Author: Dr. Flores Page 20 of 44

Over the years, I’ve stated in cheap hotels. In some cases, I didn’t want to spend the extra money on a nicer place, and sometimes I had little choice. As a college basketball referee for more than two decades, I’ve been away from my home many nights, which results in many hotel stays.

Here are 3 signs you are staying in a cheap motel …

#1: The price for the hotel is fixed.

I remember officiating a game in Cedar Rapids, IA. Because I was working multiple games in the Midwest, I used Kansas City, MO as my hub. The game at Cedar Rapids finished around 9 p.m., and I began the 6-plus-hour drive back to Kansas City. After a few hours, I was having a tough time staying awake, so I decided to call it a night at the first hotel I could find.

In a small Iowa town, I found vacancy at the Orbit Inn. It didn’t look too nice, but I just needed a few hours of rest. When I approach the night clerk, I asked for the nightly rate. Without hesitation, he said, “$30.”  I asked for the total price, including tax, and he responded, “$30.” I suppose that one way to keep hotels cheap is by charging a nice round number.

#2: The all-in-one engineer approach.

Several years ago I was attending a meeting in Laredo, TX, and stayed at a Holiday Inn Express. This chain of hotels is not always cheap, but it can be described as “economical.”

Upon entering the room, I noticed that the air conditioner was kicking out hot air, so I called the front desk to have a technician take a look at it. I was informed that an “engineer” was on his way. In short order, Samuel walked in and resolved the issue. Several hours later, I was having issues connecting to the internet. I called the front desk to report the problem, and they dispatched an engineer. Surprisingly, Samuel also served the role of technology engineer. He didn’t have the skills set for this problem, but he did recommended re-starting my computer. I figure that a motel can be characterized as “cheap” when there is just one engineer to field all types of problems.

#3: The only room service options are Pizza Hut or Chinese delivery.

An advantage of staying in a high-end hotel is ordering room service. At cheap hotels, however, room service takes on a totally different dimension. In most cases, a black-and-white flyer is placed near the old RCA-style TV detailing the restaurants that deliver to this hotel.

Without fail, a pizza and Chinese restaurant will be on the list. When placing your order, don’t be surprised if these eateries are unable to process credit cards. When they do, they will ask for an additional 5% to cover their merchant fees. The point here is that cheap hotels will make you jump through several hoops just to get a bite to eat.

When staying at a hotel that Hotels.com or TripAdvisor give just one or two stars, you should read the reviews. Invariably, you will find comments similar to the ones I shared here. I am somewhat surprised, though, that people give poor reviews despite knowing that there is a direct relationship between the cost of the hotel and the quality one should expect.

Even after many years, I remember my $30 hotel experience. It wasn’t too great, but for that night, it served the purpose. Sleep well!

A few weeks ago, I decided to stop at the barbershop where I get my haircut. It was 8:15 a.m., and I had a 9:00 a.m. meeting. C.W., the barber who normally cuts my hair, was busy tending to a customer, and I was pushing the start time for my meeting if I waited for him to get done.

The other barber, Rick, was available:

“Sir, would you like to get started?”

I wanted to wait for C.W. but Rick was ready to go, and time was of the essence.

“Sure, I have a meeting soon, and I’m the one facilitating, so it’s important that I get to the webinar on time.”

Chatting During the Haircut

As with most haircut sessions, small talk breaks out between the barber and the customer.

RICK: It sure has been hot out there.

ME: It’s only June, and I think it will get worse.

RICK: What size do you use on the sides?

[I looked over at C.W. and he confirms that I use a 4.]

ME: Unfortunately, I do not have much time today, so perhaps a quick haircut will do. I just need something to hold me over for the next couple of weeks.

RICK: I’ll go as fast as I can. What kind of work do you do?

ME: I spend much of my time training in the area of project management.

RICK: Yeah! My wife can use some of that training. We have a pantry that I don’t recognize anymore. I can say about the same for the closets. Of course, if I remind her about what needs to get done in the house, she’ll point to the garage, and how much cleaning it needs. It’s not really cleaning that it needs … there is too much clutter. She tells me that I need to be on that hoarding show. I guess she’s got a point!

