“Excuse me, are you a manager?” I said to the 20 something year old manager with large earrings.
“uh… Yeah.” he said.
“Great, our movie just started in theater 4 and there are some very distracting lines running down the middle of the screen. Can you get that fixed?
“Let me go up there and take a look”, he said as he walked away.

I thought that would take care of it, but it didn’t. The entire movie had big lines down the middle. I was pretty upset, and told Julie that this might be the last time I came to this theater. After the movie I went to find the manager just to give him some customer feedback on my experience.

I couldn’t find the original manager, but instead I found an older (40’s) manager and explained the experience I had. This manager must have had training on customer service because he started stroking me and helping me feel good. He explained that some employees, when loading the film, can get it scratched easily. He apologized for the distractions and asked…

“How many people were in your party sir?”
“Just my wife and I”, I said.
“Please let me make it up to you” he said as he reached into this pocket and pulled out 2 rain check movie tickets.

I told him that this wasn’t necessary (when in reality it probably was, since I had already mentioned to Julie that we would probably be looking for other theaters in the future), but he insisted.

Now, I love that theater and will give them another chance. If, in this second chance, I have a good experience, then they may win my loyalty.

I don’t remember have such great service in the past. Where I am genuinely called “sir” and treated like a valuable person. It felt good and should be what all businesses practice to “win” their customers. I’m sure it was more like this back-in-the-day when there weren’t as many big box stores and chains - and where local residents were the real owners of the businesses.

A few things I learned
1. Providing feedback is worth something: Free tickets!
2. Most people say nothing: People are either satisfied with poor quality, or don’t think it is worth their time to complain. Was I the only one that saw the lines? Do they just believe that their voice won’t be heard when patronizing the “big” store chains?
3. Good customer service can take me from upset and grumpy, to happy and stoked!
4. My wife avoids confrontation: she went to the ladies room when I went looking for the manager

I am excited. I have read the authors blog, and I have read the cover “escape 9-5, live anywhere, and join the new rich.” What is the new rich? From what little I have read, it is those that value freedom and mobility over having things (material things).

This should be good….here we go, Chapter 1.

Each of the years we’ve been on the news for this great event. This year it was a live event and so they featured us several times during a two hour period. Utah County Government were the winners this year. They lost over 380 pounds!

Here is the video coverage…enjoy!

I took my wife and boys to one of the old Pizza joints that we loved, Craigo’s.

While there I read their “Pizza Trivia” table top display…

1. Americans eat approximately 100 acres of pizza a day, or 350 slices per second
2. The average American eats 46 slices of pizza a year

Craigo’s then asks, “Have you met your quota?”

Is there any wonder why we have an obesity epidemic?

All I can say is… Dang!

Watch the video here

My oldest son turned 4 this week. We had a transformer themed party that was a lot of fun. He got some great gifts from friends and family and felt the love we all have for him.

I was most excited about the present that I got him. His first putter. I went to Uinta Golf with an old junior putter of mine and had them cut the shaft so it would fit his little body. We went to the practice green to putt around and Clayton loved it. We’ve got to work on his stance and stroke, but it is the first step.

Of all the sports out there, there isn’t a better one for closing deals. Here’s why…

1. Golf is the only sport where you can suck and its ok - everyone does. Think about it - if you invited a potential partner, investor or client to play basketball and he couldn’t even dribble or shoot - deals off. But in Golf, “It’s all good!”
2. Speed of play: in golf you aren’t panting, sweating (too much), or constantly on offense or defense. There is time to talk, discuss and negotiate deals.
3. Not too close: It’s not so good to have your potential clients’ face rub up against your sweaty back.
4. Outdoors: Studies show that fresh air and warm sun bring out the good in people. The healthy air puts people in better moods to help close deals
5. Team play: There are many corporate tournaments available at local courses - and you get pampered. It’s easier to pamper your client in golf then another sport.

“I want them to close $100-million deals,” says Ron Stone, the IBM senior marketing manager who organized his teams recent seminar, “and a lot of ‘deals’ are going to get done on a golf course.”

What do you think about Golf and business? I know there are some out there that want to change the official business sport to basketball. Not gunna happen.

This post just about sums up his intelligence.

What’s funny is Microsoft is currently looking to buy a 5% stake in Facebook for an amount that would value Facebook at over $10 billion! That makes Steve Ballmer’s comments even more confusing.

The implementation of Leapers patent has to be identical to Apple’s implementation or Leaper has no case. It would have been so much more pleasing to see that, prior to the release of the Nike+Ipod product, that this Utah company was able to make a deal with Apple to use parts of their patent.

I’m all about companies being deal makers. If you can’t cut a deal then you shouldn’t be in business. Enough of this “Lawsuits are my business model” mentality.