Can you tell me…

Why my bank has hired people to make “courtesy calls” to customers — which seem to be thinly disguised ways to sell other products/services — but cannot tell me that they have discontinued my paper statements?

I have no problem getting my statement online, but I suddenly realized that I hadn’t seen a paper statement for months without seeing confirmation that it would no longer be mailed to me. Online, I see that I have the option of choosing one paper statement free, and any others will cost me. I have three accounts, and I only want one statement anyway; the free version is not applied to this one. Who did it? The bank’s not saying. This is the bank, by the way, that hired people to call and ask me if I thought the bank “cared” about  me.

Why a department store hid a similar statement fee notice in a densely worded document from a financial company?

When I first saw the notice, I almost threw it out as  junk mail, because I didn’t recognize the financial institution, and there was no obvious mention of the store or its logo. Inside, point #15 revealed that a $1 processing fee would be charged for each paper statement, but you could instead register for online access and get an e-statement.

As I say, I have no problem with online statements, or charging a fee to get one mailed. I do have a problem with companies not making change obvious to customers. Don’t you?

Phew. It’s been all Olympics, all the time for the past two weeks, and I’m ready to say goodbye to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. But first, my own gold medals go to the things I loved about these Winter Olympics:

Patriotic feelings. Canadians are normally shy about this, at least compared to Americans, but put us in the Olympics, especially on home turf, and watch out for the flags, red & white clothing, Canadian flag tattoos and spontaneous outbursts of our national anthem. Come to think of it, it’s kind of like the Canadian hospitality suite at the IABC World Conferences.

The feeling of goodwill that seemed to permeate the games. Well, until it came down to the big Canada vs. USA hockey game, when it was all GO CANADA on our part. (Thank you, Team Canada and Sidney Crosby, for letting Canada win gold and USA silver 3-2 in overtime. We may have lots of Americans on our Canadian teams, but we consider it Our Game.)

The unusual medals, a collaboration between artist Corrine Hunt and designer Omer Arbel. Each medal is unique; find out how here.

The crazy sports like ski cross that have athletes flinging themselves down steep slopes and runs with seemingly reckless abandon, although I know it’s only hard training that makes it look easy. And the snowboard races! And wild ski tricks!

CTV ran a great series called “How tough are these sports?” In it, various athletes tried a different sport than usual to see just how difficult it really was. So figure skaters Jamie Sale and David Pelletier discovered working with speed skater Denny Morrison that the skates and the method used for speed skating are quite different. Ditto for hockey player Georges Laraque, who had fun with short track skater Olivier Jean learning that racing isn’t as easy as it looks, and hockey player Wendel Clark, who strapped himself in to play  sledge hockey with the Canadian Sledge Hockey team.

CTV ran another great series called “Difference Makers,” hosted by Rick Hansen, himself a difference maker. Hansen is the “Man in Motion” who pushed his wheelchair through 34 countries in 1985, raising funds for spinal cord injury research and awareness of the potential of people with disabilities. The series pays tribute to the extraordinary people who have helped Canada’s Olympians and Paralympians overcome their personal and athletic challenges.

Norway’s men’s curling team and their crazy pants. I didn’t exactly love the pants themselves, originally made famous by golfer John Daly, but I sure did appreciate the sense of humour the team had wearing them.

Here are some of the things that don’t get a medal:

The use of “medal” as a verb, as in, “She’s expected to medal in this sport.” I think I also heard “to podium” as a verb. Ughhhh.

How it so often seems to be all about winning gold, and seldom is a silver or bronze medal won; instead, it’s “settled for.” I think any medal is a real achievement, especially when you look at timed sports where athletes set personal records and finish mere fractions of a second apart.

The “I believe in the power of you and I”  in the stirring song, I Believe, sung by 16-year-old Nikki Yanofsky. Grammatically speaking (word nerd alert!), it should be “you and me,” since “of” is a preposition and takes an object, as pointed out by grammarian Joanne Buckley.

CTV’s official Olympic coverage site, which wanted to make me “upgrade my browser with the latest version of Microsoft Silverlight” to watch the Canadian gold medal performance of ice dancing, and any other videos on the site.