ME: I think project management might help a bit in that area. It’s all about breaking big work into small chunks and getting started. As much as I say that, there are many things I fail to get started. I think that time management is just as important.

RICK: Right, man! What happened to 24 hours per day? I think someone made the day shorter or something. I just can’t seem to get anything done. When I get out of here, it’s already 6:30 p.m. By the time I get home, and pop open my first beer, it’s about 7:30 p.m. I don’t even have time to watch the hoarding show!

ME: I agree! I have this meeting at 9, and another one at 2 and one at 5. That’s nuts!

RICK: Okay! You’re done! One of my fastest haircuts – 10 minutes!

As I left the barbershop, I said “Bye” to C.W. and let him know that I would be back in a couple of weeks. After my 9 a.m. webinar, I went to the mirror in the bathroom, and noticed that my hair looked a little weird. With plenty of gel, it would stay down, but the sides were sticking out way too much.

I realized that I put too much pressure on Rick to get the work done fast. This reminded me that when you try to get something done quick, you often ignore the details. In this case, it will take a couple of weeks before C.W. can correct the problem, but when you make mistakes in business, the consequences might last forever.

Every few months or so, I am reminded of something I observed many years ago while a business colleague and I met for a cocktail after work in Philadelphia. Tony and I decided on a bar near his office to enjoy a good chat.

Dancing Begins

At about 10 p.m., I observed this attractive and confident-looking lady in her mid-20s arrive at the bar by herself. Finding it unusual that she was alone, I mentioned it to Tony. He said, “She is a pretty girl to be on her own. Something must be up!”

Unbeknownst to me, this bar doubled as a discotheque, and we the place gained more energy around 11 p.m. Before long the pretty girl was having a conversation with a man, and her dance night began.

For the next 90 minutes, different men asked her to dance, and she obliged. From what I could tell, she didn’t take any breaks, and she wasn’t drinking. She was there only to dance.

Around midnight, Tony and I decided to leave the bar. Interestingly, the pretty girl also called it quits around that time. She made her way to the exit and departed alone.

The Point

I’ve told this story several times to my friends because I was surprised to see a confident young lady walk into a place alone. It was obvious she didn’t know anyone. In fact, she might have been from outside Philly. I’m not sure.

Even though she didn’t have an acquaintance, she had a mission. She was a good dancer, and that’s all that mattered to her. Heck, even if she lacked dancing skills, her beauty would make up for it.

My Takeaway

There are times when I am nervous about doing something different. I’m in my comfort zone, and I don’t want to get out of it. I might be asked to present a challenging topic to stakeholders that I know will challenge me. Instead of thinking of an excuse, I recall the brave young lady who confidently walked into the bar and held her own.

You need to focus on where you have a competitive edge. You all have a competitive skill;exploit it. In some cases, you need to make that skill better, such as public speaking or leading projects. It’s imperative that you do the back-end work to perfect our core abilities.

The young lady was an excellent dancer, and she commanded attention. Tony and I could tell that she was in her zone. She was not new to this environment. Even then, though, for her to walk into an establishment full of strangers was impressive. She focused on her competitive advantage, which was dancing.

I suppose someday I might develop a sales training course, and I know the perfect example to use as an icebreaker:

“Hello, Everyone! I know every one of you wants to be the best salesperson in this company. I have the secret for you, and I want to share it with you. This story is true, and if you apply what I’m about to tell you, success is inevitable. Many years ago, Tony and I were having a drink in a Philly bar, and we noticed this attractive young lady walk in …”

This past week, I was asked to participate in a lunch meeting sponsored by an organization looking for ideas to embrace emerging technologies. We were contacted via email regarding the meeting, and the coordinator provided a list of lunch options, which included sandwiches and salads. I selected the chef salad because this particular shop is known for making good ones.

To the right of me sat Norma, who also ordered the chef salad. However, I believe she selected the ranch dressing, while I went lighter with balsamic vinaigrette. I noticed that while I poured the dressing on my salad, she took the dipping approach. Every once in a while, she would dip her fork in the dressing. This seemed unusual to me, but I’m definitely not an expert regarding the proper way to eat a salad during a business function.

Before the Food, Norma is Chatty

Here is what I found interesting: Our food arrived about midway into the meeting. Before the arrival of the sandwiches and salads, Norma was fully engaged in the discussion. In fact, she couldn’t stop talking. In one example, she talked for several minutes. She talked for so long that she even made one good point!

