“They say that Maui…”
I have always loved the words to that song. Personally it’s hard for me to say which island is the best, for they each have their own intrinsic beauty. I love the wide open spaces on the Big Island, the variety of Oahu, the mystery of Molokai, the fun of Maui, and I have often said, “I could spend the rest of my life as a rock if you planted me in Hanalei Bay on Kauai.”
I continue to see evidence of success is on Maui; but not for everyone. Here are some examples:

Full flight to West Maui
I snapped this photo on my Island Air flight to West Maui.

93% Booked
I asked the rental car shuttle bus driver about business. He said, “Were real busy; 28 of 30 cars are going out every day.”

Check In Line
Generally I hate lines, but I was pleased to see them lining up to check in at the high end Westin Maui hotel. In case you do not know how high, I got a special Kamaaina rate; $255 plus “resort fees.” I asked the front desk clerk how many rooms there are in the hotel and what visitors are paying. He said, “780 rooms at about $400 a night, some much higher.” I did some quick arithmatic, at 80% that’s about $250,000 bucks a night. The  evidence that people are spending money is pretty clear.

Lahaina Town
I checked in, caught up on my e-mail and headed into Lahaina Town at about 4 PM. That’s a pretty dead time as a lot of people are in their rooms resting up or dressing up for a night on the town. In spite of that, I saw plenty of “evidence” of people on the sidewalks.

Red Lights
I also looked into the stores and galleries, and as always it was feast or famine. In Retail Selling Made Easy I talk about “Red Light - Green Light” referring to the physical positioning of salespeople, and whether they are attracting customers or not. Unfortunately I saw more red lights than I to see:

For some, working to attract business was just too much!

Green Lights
In those cases where people were staying busy the green lights were drawing people into their businesses. People stop outside to decide if to go inside. What they see in there makes the decision. To be busy; get busy!

Almost Dinner Time
It was now getting close to dinner time so I peeked into a few Lahaina bars to see how they were doing. I was pleased to see a lot of people having a good time eating and drinking before dinner.

There was a waiting line already at Bubba Gumps on Front Street.

Show Time
I decided to head back to Kaanapali before dark to see how things looked at Whalers Village. As I was passing by Lahaina Cannery Mall I saw a lot of people gathering across the street, so I parked to check it out.

Old Lahaina Luau
People were lining up in large numbers to see the Old Lahaina Luau. I asked someone at the reservation desk how many people they have tonight, and she said, “280 so far, but there will be more walk-ins.” I aked the price and she said, “$93 per person.” Again I did the arithmatic; $26,040!

Hyatt Luau
On my way to Whalers Village I dropped by the Maui Hyatt Regency to see if they have a luau happening as well. They did; 480 people at $99 each. Added up that’s another $47,520! Are you keeping track? Are you feeling good about the opportunity yet? If not, there’s more.

Leilani’s on the Beach
As I arrived at Whalers Village I peered into Leilani’s on the Beach and saw a packed house having dinner. I looked across the sidewalk at Hula Grill and saw another packed house.

The Sunset
I looked around the other way and saw more people snapping memerable photos of the West Maui Sunset.

And as I headed into Whalers Village I was confronted by even more people on their way to the restaurants.
I really hope that these photos and stories will serve to boost your confidence in our Hawaiian opportunity. No doubt that there are still some people on the mainland who are depressed over this so called poor economy, but I must say they are not the ones making the trip to Maui. The people traveling to Hawaii are not the affected by high airfares and or gas prices. Those people are staying home. We are blessed to have a clientelle that is still coming to Hawaii and spending a lot of money to have a good time. Do NOT let anyone bring you down by talking about what is NOT here. Stay focused on what IS here. Help these visitors enjoy their vacation and they will reward you with their business.
Remember this Proverb:
“When the wind doesn’t blow; row!”
I hope you like my positive spin on things; it’s for you.
Happy New Year. Let’s make 2012 the best ever!!!

