Capital

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April 7, 2014

The Missing Loyalty in Loyalty Programs

(Originally published March 31, 2014, in Capital, here.) If you buy anything in Romania, then you already have – or at least have been offered – […]
March 12, 2014

The Slow Glass of Online Discounters

(Originally published February 24, 2014, in Capital.) If you want to see how some companies here seem blind to reality, take a look at the discounting business.  […]
May 7, 2013

The Future is Customer Service – Even in Romania

(Originally published April 29, 2013, in Capital, here.) Because predictions are best left to economists and fools, once in a while I think it’s my turn. […]
April 1, 2013

Now Showing: A PowerPoint Presentation

You know how this happens – see if this reminds you of your meetings: The presenter (a senior manager who wants to seem smart), makes it clear that he knows the topic much better than anyone in the room. Are you convinced? (That’s called the “cognitive estrangement” that sets up the rest.) And so you quickly believe you’re watching something you don’t fully understand. And why should you? It’s not your job to know this stuff. Then the presenter moves on and leverages this weakness (the one we think we must have), and we settle into listening, passively watching with what Coleridge long ago termed the “willing suspension of disbelief.” And then you sit back and go along for the ride. Well, next time you present (or the next time you watch), add a big Zero and place it up front. Call it the 0/10/20/30 Rule. Yes, a Big Zero – for NO selling, NO buying, NO uncritical thinking. Just a good tough discussion to make sure that you’re right.
February 4, 2013

Hey, You! Eat Here!

(Originally published Jan. 28, 2013, in Capital, here.) A new restaurant opened recently in my residential neighborhood. It’s not a bad-looking restaurant. In fact, it’s rather fancy. It […]
August 12, 2012

A Wasted Crisis

(Originally published Aug. 12, 2012, in Capital, here.) I’m finally convinced that businesses here have wasted a perfectly good crisis. What a shame. I walked into […]
July 14, 2012

The Business of Politics

(Originally published July 14, 2012, in Capital, here.) Politics in a democracy is like business in a free market. The winners in the end are the ones […]
June 27, 2012

Bankers are Funny People

(Originally published June 27, 2012, in Capital, here.) Bankers are funny people. For example, who didn’t have a good laugh recently when Jamie Dimon appeared before the […]