After the Food, Norma Goes Dormant

Once the knock on the door came and we were informed that the food had arrived, I noticed Norma’s focus changed. She was no longer interested in the meeting itself. I suppose that the pangs of hunger overcame her. Because this was a working lunch, we continued to discuss the agenda items. However, Norma stopped contributing and focused entirely on devouring her salad.

I did notice that every few minutes Norma would mutter something largely incoherent, but it gave the impression that she was listening. After 20 minutes or so, she was done with her salad, and it appeared that she was energized and ready to get back in the mix.

What’s My Point?

I know some of you are wondering if I was even paying attention to the meeting. After all, it seems that I was preoccupied with Norma, and her salad eating approach. The fact is that I can multitask. Ha!

My point here is that working lunch meetings can disrupt the flow of a discussion. How is the meeting leader supposed to write on the flip chart and eat a sandwich at the same time? Should she put the sandwich down on the table, and get up and write? Is it proper for her to hold the sandwich in one hand while writing with the other? Does this approach distract the audience?

Some of you know that I’m using humorous examples, but think about how awkward it is to conduct and participate in a lunch meeting. When should the food arrive? What type of food should you order? Are boneless chicken wings a good idea? On the one hand, they are tasty, but they are also a bit messy. Who makes the decision on whether it’s wings or something else? This is important.

I finished my salad in about 10 minutes, and Norma was still doing the dipping thing. The two-hour meeting ended, and I felt we only had about 60 minutes of fruitful discussion. One other observation I made, however, was that we had 100% attendance, and I wonder if the free lunch had anything to do with it.

My flight from NY LaGuardia to Denver was even better after receiving a complimentary upgrade to First Class. The 5:45 p.m. flight was on time, we would receive a hearty dinner, and I was looking forward to ordering a Chardonnay or two on this flight. These are perks of flying in the front cabin.

The only downside to this flight was that I had a window seat. I prefer an aisle because it’s easier for me to retrieve items from the overhead compartment and use the bathroom. It was the last seat in First Class, so beggars can’t be choosers, right?

The Pretty Flight Attendant

A few minutes after finding my seat, flight attendant Deborah asked for my drink choice. I responded: “White wine, please.” She thanked me for the order and walked away. A bit later, she returned with the wine, and said: “This will help you relax a bit.”

Deborah was a pretty woman, and she carried herself professionally. I found her more talkative than most flight attendants, but nothing too unusual. My guess was that she was in her early 40s, but I couldn’t really tell.

Guessing Her Age

After getting airborne, Deborah asked for drink orders and meal preferences. One male passenger (Rick) was flirting a bit with her, and the following conversation ensued:

RICK: You’re sure in a good mood tonight.

DEBORAH: Denver is my home, and I’m looking forward to spending a few days around the house.

RICK: I knew there had to be something. You were taking drink orders with a smile, and you have a hop to your step.

DEBORAH: I didn’t know someone my age could have a hop to her step.

RICK: You can’t be too old? I’m guessing late 30s, right?

[I’m sure Rick was taking a very conservative guess. She was definitely north of 40.]

DEBORAH: You’re sweet, but that’s not right.

[Deborah decided to involve about four men in guessing her age. Given my proximity to the conversation, I was included. Yikes!]

ME: You know … it’s tough for me to guess, but I say early 40s – very early!

[I needed to add “early” – sounds much better. One other man guessed mid-30s, which was obviously wrong. The last person picked 42.]

DEBORAH: I have to tell you that you are all wrong! I will turn 50 in June of this year. Can you believe it?

ME: Never would’ve guessed it.

[Safe comment!]

RICK: I still think you are 39.

[I guess this is his pick-up line – not sure!]

DEBORAH: You guys are so nice. I feel much better now!

While the conversation was jovial and entertaining, especially since most of us had a couple drinks down, it wasn’t necessary to play the age game, right? She was, after all, very attractive, despite her age.

Then again … perhaps we made her feel better by guessing a younger age. Come to think of it, she didn’t look anywhere close to 50. I suppose I need to stop worrying about the intent, and focus more on the fact that we all benefitted from this fun exercise.