What did you like or not like about the Olympics?

There aren’t many companies that have earned the trust the Red Cross has. In my in-box today was the latest example of how they do it.

I had made a donation to the Canadian Red Cross in support of their earthquake relief efforts in Haiti, and today they sent an e-mail saying, “Thank you. Your generosity is making a difference in Haiti.”

But they didn’t leave it at that.

• They listed some of the ways donations have supported their efforts, in sending over 2,600 metric tonnes of relief items; distributing one million litres of water to 200,000 people each day; and providing medical care to more than 9,600 people so far.
• They linked to  “photos of your support in action” at the Canadian Red Cross Flickr page, where you can see people carrying boxes, distributing supplies, performing surgery, draping people in blankets, comforting children.
• They noted that in addition to helping now, the Red Cross is analyzing how to rebuild the nation and make it stronger, healthier and more resilient.
• A final note includes ways to encourage others to give by setting up a personalized fundraising page, and there are links to forward the note to a friend, visit the home page for Haiti relief or follow the Red Cross on Twitter and Facebook.

This information is also found on their web site, but they didn’t wait for me to go there and find it; they made sure I saw it.

Nicely done.

Sometimes being a writer in a home office means writing, writing, writing. Interviews often take place by telephone, and files go back and forth by e-mail. If it weren’t for the fact that I have a dog, I might not even get outside, especially in winter! But by joining different networking groups, I make sure to get out and meet new people or reconnect with colleagues.

Looks like February is following the frantic pace of January when it comes to networking. Tonight I’m out with a communicator I am mentoring, plus another IABC colleague. Tomorrow and Monday, I’m having lunch with friends. And I am signed up for these events:

February 10, 6:30 - 9 p.m.
HPCA presents: Encore Improv
Peel Village golf course, 29A Hartford Trail, Brampton, ON
Whether you are negotiating, meeting with a client for the first time or fielding questions, being quick on your feet is an essential business skill for independent communicators. Learn from the Second City style of improv comedy how to respond in the moment, spark your creativity and sharpen your listening skills. Free to Halton-Peel Communications Association members; $20 for non-members. Sign up at www.hpcaonline.com. (Note: If there is still small print that says the event is closed, ignore it; it’s not. Register with Mary Harvey.)

Feb. 11, 6-8:30 p.m
IABC/AIP presents: Show Your Love for the Planet
Haworth Toronto Showroom, 55 University Avenue, Toronto, ON
IABC and its Alliance of Independent Practitioners offer a “sustainable” munch & mingle. Learn about sustainable approaches to communications while you network. Participate in a “green footprint” icebreaker and have a chance to win eco-friendly door prizes. IABC members pay $30, non-members $40. Register online.

Feb. 23, 6:30-8 p.m.
IABC/Toronto Westend networking event
Wendel Clark’s Classic Grill & Sports Lounge, Oakville, ON
Strictly networking fun for $25. Register by e-mail.

Feb. 25, 6-8 p.m.
IABC presents: Successful Communications in a 2.0 World with Steve Crescenzo
Sutton Place Hotel, 955 Bay Street, Toronto, ON
Steve Crescenzo is one of the U.S.’s leading experts in employee communications. He comes equipped with dozens of case studies and best practices in Creative Communications from both small and large organizations in Canada and the U.S. He’ll show you how to use multimedia tools such as podcasts and video without blowing the budget, and five things you can do to turn intranets and websites from electronic wastelands to powerhouse communication tools.  IABC members $45, non-members $65. Register online.

How is your networking going so far this year? Are you getting out there?

While at the dentist’s office recently getting my teeth cleaned, the dental hygienist mentioned something we both found shocking: The dentist got his wife’s sister to buy everything for his wife’s Christmas stocking.

Okay, so spinmasters will say Dr. P. was “outsourcing” the work because he was so busy working. Oh, please.

I say he should be able to spare 10 minutes to duck into the drugstore and buy a few simple things, showing that he pays attention: knowing/buying the cosmetics his wife uses, the chocolate she likes, the perfume she’s been wanting…you get the picture. His wife has a right to expect something from him and it’s just not the same if someone else does it.

