RonAmok!

Yesterday I did something that I’ve wanted to do for a very long time. Just for a moment, I wanted to talk with real people, doing real business. I wanted to engage in meaningful conversations with everyday business people who’ve never heard of New Media pioneers such as CC Chapman, Adam Curry, Dave Winer, Scott Sigler, Jason Calicanis, or Michael Arrington. Just for a moment, I wanted to step outside of the fishbowl. WAY OUTSIDE!

Through the magic of Google, I found the Orange County Executives Network, a small professional organization that caters to executive business folks. As a stroke of luck, their monthly breakfast meeting was scheduled for a mere twelve hours later, so I registered and paid the $45 non-member fee. I smiled. $45 per head? The cost alone guaranteed that I’d be the only New Media person in the room!

I arrived at the plush Pacific Club in Newport Beach at 7:30 in the morning. The first thing that I noticed? Suits! Everyone was wearing suits, including me (who looks damned good in one I must add). No cut-offs or T-shirts, just men in shirts and ties, and women in…err…professional women-clothes — I think they’re called blouses and pant-suits. And everyone looked comfortable in their respective attire — a good indicator that I was the only New Media guy in the room.

I entered the ballroom, registered, and affixed a hand-written name tag to my lapel. There was some serious networking going on — but everyone was very nice, and I felt welcomed. We sat down to a nice breakfast, engaged in some business chit-chat, which was then followed by the guest speaker — a motivational-type by the name of Niurka. Luckily, I was on my third cup of coffee by the time Niurka spoke, because she started running at 60 miles per hour on her way to 100. Reeling from her raw energy, I became convinced that the only reason she has one name is because her last name just can’t keep up. My head is still spinning from the barrage of motivational wisdom she imparted onto us.

But my favorite part of the breakfast was the crowd. I was surrounded by fascinating people — from bankers, to investment folks, to accountants, to CEO recruiters. Add one politician and a guy from Musak (yes the elevator music company) and it was one of the most rewarding mornings that I’ve had in a long time.

“So what do you do, Ron?” most got around to asking me.

I’d been practicing my response. “I help companies get closer to their customers through the use of New Media technologies. You know like blogs, podcasts, wikis, etc…?”

The reactions were mixed. About half looked at me like I had two heads, before launching into what they did for a living. But the other half? They engaged immediately:

• “I’ve heard about that, tell me more”
• or “I’ve always wanted to start a blog, but have no idea where to begin,”
• or “What do those things have to do with my business?”

I had fun speaking with these folks, who were genuinely interested in learning more. So much so, that I have two invitations to continue our conversations over coffee.

I’ll let you know how they go.

Tags: OCEN Orange County Executive Network Niurka New Media Evangelist Fishbowl

Lots of people want to throw American Airlines under the AirBus for the company’s pathetic attempt at a blog last week, but I’m going to take another tack. I have 750,000 miles on American Airlines, and for the most part, they’ve served me well. So, as a loyal customer who cares about the company, let’s take a look at what’s wrong with the blog and make some recommendations on how to make it better. Perhaps other companies can learn from their mistakes.

• Don’t wait for a customer crisis to launch a blog. The whole reason to have a blog is to make a connection with your customers BEFORE such an inevitability. To do so after the fact has a very disingenuous feel to it.

• Don’t write in the third person. The blog is called “AA Conversation.” It’s hard to have a conversation with someone who refers to themselves as “We.” Unless you are the Queen of course.

While we can’t respond to every comment, we are listening. We will do our best to address overall issues and trends, and will respond to you in future blog posts.

• Tell us who you are. It’s nice that you sign the posts. “Billy S.,” but Billy, who are you? Do you have a title? Do you have any authority? Or are you an intern that they pulled off the street? It’s not that you need to be a Director-level or anything, an intern may be fine! Just let me know who you are!

• Have something to say. If you normally don’t comment on Industry Policy and events, then don’t. The following non-answer doesn’t help anyone:

We generally don’t comment on what role AMR might play, if any, in consolidation. Consolidation could benefit shareholders, customers and employees by creating a healthier industry in which airlines are better equipped to improve services, pay off debt, reinvest in their businesses and grow. But there are many challenges to consolidation, mainly labor, regulatory issues and integration, and it remains to be seen whether it will produce benefits in the airline industry. Regardless, we will continue to manage our business prudently, work to improve our performance and continue to monitor the industry landscape.