Research by 24/7 Wall St., published in an MSNBC.com article, examined the sales of 23 of the largest selling beer products in the United States. The research found that eight had suffered a decline of 30% or more in sales between 2005 and 2010.

Americans have lost the taste for the following 8 beers:

1. Budweiser (30% sales loss)
2. Milwaukee’s Best Light (34% sales loss)
3. Miller Genuine Draft (51% sales loss)
4. Old Milwaukee (52% sales loss)
5. Milwaukee’s Best (53% sales loss)
6. Bud Select (60% sales loss)
7. Michelob Light (64% sales loss)
8. Michelob (72% sales loss)

Observations

It appears the Milwaukee beers are having a tough time right now. The noticeable trend, however, is that full-calorie beers are not too popular today, given they have about 145 calories per can. Light beers, on the other hand, contain about 100 calories, and ultra light beer sports 90 calories. In a culture that has become more health-conscious, Americans are opting for beers that have a smaller impact on their waist size.

Change or Become Extinct

I was sitting at the LAX airport recently making my connection from Seoul, South Korea to San Antonio. I had about an hour or so before my flight, and the United Airlines Red Carpet lounge was in Terminal 7, which was too far away, so I decided to have a drink at a bar restaurant.

The menu read something like this …

• Item #1: Big Burger and Fries
• Item #2: Cheesy Quesadillas
• Item #3: Chicken Fingers and Fries
• Item #4: Mediterranean Chicken Salad
• Item #5: More fried stuff!

This airport restaurant is following the “full calorie” beer producer’s strategy. Given the recent trends, it appears that the days for high-caloric food are numbered. I understand a segment of the population, such as males between the ages of 20 and 34, will continue to eat fatty foods, but a growing number of Americans are looking for healthier choices. Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors Brewing (maker of the Milwaukee line) are feeling the impact of this health-conscious wave.

When you fail to adapt, competition will force you out of the market. This is the survival of the fittest way of thinking. In a free market society, the weak companies are driven out of the market by those organizations providing superior products and services to the customer. It’s only a matter of time before the ceiling falls through. It’s the reality of the situation.

The Market is Talking to You

The market is talking, and many are failing to listen; the problems facing beer producers provides a clear example. In other words, businesses are marching forward and failing to pay attention to the warning cues. Many organizations are facing similar situations, which means it’s time to act is now, and not when they are forced to do it.

Use reverse engineering. Stop thinking you understand what the customer wants. Ask the customer, and use that feedback to make adjustments. With the beer companies, this might suggest promoting one beer over another. If necessary, they can pursue a more aggressive merger and acquisition strategy.

The Cold, Hard Facts!

Nobody is invincible. A big market share can disappear faster than you might think. Even when the customer has limited choices, they can elect not to buy from you. In fact, the customer can develop such a sour taste that they convince others to stop using your product or service.

A cold beer is appreciated by many, but not just any beer. Most customers today are interested in beverages that don’t add too many pounds. The customer speaks through actions, which means they will either buy or not buy. If you have your ear to the ground, you can detect that feedback and make quick changes.

When you fail to listen to the customer, there is one undeniable reality: Extinction.

When I attended an online social media class taught by two women (Laura and Danielle), I was impressed with the information shared during the session, and decided to write the following email to the instructors:

Ladies –

I wanted to personally thank you for the excellent social media class. I was impressed with both the content and delivery. In fact, I’m already using some of what I learned!

Keep up the excellent work!

J. Flores

Within a few hours, Laura provided the following response to my email:

Jimmie, 

I’m glad you enjoyed the class. We keep making updates as new tools become available in the market.

By the way, please be careful who you call “ladies.”

Laura

Here is my response to Laura:

Hi, Laura –

I apologize if I offended you or Danielle.

The reason for my email was to thank you for the good work, and I look forward to taking another course in the near future.

Have a great day!

J. Flores

What Happened?

From my understanding, “Laura” and “Danielle” are names associated with women. Because this was an online class, and the instructors did not provide pictures, I never physically met the presenters.

I was surprised to receive the email from Laura. Why would she be offended when I referred to her as a “lady”? I went back and reviewed all correspondence from her to see if I overlooked a nickname. Her email signature clearly stated “Laura.” I was confused.