At a networking event the other night, we were talking about entrepreneurs who use “& Associates” with their name. Someone wondered if it’s ethical if the contract says “I will do X” but then we subcontract the work so someone else actually does X.

The answer, of course, is “it depends.”

Is the client “buying” you and you alone, or just a product or service? Is the client the kind of wife who wants her husband to pick out a personal, meaningful gift, or the kind of wife who just wants an expensive gift?

Sometimes the client truly wants you; for instance, you’ve made a name for yourself in your flare for media relations, or your ability to put someone at ease and get a great interview. If you’ve promised that you will be the one doing this, the client is buying YOU.

But sometimes the client just wants the work done. Your firm has the reputation for getting things done, and the client is happy to hire you, knowing you’ll look after everything. So if you write a media release but you subcontract media calls to someone else, that may be fine. In that case, though, you should make it clear — specifying in your contract or letter of agreement — that you occasionally work with others and “we” will handle X. And you certainly should review your subcontractor’s work and make sure it meets your standards.

Do you agree?

As the end of January approaches, I’m a little nervous. Bell has alerted me that they are “making changes to our e-mail systems which will require you to update the settings on your e-mail software…Please note that if you do not update your settings by January 31st, 2010, you will no longer be able to receive your e-mail.”

Does that seem like excellent customer service, to make a change that could possibly result in customers not being able to use the service they have paid for?

Bell has helpfully provided an “Internet Check-up” tool to see if any updating is needed. Oh, but too bad for me, it’s “currently only compatible with Windows.” As the Bell site curtly informed me, “You are running a Macintosh operating system.” Not to worry, though; “Efforts are ongoing to provide a Macintosh compatible version as soon as possible.”

Bell has been tinkering with their system for a few months now, causing random unexplained grief. First, the mail system stopping playing nice with the e-mail program I use. Then, I discovered that I had somehow been given a limit on how many messages I could send in 24 hours, without being told I had a limit. So although I administer a mailing list of about 230 association members and have been regularly sending messages to them for about two years, I suddenly got an error message that said, “Requested action aborted. You have reached the limit for how many messages you can send in 24 hours.”

I tried to e-mail Bell’s support account to find out what was going on, but of course I was over my secret limit. So I tried online chat and found out my limit was 250 e-mail messages a day. When I explained my problem and asked that my limit be raised to accommodate the mailing list I administer, here’s what happened:

Bell: I would need to escalate the issue to a higher tech support to get this issue resolved.

Me: Please do so.

Bell: I suggest you wait for 24 hours for the limit to be raised.

Me: You mean I can’t e-mail anyone else today?

Bell: Sorry to say a yes.

Me: That’s not very responsive service. I can certainly wait 24 hours to send a bulk e-mail but another 10 to 15 today doesn’t seem like much to arrange.

Bell: I do understand your concerns but we need to wait.

Well, the limit has been raised, although I didn’t get official notice of it and have no idea what it is. All I know is that I’ve been able to send several bulk mailings to the group. But you see why I am a little worried about the changes happening January 31.

So if you are a company upgrading your systems, please make sure it’s a change that will actually improve customer service. Otherwise, you are just like the companies who advise they are “changing” their fees when really they mean “increasing your fees” — it’s not good news to the customer.

This week I had the shocking experience of having someone Not. Like. My. Work.

I say shocking because I’ve been fortunate. Over about 18 years of running my own business, I’ve been able to submit a first draft of my assignments that’s pretty close to what’s required. There may be a bit of back and forth over some wording, but generally, the client is pleased with what I hand in. I’ve received comments like this from happy customers:

• “You did a good job of capturing the essence of our discussion and the message we were looking to convey.”
• “I am impressed at how you can take a 20-minute conversation and turn it into an understandable article.”
• “I can basically provide you with details for a story and you just run with it.”
• “I am impressed with your skills of listening, selecting the most important information and putting it all together.”

So it was a good reminder to me to stay humble when an article I submitted last week did not fly. The VP who has to approve it did not like it, so I am rewriting it this week. His communications person (who did like the article, fortunately) and I have discussed the areas he flagged as a problem, and one key change that will solve much of them is a new lead sentence/introduction.

