The next 2 courses by Worldhotels/IFH are Business Etiquette and Dressing for Success," Eleen read out in the meeting.

Believe it or not, we can buy confidence. After all, we bought knowledge with our education and experience with our time, and those are the key ingredients for confidence. Visual image building (such as business etiquettes and dressing for success) simply wraps those intangible confidence builders in tangible evidence. On the way up the corporate ladder, one must be prepared to make that investment of time, energy and money.

No country benefits from prolonged warfare

"I couldn't stand it anymore. 2 years of pent-up frustrations came out in a big bang," Paul, my namesake, poured his heart out over the Kronenbourg 1664. "I yelled at the lady boss, including expletives. She has always been siding with Ms Tay. FYI, I am now on garden leave."

Most working persons will tell you that the workplace is often like a battlefield. There is always an urgent need to keep ourselves updated on what our business competitotrs are up to, sending our people to clinch deals before theirs do, throwing "red herrings"to our business rivals, etc. And of course, the inevitable daily office politics which most of us are aware of, though some may not care to admit its existence.

These kinds of warfare can become costly. A wrong decision could cost a reputation or job.

Sun Tzu went so far as to say: "History has shown that there has never been a country benefitting from prolonged warfare."

Be prepared

"My SA1 exams are 14 schooling days away," ACE told me when he got into the car. "I need to get more prepared for the mother tongue subject"

I learned early in life that if you worked hard and are prepared, when you are called on to perform you will be able to accomplish your goals. It takes a lot of unspectacular preparation to achieve spectacular results.

Proving something

"I went on a journey of self-discovery," Francis said while we strolled down a street in Hongqiao.

I have had spurts of self-awareness and growth that have been very beneficial to me. I was a driven person in desperate need to gain approval for myself. This created the need to prove something to myself and others. I worked at a frantic pace, pushing myself to the limit. It was true that I accomplished a great deal. Most people would if they worked 70 to 80 hours a week.

Play strategy games

The latest game ACE and I enjoy playing is Labyrinth.

Strategy games keep the mind active, sharp and ready to meet everyday problems in a creative way. The array of games we spend time playing are Monopoly, Battleship, Cluedo, Risk and Scrabble. PC games such as Rollercoaster Tycoons and Championship Manager are also stimulating yet relaxing. These games devotees say they are challenging, fun and help boost brainpower.

from left: Lydia, Albert (partially hidden), ACE, Bernie

Decisions parents make

"I hate the midnight flight but I have to chauffeur my kid around tomorrow morning," Francis said at lunch time while chewing his Hong Shou pork.

Bachelors or hermits, responsible for no one but themselves, can make different choices than a husband and father. We parents must sort out priorities and divide our time between family, career and other activities.

I learned that we can do anything, but we can do everything - at least not at the same time. In a Hindu tradition, the 1st third of life is dedicated to education; the 2nd third, to marriage, family and career; and the final third to inner development and spiritual exploration. This traditional cycle may not apply to all of us, but it seems worthwhile to consider.

Today, after all the paths I've travelled, I've come to realise that my family and loved ones and my service in the world have blessed my life in many ways far more profound that all the drinking, football or clubbing. During this stage in my life, I want to enjoy my family and loved ones while I can - make them a priority while I have them.

Failure is part of progress, not final outcome

"I have stopped going to the gym," Zad said. "I don't have time anymore.

Some of us want to change, and have tried to change, but have failed so many times and start to think that we can't change. Paralyzed by the fear of failing again, we are afraid to hope. We are afraid of subscribing to false hope.


For some of us, the doctor tells us that if we don't lay off the fried foods, we will die of a heart attack, or that if we don't stop smoking, we will have to have a lung removed. Perhaps our spouse tells us that if we don't spend more time with the family, she is going to leave us. For me over 20 years ago, it was overspending and gambling that overwhelmed and debilitated me, bringing me to my knees in desperation.


Why are the people who come to radical forks in the road the lucky ones? I think it is because most people never get to that point of desperation and so never change.


We must never allow our spirit to be stifled by failure. Failure is part of progress, not a final outcome.

Networking and staff hunt

My ex-colleague is interested in the secretary position," the email from Jiaye started. "Attached her resume for your perusal."

I have always favoured personal referrals above all other methods because they are easier, faster and cheaper; and in my experience result in an employee who is productive more quickly and who stays with the company longer.

For a lot of us, this method does not work as effectively as it should because our networks lack depth and relevance.

With a networking mindset, you will be surprised at the range of useful people you will meet. Everyone we meet has the potential to know someone who can be useful to our staff hunt.

Laugh more

"15 minutes of laughter on a daily basis is probably good for the vascular system," said cardiologist Michael.

Stress is like an arsonist with matches in one hand and a petrol can in the other. I guess the thing to realise is that stress is not what happens to us - but rather how we react to what happens. The amount of stress we feel is based on our perception of an event, a person or a place.

In a study of 165 patients undergoing angiograms at Yale University, individuals who felt loved and supported had less coronary artery disease.

Another set of statistics I read: children laugh an average of 400 times a day. Adults only 15. Somewhere on the way to adulthood, we lose the ability to laugh 385 times a day. Thetake-away here: I find something that make me laugh - a lot.