Even though I was super-busy that day, I decided to conduct an online search for Laura and Danielle. I found both of them on LinkedIn, and they looked like women to me. Why would Laura warn me about calling them “ladies”? This did not make much sense to me.

Takeaway

I can only speculate why “ladies” was inappropriate. I thought about locating Laura’s phone number, and discussing the issue on the phone … and the call might go something like this:

ME: I wanted to call you and apologize over the phone for calling you a “lady.” Aren’t you a woman?

LAURA: That’s none of your business!

After thinking of the possible scenarios, I decided against the phone call. There was little to gain, and I might make the situation even worse. The fact is that they did not want to be called “ladies,” and that’s the bottom line.

Is it, though?

Were they men pretending to be women? Wait a second! I’m thinking too much about this situation. Perhaps they are women who think that “lady” is just not the right term to describe them.

I suppose it really doesn’t matter what I call them. They did an excellent job with the online class, which means they met the expectations. I paid $250 for the class, and it was knowledge that I can apply in my social media marketing campaign. Why should I worry how they wish to be addressed, right?

It’s funny, though, I walked into a meeting recently in which three women were seated, and I said, “Good morning, Ladies!” They all smiled, and we had a great discussion. They were not offended.

Go figure!

It was 8:15 a.m., and I decided to stop at Target to purchase a few items. I learned that going to Target is much better on a Monday morning, and not on a Saturday afternoon. When I walked into the retail giant, there were more workers than customers. I was asked several times: “Sir, can I help you find anything?” Nice!

Starbucks in Target

While in Target, I noticed a Starbucks shop near the exit. I remembered that I had earned a free coffee because of my loyalty to the Seattle-based company, so this was a good time to take advantage of the reward. Interestingly, there were more people in the Starbucks line that those shopping at Target.

A 30-something attractive blond woman was in front of me in the Starbucks line, and it was finally her turn to order.

BARISTA: May I take your order, Miss?

BLOND: Yes. Let me think … I would like a decaf tall caramel Frappuccino light.

BARISTA: Great! We can get that started for you right away.

BLOND: Ok. I guess I need to pay for it. Let me see if I can get the app to work on my iPhone. I’m still getting used to it.

BARISTA: You just have to put it near the reader, and it takes care of itself. It’s almost dummy proof.

BLOND: Yeah … well … I just realized that my battery ran out on the phone. I guess a credit card will work.

BARISTA: We take those, too.

BLOND: Oh … let me use debit. I have that card right here.

BARISTA: I like the way you smell. What are you wearing? Is it Shalimar?

BLOND: This is Chanel No. 5.  I haven’t used Shalimar.

BARISTA: I’m usually very good at knowing a fragrance. I think they’re close, but not sure.

BLOND: I guess so. Where do I wait for my drink?

I guess the barista was looking to make small talk with the pretty blonde woman. However, perhaps this was a standard pick-up line. If it were, he was pretty good at it, and he was bold. He asked the woman within ear distance of several customers and other employees.

When it was my turn to order, he didn’t ask anything about the cologne I was wearing. I guess that’s a good thing because I have no idea what I would respond. I guess guys normally do not ask other guys the brand of fragrance they’re wearing, especially not in a public setting.

The takeaway for me was the bold question asked by the barista. He had the guts to ask a pretty girl to disclose the fragrance she had on that day. She seemed a bit surprised with the question, but the answer followed quickly.

In business, many people are sometimes afraid to raise an issue or to ask the tough questions,feeling that their questions might be stupid and will lead to an embarrassing situation. The next time you are on the fence about a question, consider the bold approach used by the barista, and how he put himself on the line to get the information he wanted.

I attended a marketing seminar recently, and I overheard the following conversation between a woman in her late 20s (Marcia) and a business colleague:

MARCIA: These binders have a ton of stuff for us to learn. We need to do more social media in my company. I don’t think my boss even has a Twitter account, and he is a twit!

FRIEND: I guess that’s why they sent you here, so that you could figure it out. What do you think?

MARCIA: I’m not sure! I came here because it’s one less day I have to be in the office. The best part is that today is Friday, which means that my weekend has started early.

