The Power of the Public

It amazes me these days watching businesses make bad decisions (TimeWarner anyone?) only to be slapped in the face by the general public. Lately, I’ve been noticing companies non-chalantly toss out a small piece of news with their new ‘idea’ or make a general statement here and there to test the waters and see how well it’s going to go over with the public or how hard they’re going to be smacked.

Tonight, I read an article about another company making or beginning to make a bad decision - eBay (imagine that!). It seems that eBay decided it would be grand to form a PayPal monopoly. Apparently they thought that they could force all of its users on to PayPal. This policy would have locked out all other payment methods such as direct bank deposits, checks and money orders - except PayPal, which eBay owns, and cash on delivery and pick-up.

I wonder what moron brilliant person came up with that idea?

eBay’s proposals inspired a massive backlash among sellers, who would have been slugged with extra fees because PayPal charges them for each transaction.

Sellers complained eBay users should be given the choice of which payment method to use, rejecting eBay’s claims that the decision was purely to protect users from fraud.

Protect users from fraud. When I read that, all I could do was laugh (as I am now just from typing it). Did they really believe that using that as the excuse was going to fly with the public?? C’mon now!

As this article asks, “If PayPal is truly the best payment option, why does eBay need to force people to do business with them?“

No matter your business, large or small - if you’re going to succeed at all, you better pay attention to your consumers and their thoughts/feelings when it comes to making decisions. Today’s power of the public via social networks, blogs, and the like can certainly make a huge impact, right or wrong in how people view your business.

Cambridge Who’s Who and Me

Yesterday after I got home from work I engaged in my normal routine of fighting to get into my driveway, loading up my arms/shoulders with random crap I carry daily back and forth (laptop, jacket, paperwork, etc), and doing my best to keep my balance while walking to go check the mail at the end of the driveway.

Nothing out of the ordinary, credit card bills, spam, and an envelope that I assumed was just more spam. I proceed to go through the mail and opened what I thought to be spam from a company called Cambridge Who’s Who. 

Enclosed was a letter that read:

Dear Charnell,

It is my pleasure to inform you that you are being considered for inclusion into the 2008/2009 Cambridge Who’s Who Among Executive and Professional Women “Honors Edition” of the Registry.

The 2008/2009 edition of the Registry will include biographies of our country’s most accomplished women. Recognition of this kind is an honor and shared by thousands of executive and professional women throughout America each year. Inclusion is considered by many as the single highest mark of achievement.

Upon final confirmation, you will be listed among thousands of accomplished women in the Cambridge Who’s Who Registry.

http://www.cambridgewhoswho.com/MainSite/AboutUs/

http://www.cambridgewhoswho.com/MainSite/AboutUs/MissionStatement.aspx

http://pressreleases.cambridgewhoswho.com/

http://www.cambridgewhoswho.com/MainSite/AboutUs/TheCompany.aspx

Who is Cambridge Publishing?
Cambridge Publishing is the fastest-growing publisher of executive, professional and entrepreneur biographies in the world today. Our accomplished members and extensive online database make Cambridge Who’s Who Registry among Executives, Professionals and Entrepreneurs a premier resource for networking. The Cambridge Who’s Who Registry is published in three formats: hardcover, CD-ROM and online.

How is an individual selected for candidacy?
The Cambridge Who’s Who Marketing and Research Department looks for accomplished individuals who would benefit most from our networking resources. These are people who we feel are on a path to future success either because of their past accomplishments, status in their field or their credentials. We use a variety of resources to identify Cambridge Who’s Who candidates. Individuals who are affiliated with professional associations and societies, attend core events within their field or subscribe to certain periodicals are ideal candidates, as they have sought enrichment within their career fields and participate in activities that extend beyond the workplace. These are the executives, professionals and entrepreneurs who we actively seek out and select as candidates for the Cambridge Who’s Who Registry.

In addition, the 250,000 active members of Cambridge Who’s Who among Executives, Professionals and Entrepreneurs have the ability to nominate peers, colleagues, mentors and associates for Cambridge Who’s Who membership. Nominating others is a privilege reserved exclusively for our members.

Who nominated me?
Unless we indicate that you were nominated by a Cambridge Who’s Who member, you were not nominated, but selected by our Marketing and Research Department.
(I was selected by the Marketing and Research Department!!)

So, I’m pretty excited to see how this all turns out!

Things I Love More Than Coffee. Wait. No..

Things that make me happy -

Coffee

My family

A comfy, worn in pair of old blue jeans

A white summer tank top

Shoes!

Bags

Manicures and Pedicures

Euro chocolate

Volvo’s

Myself

Pasta

Gadgets

Street racing

Long drives down country roads

My favorite co-workers Jayson and Tito

Being admired

Jewelry (white gold and platinum)

Fried chicken

Cold weather

Potatoes!

The ocean

Listening to mood expressing music

Laying in bed snuggling with my cat

The color pink

Being winked at

Traveling

Hysterical laughter

Watching old couples in love, holding hands, laughing and enjoying each others company

Big, strong, broad, intimidating, men

Tan lines

Perfect hair days

Texting

Confidence

A glance across the room, making eye contact

Receiving flowers at work

Vodka

Having choices where at least one choice doesn’t suck

Curves

McDonald’s french fries

Hoodies

Holding hands

Wit and intellect

Peanut butter cups

Shopping, it always makes me feel better!

Did I mention COFFEE??

There are many things that I love, typically anything positive as I tend to do my best to avoid negativity and drama. No time for it in my life.

/random

The Ever So Popular Twitter Whale

Twitter…Twitter…Twitter. How disgusted I am with thee.

Okay, seriously - Twitter has grown remarkably fast and many people depend on it to quickly communicate. Me? I spend most of my time on there posting random crap about ‘what I’m doing’ as if anyone cares. The majority use it for news/current events/self-promotion.

Twitters blue whale seems to be surfacing more and more lately and it’s getting to the point where people are really taking notice, talking about it, and some even walking away. Others are blogging, telling Twitter to close their doors and put up a remodeling sign. So I’m curious to know what the folks at Twitter are going to do to make their systems/site more reliable? Not so much as to what they’re going to do, but how soon they’re going to do it. When that time comes, will it be too late?

Twitters Terms of Service = EPIC FAIL

The majority of us know and use Twitter for various things, mostly to share links, ideas, and discuss what the latest and greatest is in Social Media, Marketing, and the like. Some, just to post about what they’re currently doing. I’ve been shying away from Twitter recently due to slow load times, Twitter down times, and well…I’ve just been busy.

Today, I read a post on Twitter that linked to Ariel Waldman’s Blog and I was quite surprised at what I read. It seems that Ariel has had to deal with another Twitter member harassing her for quite some time (close to a year now) to the point where she’s had to report it - multiple times.

Unfortunately, the outcome of her reporting this harassment has been a failure (for now). It seems that Jack, Twitter’s CEO really doesn’t understand (or care?) about upholding the companies Terms of Service, but only about “being sued”.

Read Ariel Waldman’s full story here.