And it Shows
My recent flight on Hawaiian Air from Honolulu to Los Angeles was wonderful. The return trip was quite different.
Things that were the same;
-The Airline
-The Airplane
-First Class Seat
-The Time of Day

Things that were different;
-The Crew

The flight attendants going from HNL to LAX were pro-active and friendly. They remained noticeably focused on passengers. The curtain between the first class cabin and the restroom stayed open, and they repeatedly checked to see if passengers had any needs.

Going from LAX to HNL was different. They were cold, reactive and indifferent. They stayed sequestered behind the curtain and only came out when they had to. They seemed bothered when I passed through “their space” en-route to the restroom. On one occasion I overheard two of them gossiping about management. I stopped and asked, “Are you a mainland based crew?” They seemed surprised by my interruption, and answered, “Yes.” I just said, “Aha.” As I passed though the curtain I looked back and saw two pair of “deer in the headlights” looks as I closed the curtain behind me.
Little things make a big difference, and a reflection of the “Aloha Spirit” can be the biggest of all.

Who Am I Talking To?
ATTENTION: Salespeople, customer service personnel, receptionists, telephone operators, Waiters, Waitresses, anyone that talks to customers: “LISTEN!”

“With Room For Cream Please”
When ordering a cup of coffee I always announce clearly, “…with room for cream please.” Invariably I wind up pouring some coffee into the waste can. Not only is this wasteful, but it’s a clear indication that my wish is not their command.

People Love It
Of course there are exceptions, and some e-mail is better received than others, but generally speaking, “You have mail” are welcome words when opening your e-mail program.

Yesterday’s Inbox
The same was true in times past when all mail came to your physical mail box. The more there was, the better you liked it.

“Thank You.”
When was the last time that you went shopping, came home and opened up your e-mail to find a simple “Thank you” e-mail from one of the stores where you shopped? Such e-mail would likely be well received, especially if it came from someone you did NOT buy from, and does NOT have a “sales pitch” as a part of it. A link to your web site is enough. Everyone likes being appreciated.

CRM’s
I talk with many companies that have Customer Relationship Management systems (CRM) in place to gather e-mail addresses and other customer information, but in too many cases it stops there. Or, they go into a data base somewhere with good intent to send e-mail about upcoming sales, promotions or new merchandise. In some cases even that doesn’t happen.

Pick One!
A good way to get e-mail addresses is to have a weekly or monthly drawing of some sort with winners posted on your web site. Be sure that you do not ask for too much information on the drawing ticket; name and e-mail address is all you need. I dropped my business card in a fishbowl at a cafe recently and got a return e-mail telling me who the winner was (not me), but offering me a consolation prize of a free bowl of soup with my next purchase.

Get it Together!
The names in your data base are pure gold. Get creative; e-mail is free, and properly used can be the most effective and inexpensive marketing tool of all.

Do You See An Opportunity Here?
Unhappy customers can be bad news for any company, yet properly dealt with can become a huge benefit. It only takes one poorly handled one to ruin your day, and perhaps even your reputation. One handled well can do just the opposite.

The first rule is, “Don’t take it personal”. The customer may not be right, BUT, the customer is ALWAYS right; RIGHT? It could just be a “mood thing” on the part of the customer. Never let YOUR MOOD add to the problem. Some customers have unrealistic expectations, while others may have a legitimate complaint. The important thing is for YOU to make things better.

Here are some things that YOU can do to make unhappy customers your ally rather than your enemy.

1. Listen, and do not interrupt customers while they are venting. They need to tell their story and feel that they have been heard.

2. Say, “Thank you.” You do not have to agree to be thankful. You can say, “Thank you for calling this to my attention.”

3. Apologize: Again, you do not have to agree. You can say, “I’m sorry that you feel this way.” Do not attempt to lecture the customer, make excuses, or try to justify what has happened. Doing so will just make it worse.

4. Seek a Solution: Ask your customer, “What do you think we should do about this?” Oftentimes the customer’s solution is easier than what you might have in mind. Sometimes the venting and apology is enough.

