http://www.ricksegel.com/blog Rick Segel shares his experience, insights and ideas about new approachs to retail marketing & the state of customer service in today's global retail community. Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:53:11 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en I can’t believe the words I heard from someone who is supposed to be so smart. As most of you know, I love to write about situations or experiences that we can all learn from and this week I have a real winner. It all started about a year ago ... http://www.ricksegel.com/blog/index.php/you-wont-believe-what-he-said/ The computer is the lifeblood of my business. They say they should last a few years but I’m thrilled if I get 2 years out of a computer. It’s not because the old one doesn’t work well, but we always seem to be adding or buying some software that requires ... http://www.ricksegel.com/blog/index.php/the-power-of-one-or-is-it-the-power-of-two/   If I were to ask any audience "What’s the best form of advertising?", there would be no question that the unanimous instant response would be Word of mouth advertising.  Every businessperson knows that but there is one component that many business people miss. That component is that if you want ... http://www.ricksegel.com/blog/index.php/whats-your-story/ Have you ever acted or been in a school play? At first you feel uncomfortable, but when you finally let go and actually become the character, it gets easier and the performance is better. That’s why we hear of so many actors who research their parts for months before they ... http://www.ricksegel.com/blog/index.php/shop-your-business-like-a-customer-2/ I lost one of my best friends at 7:08 on Friday morning July 18th. My Uncle Ben, my godfather died of pneumonia at the young age of 95. I had been his legal guardian for the past 6 years, after his wife died. Uncle Ben was the embodiment of the ... http://www.ricksegel.com/blog/index.php/some-old-values-are-still-the-best/ I spent an interesting weekend with old friends and neighbors. Not the same friends all weekend, but different groups at different functions. As the weekend was coming to an end, I was thinking what to write this week’s article about. I like to use topics from the week but somehow ... http://www.ricksegel.com/blog/index.php/lets-talk-about-lying/  For the longest time my approach or attitude toward recessions or economic slowdowns was to strengthen your own business and understand that during the worst of times there is always someone doing business. All I ever wanted was to be that business. I still believe that but with the rapid ... http://www.ricksegel.com/blog/index.php/the-r-word-recession-time-to-revisit-it/  That’s an interesting question that needs to be revisited. I have not been the biggest supporter for paying commissions in a retail store setting.  There are a number of reasons that I feel that way: You want a commission system to serve as an incentive to your employees to perform.  Unfortunately, it ... http://www.ricksegel.com/blog/index.php/to-commission-or-not-to-commission/ I am always wondering why some people and their businesses fail while others succeed almost effortlessly. A colleague of mine shared a system that he has lived by that looks at business success in a whole new light. Like every great solution the formula is simple but the implications are ... http://www.ricksegel.com/blog/index.php/a-simple-tool-for-success/ If you answer that question with just you and your employees, then it’s time to rethink your business.   Why? Let me explain the reasons we even ask that question. First, in today’s competitive business landscape, we must be customer focused. It is or should be all about the customer. Not us. ... http://www.ricksegel.com/blog/index.php/if-you-were-to-close-your-business-tomorrow-who-would-care/