Adobe’s Wasted Time And Effort

I learned how to use Adobe Photoshop a bunch of years ago when I got really sick and had to be on the couch for about a month straight.  

It was on the heels of the MySpace days and I needed some new banners and…umm…skins.

You used to simply be able to download Photoshop, but now its a month to month subscription deal.

So they can make more/consistent money off of their great products. Respect.

However…

Doing customer service the old way is stupid.

And Adobe does customer service the old way. Stupid.

Trying to eek out every dollar from your customers on the basis of something deep in the fine print, or some new policy…you might be right, but everyone hates you.  And if everyone hates you, everyone else will hate you too.

What happened to the customer always being right?  

Because we are.

You’re telling me we have vehicles on mars and I can video chat with China, but you just can’t refund me my few dollars after I politely explain my situation?

It’s not about if you CAN help me, its all about if you are WILLING to help me.  Because you and I both know you have the ability.

You have the choice…

Is it better to screw the customer, make some short term money and have them writing a blog like this about you…

Or to satisfy the customer, letting them walk away with a good story about your company so they’ll sing your praises on down the road?

Adobe, your products are cutting edge, your customer relations is prehistoric.

Trade short term dollars for long term cheerleaders.

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

24 Hours Post-Thankfullness

Roughly 24 hours past Thanksgiving. Do we remember anything from yesterday?  What or who we’re thankful for? More importantly, what or who we’re thankful to?

Appreciation and respect for the world around you, your band, your team, your business go a long way.

In fact, in most studies that have been done, money ranks at about 5 or 6 for what people value most in what they want in a job.

So maybe you’re short on cash.  Maybe you’re currently a small operation and can’t yet compensate your people the way you (and they) wish you could.

Don’t worry, all the other things on the list for what people want most in a company/business/team/BAND are absolutely free to start working on.

1. Recognition for good work
2. A positive environment
3. Work that has greater purpose than the work itself
4. Responsibility
5. Accountability for responsibilities
6. Adequate compensation

I have this strange feeling that if you focus on the first five long enough, number six will become a reality sooner than later.

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

Show And Tell

Show AND tell.

Both elements were important back in elementary school, weren’t they?

If you forgot your toy, you had nothing.  You couldn’t just tell.  It had to be show AND tell.  If you forgot your toy, you were doomed.  You need the THING to show in order to have the opportunity to tell about it.

Also, you couldn’t just show something.  You couldn’t just set your baseball card, doll, painting, Pearl Jam cassette on the teachers stool at the front of the room and walk away, you had to tell.

The telling magnifies the impact of the showing.

Too many shows and gigs are all show but no tell.  So it’s like you’ve brought your bestest most awesomest toy, but just plopped it in the front of the room and walked away.  Glad you have a cool toy, bummed you didn’t serve the situation better.

Too many interactions online and everywhere else are all tell and nothing to show. So it’s like you get up in the front of the class and tell them what an incredible, mind blowing, life changing toy you have…but you forgot it at home.  But you swear it’s great!! Bummer.  Now everyone thinks you’re a liar.

Show (the thing, the thing comes first) AND tell (the glue, the staying power, the connection and belief).

p.s. Even Steve Jobs had to both show and tell…and his art/product is simple yet mind blowing.  If he has to do both in order to grow a company/empire, there’s a good chance you do too.

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

If You Want Downloads

If you want people to download your next record, start giving them a string of free downloads now.  Groom them.

People are used to listening for what feels like free to them: Youtube, Spotify, Apple Music, etc.

So when you release your new record and you throw up a bunch of stuff online about “Go Download My New Record!” it throws a wrench in the norm of day to day listening.

You are not Adele.

Adele isn’t throwing you a bone by not having her record on streaming right now.

She’s throwing herself a bone, millions of them.  But 25 will be on streaming soon enough.  Just like the stars and whoever else who was sticking it to the man by not having their music on iTunes ten years ago. Every single one of them does now.

As for you “Go listen to my record” sounds a lot more hip than “Go download my record”.  Downloading is old. Listening is forever.

But if you want the downloads, it must become part of the culture of your fanbase and you need to start early early early in solidifying that element.

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

Inches And Miles

Better to have ten great ideas, or carry out one great idea?

Better to have a three hour meeting rehashing the plan, or to take three hours and start carrying out the plan?

Better to have a million dollar idea that you won’t do, or a ten thousand dollar idea you will do?

The first parts of all these questions are romantic, fun to talk about, stimulate the senses, makes you feel like you did something.

The second parts of all these questions are all about the real work.  The work that doesn’t let you make excuses or mark yourself as the victim.  They are a lot scarier because they feel more real.

All the ideas and all the planning and all the money are great but…

…on your way to carrying out ten great ideas you must first carry out one

…on your way to a long complex plan you must do simple things today

…on your way to a million dollars you will first have ten thousand

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

Scary Email

I have written a lot of emails that have never been responded to.

Emails that if I told you who I wrote some of them to you’d definitely say I was crazy for thinking I’d get a reply.

But sometimes I do get replies.  And those replies open up new conversation and opportunity.  Maybe not the opportunity I was hoping for, but certainly more opportunity than before I wrote and sent the email.

I believe in writing good emails, emails from a thoughtful place, using words you can stand behind, writing emails when you’re in a good, applicable head space for the person you’re sending to.

I don’t think you should send a message to everyone under the sun asking for something, but if you haven’t rolled the dice in a while…if there’s a specific name that comes to mind for a specific reason, and you feel a specific fire…do it.

You never know when Puff Daddy is bored on a private jet, thumbing through emails and decides to read yours instead of deleting it.

Write a genuine, thoughtful, specific email to someone you currently believe to be out of your league and you don’t think you’ll get a response from.

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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com