FRIEND: That’s cool! I’m not sure what I will do this weekend. I have a few friends who want me hang out with them tonight, but these guys can stay out all night! I mean … all night! A couple weeks ago, we even did the Denny’s breakfast thing at 5 a.m. I slept the entire day after that.

MARCIA: I know that my friend Danny wants to come over tonight and have a few drinks. He is a good friend! I mean … we are just friends.

FRIEND: What do you mean that you are just friends? If he is coming over for drinks, I’m sure you’re more than just hang out-kinda friends, right?

MARCIA: I know you won’t believe it, but we are just friends! I mean … Danny has even slept in my bed, and we didn’t do anything at all. He stayed on his side, and I stayed on my side. True … we both passed out after partying so long, but you know what I mean.

FRIEND: Not really … what do you mean?

MARCIA: We just like each other as friends. I have known him for … like … 13 years. He and I will never cross that line.

FRIEND: He must be ugly! That’s way too weird for me.

MARCIA: You can think what you want, but that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. Come to think of it … it’s even hard for me to believe it. Anyway … how much longer is this break? I need to make a couple of calls.

While they were having this conversation, I was doing my best to focus on checking my emails. As you can tell, though, it was a lively chat, and it did captivate my interest for the few minutes that it lasted. I guess it’s not a conversation that most people have in a public setting, but it didn’t seem to matter to them. I noticed that Marcia spoke at a level at which she wanted others to hear what she was saying. She was used to being the center of attention.

I really don’t know if Danny was just a friend or something more, and I really don’t care. I do know, however, that this type of conversation is a bit over-the-top, and probably not for public consumption at a marketing seminar.

With that said, it did give me something interesting to write about this week.

A friend (Brian) and I were having a cocktail a few months ago, and he informed me that his ex-wife asked him to pay for half of a $3,000 birthday party for their 6-year-old daughter. This was an outrageous amount to me, so I decided to learn more about the event.

ME: Wow! I think $3,000 is a ton of money. I don’t think Cassandra is going to remember that day. She’s way too young!

BRIAN: I guess you’re probably right, but my ex is already coordinating the event. She is adamant that this birthday party for Cassandra must be a good one.

ME: What do you mean “good one”? I understand she is a medical doctor, but spending $3,000 on a birthday party sends the wrong message.

BRIAN: You’re telling me! She is asking that I pay for half of it! If I do the math right, I’m going to be out $1,500, and she wants the check this week. I can give her the check, but I probably don’t have the money in the bank. You know that I install security systems for a living, and business is slow right now.

ME: I understand. Did you tell her that you are unable to pay for half of this royal birthday party?

BRIAN: Well, remember she left me because I don’t make much money. If I tell her that I can’t pay the $1,500, she will think I’m a lifelong loser.

ME: Remember that she’s your ex-wife. In most cases, ex-anythings don’t think highly of their previous partners. I think you should hold your ground, and tell her that you can pay for a smaller party, something like $250 or so. Don’t they have a Chuck E. Cheese’s in Los Angeles?

BRIAN: You know she’s not into the normal stuff. Ever since she started making the big money, she runs in different circles.

ME: I think you’re setting a bad precedence by paying the $1,500, or the $3,000 for that matter. How often will you have these parties?

BRIAN: I think this is the way it’s going to be from now on. Her friends are doing similar stuff, and she doesn’t want to be left behind.

ME: I feel for you on this one, man. I know you want to be there for Cassandra, but these kinds of exorbitant parties are off the chart. We need to teach our children the value of money. When I was growing up, we had the family come over and we played in the backyard. That’s it!

BRIAN: Same here. We didn’t need to spend a lot of money in the old days. I guess it depends on the situation.

ME: Right! I still think that you need to hold your ground. How about spending $500 on the party, and putting the $2,500 in a college fund. That’s smarter!

BRIAN: Right on, man! Let me see what happens!

Brian was caught in a difficult situation. He wanted to show his ex-wife that he was back on his feet financially by agreeing to pay the $1,500 for his half, but he didn’t have the money.

As it turns out, he tapped into a retirement program and found the $1,500, and the birthday party was held. Brian told me that the entire event took about 4 hours. There were a ton of games, several clowns, and food representing a few continents. Unfortunately for Brian, he only knew a handful of the invited guests. Bummer!