5. Agree: Look for a solution that will satisfy the customer. The cost of the solution is most likely less costly than a tarnished reputation would be.

6. Do It Now: Show a sense of urgency. Your willingness to fix the problem quickly will do more FOR YOU than the problem DID TO the customer.

7. Follow-up: Make sure that what you agreed to do was done, and done right. A lack of follow through can undo all of the good you just created.

Remember; STUFF HAPPENS. It’s how you handle the STUFF that is more important than the STUFF.

UPDATE: I ended this posting last year with the words, “Stand by.” Well, so much for the call registry, I am still getting unwelcome solicitation robo calls. Are you? 

ANNOYING!
The latest telemarketing scam is one telling you that “your automobile warranty has or is about to expire and to call today to prevent costly repairs.” The recording gives you the option to “Press one to speak to a representative” or to “Press two to be removed from the list”. The first few times I pressed two, was rudely disconnected, and the calls kept coming.

Auto Dialer
The automated calling machine continued to call me with more messages, some saying that I was running out of time to renew, and finally one that said, “This is your last warning. If you do not renew today your insurance will be terminated.” I thought that was the end of it, but in a few days the calls started all over again. I took a different tact and pressed one. I asked to speak with “someone in management or a position of authority.” In some cases I was transferred to a recording asking to leave my number, other times I spoke with someone who listened to my complaint and then just hung up on me.

Nice
Today a pleasant woman answered and asked me for my auto information. I explained the situation to her and she said, “I’m sorry sir, I will have your name removed so that we do not call you again.” I told her that I had been told that in the past but that the calls continue. She told me that I could block their number and I explained that the calls keep coming from different numbers. She then told me that I could go to the National Do Not Call Registry and block all such calls in the future. She said that it may take 30 days to be processed. I made the call and blocked both of my numbers. You can block up to three numbers and it’s free. So, if you are getting similar annoying calls and want to block them, just click HERE and follow the simple directions.
Stand by…

WHAT?
Wikipedia defines jargon as, “Special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand.” Have you ever encountered someone using jargon to describe a product?
I went into a Starbucks recently and ordered a “Medium size coffee of the day.” The person behind the counter said, “We call that a Grande.” I felt chastised for not knowing their term for a medium size cup of coffee. On another day I went in with the same order and was asked, “Pikes Place or Clover?” I wanted to ask, “What’s the difference?” but after I get it loaded with 1/2 & 1/2 I wouldn’t know the difference anyway, so I just said, “Whatever.”
It’s easy to assume that those around you understand the language of your business, but haven’t we all seen the 
word “ASS-U-ME” broken down? Make it easy for people to understand your products and they are more likely to buy. Nobody likes to feel stupid.
I enjoyed a video that Pam Chambers sent to me the other day demonstrating how jargon can lose someone. The man in this video is dead serious; this is not a joke.
See how much of it YOU understand; just CLICK HERE:

Practice “Detective” Behavior
When customers say, “I need to think about it” or “I’ll be back” you have work to do. In Retail Selling Made Easy I say, “Take off your salesperson hat and put on your detective hat.” Until you know the true objection you cannot overcome it. If the truth is that it is too much, too big, too small or the wrong color, and the customer tells you that she needs to think about it, there’s nothing to think about. If you can get her to tell you that it’s “too much” for example, there are several things you may be able to do, like re-stablishing the value, financing, finding a different product or in some cases even reducing the price.
I was in a store today and saw a customer come in, go straight to a product, talk with the salesperson for a while, and then say, “I’ll be back” and leave. I questioned the salesperson about this and he told me that this customer has been in several times to look at the same thing, and he is sure he will come back and buy it. I said, “Not if he buys it somewhere else in the meantime.” Fortunately this salesperson is one that wants to be better and he asked, “What could I have said?” I explained to him that this is the hardest part of selling; the part where salespeople are separated from clerks and order takers. I suggested he say, “Okay, but SOMETIMES when people want to come back, it’s just the wrong one. It’s important to be sure, and since you keep coming back, something MIGHT NOT be right about it. Before you leave, tell me, what MIGHT NOT be right about this one?” Now just shut up and see what you hear. If there’s an objection you can overcome, do so; if the customer says, “No, it’s not that,” say, “So do you think it MIGHT BE the right one?” If the answer is, “Yes” say, “Let’s be sure” and then review the facts. If there’s no good reason to not get it, you can say, “It looks like this is the right one, I suggest you get it now and you won’t need to come back.”
This is admittedly uncomfortable at times, but it’s in the best interest of both you and the customer that you do it. As I said, this is where salespeople are separated from clerks and order takers. Very few people get in line at McDonald’s, ask a bunch of questions, and then say, “I need to think about it” and leave.

