Tag Archives: Star Wars

Good service is everywhere…

Yesterday was a day of receiving consistently good service – from a variety of different people, in different places and different situations.  And a very pleasant day as a result.

Excellent service

Good or exceptional service isn’t rocket science but it does require a change in mindset.  Some of the key things yesterday that made a difference to the experiences are:

Smile

(1) People were smiling and coming across that they were generally interested, and they listened.  Even on the phone this makes a huge difference.  It’s about empathy and taking the time to fully understand the query at hand.

(2) They were all looking to see how they could help me.  This is something I read a great article about recently, where you should be thinking in any interaction with anyone else, “How can I help you?”.  Not how can they help me, or what do I want, but what can I do for the other person.

(3) Everyone was going the extra mile – without prompting or being asked for something else.  They were all looking to see what else they could do.

(4) They all knew what they were talking about and the services or products they offered or sold, and were passionate about them.

(5) And lastly they were all empowered to make decisions and do the job, and trusted to do so.

This last one is key and a lot of companies and businesses don’t do this and add process upon process around what should be a simple decision, for no real benefit or commercial reason.

Good service is so important in all businesses and so often overlooked or forgotten. It really was a great experience yesterday seeing it done so well and how it should be.

How important is good service to you as a provider and how do you ensure it is delivered?

And as the great Yoda himself said…

Yoda

 

High street shops are fighting back

The emporium strikes back

Nothing like a Star Wars-esq headline to catch my eye…

“The emporium strikes back”

Following very neatly on from my last post – way back in April – I found a great article this week, talking about the growing “threat” from online retailers and what the more traditional high street shops (our bricks and mortar friends) are doing to come back.

Things like bundle deals, profiling great accessories, personalised high street shopping and shopping as an experience much like Apple do now are all coming.

The one thing that’s sure, is that for the customer and consumer, the shopping experience of the future is going to be very different from today!

Connected content – it’s nearly time!

I’ve long preached the time when we’ll be paying a single fee that covers all our home connectivity and includes unlimited access to all the content we would ever want (music, videos, games, books and more), and all through a single joined up service provider that knows what they’re doing and where it all just works (including how I access everything and when – so a big mobile and hardware bit).

Are we there yet?  Nope, but there are some very clever interim solutions and ways to almost get some of this.

I caught up with a good friend this week who I’ve not seen for some years and we were talking about the joys of using Apple devices and in particular how good Netflix was on it.

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So far I’d resisted the Netflix move.  Just couldn’t convince myself it was worth it and that it would be that good.  But I took the plunge today and boy am I impressed.  On the Apple TV it really is as if it’s a content channel with the same great Apple usability as the Apple TV box.  And even the little Nobles can successfully navigate it.  There are box sets on there to watch, that I’ve recently bought the physical DVDs for – yes I know it’s physical but I couldn’t find digital anywhere for the right price (until now).  My DVD collection (that has been getting smaller as we move to a digital world) is now pretty much obsolete thanks to Netflix – minus Disney and Star Wars (technically though that’s also Disney).  They’ll all come I’m sure – they’re already on Lovefilm and similar.

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So my Apple TV is now looking even more appealing.  The music link is still missing – sure I can link to my iTunes library but I want more content streamed, not my library only.  Spotify can plug that gap for the music but it’s not on the Apple TV (yet).

I can only see this getting better and very quickly.  Whether we need Apple to bring out a physical TV box I’m now not sure.  Their little Apple TV box of magic does it all and plugs into any screen I want.  I can control it with my iPhone and it works.

Total connected content as I described above?  Not yet.  My broadband, phone, TV and content are all with many different (carefully) selected (good) providers – including Sky, BBC (care of the license fee), BT, O2 and now Netflix.  But thanks to good devices it’s all joined up and it won’t be long before we see some very clever services coming in that offer more or all of it in one package.

Anytime, anyhow and anywhere – IS coming soon…!

Star Wars Episodes 7, 8 and 9 – can it get any better than this?

Quite simply put – no.  This is a whole other level in excitement.  Episodes 7, 8 and 9 from 2015 every 2 years and after then there could be even more!  My little boy will be 6 when episode 7 comes out, virtually the same age I was when my dad took me to see the original episode 4 (“A New Hope”) back in 1977, in Hong Kong with my friend and his dad.  We’re now a generation on, 2 more movies plus 3 prequels down, a bucket load of Star Wars Lego to the play with, the original 3 movies re-mastered and more, and everyone knows who Darth Vader is!  We had no idea 35 years ago what an amazing story this was going to be…

Even better the great Disney is buying LucasFilm and Star Wars – what better home for it.  And with George Lucas as a consultant.  Rumours are that Darth Vader is coming back from the dead – somehow.  And that they won’t be following the stories in any of the Expanded Universe books or games.  Interesting to see how it pans out.

Director apparently lined up – not sure who.  Writers ready.  Actors soon.  3 years of mega-marketing hype but it’s going to be the Star War fans here already who create the biggest buzz.