• Focus, Focus, Focus. What do you want this blog to be? Public Policy? Customer Relations? Advertising? The problem is that you can’t be all, but unfortunately you have tried to be — IN JUST EIGHT DAYS! It might have something to do with the whole “we” multiple personality thing but just take an objective look at your site. You have three (3) posts: two (2) about the maintenance delay and one (1) wishy-washy policy “statement” And your sidebar…Good Lord its traditional marcomm drivel.

This is an official blog of American Airlines. American Airlines is the world’s largest airline. American, American Eagle and the AmericanConnection® airlines serve 250 cities in over 40 countries with more than 4,000 daily flights. American’s award-winning Web site, AA.com, provides users with easy access to check and book fares, plus personalized news, information and travel offers.

I applaud American Airlines for attempting something in New Media. Unfortunately, they could have avoided most of these issues had they just picked up a book or read a few popular blogs. But the good thing about New Media is that if you are sincere, if you are transparent, then the community will eventually come around.

So what are you gonna do American Airlines? Are you gonna stick with it? Are you going to take blogging seriously? Can you come out from behind the “We,” and drop the obsequious marcomm terminology? Are you willing to truly enter into an “AA Conversation” with me? There’s plenty of time. The question is whether or not you are going to use it wisely.

Hey, Billy S. call me! I think I can help.

Tags: American Airlines Billy S. ronamok blog bad blog crisis management

Just when I think I’ve seen it all — the stupidity of old media grabs a megaphone and hits me with a resounding “Not so fast, Ron!”

Last night, I found the following message waiting for me on my DIRECTV box.

Effective April 15, 2008, DVR recordings of PPV movies will be available for up to 24 hours of unlimited viewing after purchase. Major movie studios have required that satellite and cable providers alike may no longer allow their customers to view these recordings for longer than 24 hours. During the 24 hour viewing period, you will continue to enjoy all of your DVR features such as pause and rewind.

Okay, let me get this straight. If I rent a movie via my satellite carrier and download it to my digital video recorder, I must watch it within 24 hours or it turns into a pumpkin?

I first experienced the renting of self-destructible movies with my AppleTV. At the time, I thought the AppleTV terms were bad, but in hindsight, they make DIRECTV’s look Draconian. At least with AppleTV, I have 30 days to start watching the movie — leaving me with 24 hours to finish it after that. The experience is annoying, because sometimes your schedule doesn’t allow you to watch a movie within 24 hours. Have you ever started watching a movie late at night, got sleepy, and decided to watch the rest of it the following evening? Well sorry folks. With AppleTV and DIRECTV, you can’t do that anymore.

A DVR is about time-shifting. It’s about the ability to watch programming on my time, on my schedule. To shackle recorded content with scarcity-driven time limits can only serve one purpose — to aggravate the DVR-enabled consumer.

But there’s another thing that’s bothering me. This from the DIRECTV FAQs:

Could a Pay Per View movie expire from my playlist before I get around to watching it?

Yes, the 24 hour viewing period is triggered by your purchase of the Pay Per View movie, so make sure to plan accordingly. If you are not sure you will be able to watch your selection within the 24 hour viewing period, use your “record/buy later” function available on DIRECTV Plus DVR or DIRECTV Plus HD DVR receivers.

Sure, this makes sense. Take all the convenience of the DVR, which gives me control over my schedule, and then force me to calculate when it’s best for me to order your product.

Methinks there is something else going on here. Right now, there is a price difference between renting a movie in SD or HD. When given that choice, I always pay the extra buck, and the movie studios know this. Let’s take this known behavior to the next step. By putting a 24 hour limit on our movie rentals, the industry sets a precedent. Then, when we complain, they’ll roll out a new set of upgrade choices, under the altruistic guise of “listening to our customers.” The new upgrades offer us an a-la-carte choice of SD, HD, and length of time we’d like to hold onto the content.

When will old media learn that the more restrictions that they put on their content, the less money that they’ll make in the long run?

Tags: DIRECTV AppleTV Old Media Scarcity self-destruct content ronamok