Get the Money Now
When the iPhone4 was about to be released I ordered mine on line and got it in the mail the day before the long lines formed at the stores. I wanted to do the same with the iPad2, but learned that I could not order it on line until they were on sale at the stores, and that the delivery time would be 4 to 6 weeks.
I didn’t want to wait that long and wasn’t about to stand in line for 9 hours, so I chose to hold off buying it. That was on Friday; 3/11. On Saturday I stopped in at the Waikiki store and was told that they sold out. I asked when they would get more and she said, “We never know.”

Cool Covers
I had a meeting at Ala Moana the following morning (Sunday) and was attracted to the store by their cool cover display. It was 8 AM and the store was full, but when I tried to enter I was told that they open at 9 AM and the people in there were taking a class. I asked if they have any iPad2’s left, and she said, “Yes, come back after 9.” I did, only to discover that all they had left was the 32G Verizon model. I wanted the 64G AT&T model. I passed, and he said, “Try us tomorrow, we get shipments every day.” I left thinking that if he had said, “We can take your order now and call you as soon as it arrives,” I would have handed him my credit card.

AT&T
On Monday I dropped in at the AT&T Store where my account is and was told that they don’t have any yet, but that they can order it for me and I’ll get it in the mail in 5 to 7 days. I said, “Okay, but I would like to se the covers to select the one I want.” He said that he needed to go in the back to see if they have any ready to show. When he returned I told him that I have to be at Ala Moana in the morning anyway, and I will wait to see if they have any in stock. He said, “That’s a good idea.” I arrived at the Apple Store at 8 AM on Tuesday and a long line had already formed outside the store. That gave me time to think about it and in doing so I came to the conclusion that I don’t even want it. With my MacBookAir and iPhone4 I have enough, and the iPad2 wasn’t going to allow me to do anything they don’t; in fact less, and I would have one more thing to haul around with me. In spite of my decision, part of me still wishes someone had taken my money on Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday when I wanted to buy.

3-11-2011
In spite of a Tsunami warning and poor economy claims, people lined up early Friday morning at Ala Moana Shopping Center for the 5 PM release of Apple’s iPad2. The first people in line got there when the mall opened at 8 AM. 
They would have been earlier had the mall not been closed due to the Tsunami warning. No, I was not in the line, but was there to capture Apple’s latest success story and post it on YouTube.
To see the “calm frenzy” just CLICK HERE:

Steve Jobs
I find myself impressed again and again by Apple’s leader Steve Jobs and his team of creative experts. Apple does things like nobody else. They have the busiest store at Ala Moana Shopping Center, yet there is always someone there to greet you. They overstaff to be sure that no customer is left unattended. You are welcome to come in and “play with” their products hassle free. Surf the net, check your e-mail, ask questions; do whatever you please. 
In doing so people discover the intuitive nature of Apple products and ultimately become converts.

The Genius Bar
If you are having a problem or need help with your machine, simply schedule a free appointment at the Genius Bar and someone will fix it for you; FREE! And when you buy something they will process your purchase on a handheld device like the iPhone and your receipt is e-mailed to you before you leave the store; NO CASH REGISTERS!