What I have learned:

• This reinforces the importance of one of the tactics I use to turn in a close-to-final first draft. That is, to interview key people involved in the topic I am covering, and ask “what do you want employees to take away from reading this article?” I had asked the VP for 10 minutes to talk about his perspective, but he did not have time.
• I could have sent a few questions by e-mail, just to confirm the sensitive areas he wanted to avoid or key areas he wanted to highlight.
• Recognizing that the VP had a new boss, I should have asked about a recent meeting he attended and whether he had commented on the project I was to write about.

I’m starting a new week properly chastened.

Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn had the communicators at the IABC conference in San Francisco in June in the palm of his hand, as I mentioned talking about highlights of the conference. He seals the deal with this interview in the The New York Times published August 15. If you haven’t seen it yet, go read it!

One of the comments that captures his down-to-earth personality:

“You’re never as good as they say or as bad as they say. When I was made CEO on June 24, I didn’t wake up that morning smarter. I didn’t wake up with a massive I.Q. expansion.”

I particularly love how he weaves stories into his conversation:

“Let me tell you a quick story that I think will illustrate it the best…” (and it does)

and the enthusiasm he displays:

“I love my gadgets and I’ve got to tell you why.”

which launches into a heartwarming story about virtually watching a basketball game with his sons, which ends:

“The only thing I can’t do is put my arm around them.”

As I said at the conference, he pretty much had us at hello!

Customer/employee surveys are important. I know this, and I try to go along with companies who take the time to survey me as a customer. But they need to do a better job of asking questions that are both within the customer’s ability to answer and that they can do something with.

Take my bank, for instance.  It just had a survey company call to ask about my experience as a business account holder. It was a nice gesture, but frankly, it was a waste of my time and theirs.

The questions mostly began, “On a scale of 1 to 9, do you think…”.  They wanted to know whether I thought the bank cared about me as a customer (not particularly; banks in general seem to nickel and dime customers, and they’re quick to charge interest but slow to pay it). They wondered if I felt appreciated (can’t think of anything the bank has done to show appreciation) or had been made to wait too long (more than once). They wondered if I had a relationship with the person managing my account (there’s a person managing it? really?). And they took at least eight minutes to run through it all.

If you’re going to survey someone, one of the first rules is that you only ask a question when you can or plan to do something with the answers. So is the bank going to change anything if the survey people find that 75 per cent of customers don’t feel appreciated, and 85 per cent don’t think the bank cares about us? Can we look forward to hand-written notes of appreciation or an extra 0.5 per cent interest on our accounts? I doubt it.

By all means, survey your customers. But make sure to ask questions that they can actually answer and that will give you information you can and will act on. And if someone repeatedly says, “I can’t answer that” or “I have no idea,” think about changing the question.

It’s so refreshing when a CEO sends out something that actually sounds like a human being might have said/written it. That was the case when Zappos‘ CEO, Tony Hsieh, issued an announcement July 22 about Amazon buying Zappos.

I liked that he apologized “for the occasional use of formal-sounding language,” saying that “parts of it are written in a particular way for legal reasons.”

I liked that he set out the “top 3 burning questions” and he answered them, with #1 being “Will I still have a job?” (Of course, you could take “Your job is just as secure as it was a month ago” more than one way.)

I laughed at his answer to “Will we get a discount at Amazon?”: “No…And we’re not going to be giving the Zappos discount to Amazon employees either, unless they bake us cookies and deliver them in person.”

I liked the cover-up for legal phrasing: “Can you talk like a banker and use fancy-sounding language that we can print in a business publication?” and “Can you talk like a lawyer now?”, followed by “Can you please stop?” “okthxbye.”

In sharp contrast are the weasel words that came in March from a surprising source: Sesame Street. Yes, the folks behind all those clever, catchy rewrites of contemporary songs issued a news release that they were culling 20 per cent of the workforce; they had “to operate with fewer resources in order to achieve our strategic priorities.” Oh, let me think, that would be cutting staff? Why yes, 67 people in fact.

If you’re helping a CEO issue a statement of any kind, please, please do your best to make him/her sound like the human he/she undoubtedly is.

okthxbye