For some of this buzz, check out this blog by a fellow excited Star Wars fan…

I can’t wait.  Me, my little ones and my dad all to go and see it.  Need to figure out where though – dad’s over in Sydney with mum and my sister and her family so no cinemas anywhere close to us all!

And in 2015 we also have the NASA spacecraft New Horizons reaching Pluto – the now demoted planet.  But also a Disney dog.  Just a coincidence?

What a great time to be alive…!

Yoda as a mentor

Another fine post from GeekWire, again written by Brandon Koeller and this time about Yoda and his not great mentoring skills.  As opposed to Darth Vader’s project management endeavours  – “10 reasons why Darth Vader was an amazing project manager“.

Let’s start by defining what mentoring is…

Here’s what Yoda does wrong…

And the 10 reasons he wasn’t a great mentor are:

  1. Too much micro-management.
  2. Lack of transparency.
  3. No clear goal setting.
  4. Lack of clear and consistent communications.
  5. Not providing authentic and real assignments.
  6. Authority (and relationship) problems.
  7. Not relating training to things you know and your existing experiences.
  8. Forget about cult myths and hero worshipping.
  9. Lack of accessibility.
  10. Learning new things isn’t about magic – it’s about consistent hard work.

Yes I am a huge Star Wars fan – which means I like posts like this by default almost.  But what I really like about Brandon’s posts (and his writing style) is the ability to provide very useful info about topical subjects, that are relevant to most people and wrap them up with Star Wars – something that everyone loves – that makes them fun to read (and remember).

Mentoring is something that many organisations don’t do and so they miss out on the huge opportunities it can provide.  Someone in the organisation helping inspire and motivate others, can never be a bad thing!

Are you a mentor?  Does it work for you?  Do you enjoy it?

10 reasons why Darth Vader was an amazing project manager

A work theme for project management and consultancy, plus Star Wars?  Genius.  A great post I had to share care of GeekWire and written by Brandon Koeller (link here takes you to Brandon’s blog).

10 reasons why Darth Vader was an amazing project manager

And they are:

  1. Prioritisation according to strategic values
  2. Decision making based on objective data
  3. Deliver on committments
  4. Take time out to keep perspective
  5. Pre-emptively manage risks and expectations
  6. Be persuasive
  7. Pick a methodology and stick with it (until it doesn’t work)
  8. Push through challenges and find solutions
  9. It’s never too late to make changes to plans
  10. Get involved and be prepared to get your hands dirty

Darth Vader as a good project manager?  Bet that never crossed your mind until now!  With the work he did in episodes 1, 2 and 3, before 4, 5 and 6, he could even be a Galactic programme manager.

May The Force Be With You…

A bit of a Star Wars theme going on…

Mrs. Noble has done it again and at very short notice. The planet Hoth on a cake. Love it. A link to running? Don’t need one – it’s Star Wars…

Snowballs in Summer: A bit of a Star Wars theme going on …

But it is day one of the 8 week 10k training plan today, so will need energy tonight from the cake, after a great hill run earlier!

Figuring out how fast you can run

A very cool online running calculator that I found from McMillan Running, that looks to give good estimates of times and paces for different distances…

When I say looks to work, I mean when I enter my recent distance paces – when run under race-ish conditions – it gives times (and paces) for other distances that match up with what I’m doing and aiming for for the marathon.

Entering the time from my 1/2 marathon on Friday…

And this gives “Equivalent Performance Times” of…

So bang on for what I’m aiming for for the marathon – just under 3 hours 30 minutes.  So in theory all on track, with just under 4 weeks to go.  The calculator also gives your optimal training paces – which also tie in very nicely with what I’ve been doing (particularly for the longer runs)…

A recovery weekend this last weekend (no running or karate) and the last week of long runs this week (x3), with a 20 or 22 miler on Friday, then it’s time for the taper for the last 3 weeks.

But a visit to Legoland over the weekend for their Star Wars Invasion Weekend – nothing short of awesome!  And the little Nobles enjoyed it as much as daddy.  Little Darth Vader got to meet big Darth Vader…

 

 

 

Another barrier cracked – 100 minutes

Back under 100 minutes for the 1/2 marathon today.  A good result and my best time since the end of 2008 – and my third fastest 1/2 marathon.  Still a bit off my best time of 1:33:53, in the first Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon in 2008, but getting there.

A week of more fast runs this week:

  1. 10 miles with 4 x 1 mile intervals
  2. 6 miles with 5km fast
  3. 10 miles at (slow) recovery pace

And then 1/2 marathon on day 4.  Not much rest this week so far but good runs and under 100 minutes for the 1/2 marathon after 3 consecutive days running.

A great day to run today and the perfect weather, no more long sleeves and hat needed.  Sun out and blue skies.  Nice!

Rest day tomorrow, as in no running but a Lego-tastic day planned, at Legoland Windsor  for their Star Wars Invasion Weekend, complete with the guys from the UK Garrison (part of the 501st Legion) and a squadron or two of Stormtroopers and the rest of the gang.  Happy days!