Happenings

Don’t Dream, It’s Over!

July 10, 2019 Happenings
ICC World Cup 2019

As the Indian team was reduced to 5 for 3 wickets in the semi-finals against New Zealand today and as I pretty much shut myself off of every medium that broadcast the match scores, these words from the famous Crowded House song began to linger in my mind. I harboured a dream that India would have a walkover victory of this World Cup the way the team had performed superbly in the big games. i.e. Australia, South Africa, Pakistan. In comparison, a score of 240 didn’t seem daunting with 9 batsmen, huh. But it’s a loss whichever way you look at it and we have to wait for 4 years for the coveted cricket trophy to come home. So don’t stop dreaming until then.

Fans will have funny ways to show their contempt to the losing team, somehow their shades of emotions are always in black and white and they would perhaps judge this Indian team on the wrong side of the game. In all the hoopla they’d be forgetting that the guys held out to the best of the best in the world and put up a fight against all odds to win all except 1 match in the league stage. That’s a great record.

So here’s some pouring of my utter exasperation arising out of India’s loss today. To begin with, no doubt this semi-final match would be best remembered in history for being a ‘two-day international’ due to the inclement weather of England. Whatever advantage that India could have got in the second half was lost completely during the second day’s play I feel. Would I have said that had India won the match? Not at all. Quite honestly, I can assure you, not just the fans but even the players would have felt the fatigue of continuing a match on a reserve day, that’s all. I thought ICC could have allowed a new game from the beginning on a new day, with the idea being, an ODI should be played within a single day’s time frame. But the less said the better about ICC rules now.

I would like to say this without any bias or malice against any other cricketing nation, that India were truly the champions of this world cup edition considering the challenges they were faced with and how they were dealt with by men with sheer teamwork. Kudos to the coaching staff on this too who rarely get the spotlight. Despite the loss by 18 runs I still think Kohli’s men played with all their heart and soul and continued to keep a billion dreams of winning the cup afloat. Nevertheless this is how I will remember this world cup and India’s achievements in the days to come. Or at least until the next big Indian victory in a mega cricketing event!

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Canada Maple Leaf

8 Mind-blowing Facts About Canada on ‘Canada Day’

July 1, 2019 Happenings

What better occasion to reminisce about the glory of our great nation than on Canada Day! Well, today marks the 152nd anniversary since the creation of the Dominion of Canada on July the 1st, 1867. It was referred to as ‘Dominion Day’, until 1982 when we started honouring it as ‘Canada Day’ after the passage of the Canada Act.

On this road to prosperity and material progress, our ancestors — thinkers, sportspersons & athletes, scientists, explorers, academicians, and entrepreneurs, strived harder shoulder to shoulder to achieve higher success in their respective domains, including science and technology, medicine, business, space, in the process producing world-class knowledge base so our future generations could advance their capabilities, learn and continue to proudly and securely build the country of our dreams. This is one reason Canadian inventions, products and technologies enrich millions of lives every single day and will continue to do so. In summing up my emotion, the responsibility of safeguarding the prosperity and the diversity of our country rests upon all my Canadians working together in facing the challenges of our collective destiny. Everyone must endeavour for a strong and free Canada. That, for me, is the essence of being a true Canadian.

On this Canada Day, I thought I’d collect 8 mind-blowing facts about our nation depicting our vast diversity from coast to coast:

  1. Winnie the Pooh came from Canada. Back in 1915, there was a bear cub named Winnipeg who got transferred from Canada to the London Zoo. A little boy named Christopher Robin Milne loved visiting Winnipeg. His father happened to be A A Milne who got inspired and wrote Winnie the Pooh.
  2. Canada’s official motto is A Mari usque ad Mare, which translates as “From Sea to Sea.” It comes from the Bible’s Psalm 72:8 which the King James version puts it into English: “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.” This verse was applied to Canada on the suggestion of Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley to represent the geographical reach of the country.
  3. Canada shares the longest international border in the world with the United States. And despite being invaded by the US twice — in 1775 (Battle of Quebec) and in 1812 (War of 1812), it’s the world’s longest undefended border with only civilian law enforcement present.
  4. Jacques Cartier was invited by Iroquois natives to their “Kanata” meaning “village” or “settlement” in the local dialect. Because of how often they used the term Cartier assumed it was the name of the country was “Kanata”, or Canada as we now call it.
  5. Canada is home to one of the largest national parks in the world, the Wood Buffalo National Park which traverses the province of Alberta and the Northwest Territories. It measures 17,300 square miles or 44,807 square kilometres. That area is 1360 square miles or 3522.38 square kilometres larger than the total area of Switzerland! The park is also home to one of the largest remaining populations of the wild bison and is a natural nesting place of the whooping crane.
  6. Canada has more oil than you think — an estimated 176.8 billion recoverable barrels. It’s called crude bitumen, a semi-solid source of petroleum, and it’s available in abundance in Canada’s oil sands in the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. About 96 per cent of Canada’s oil reserves is located in the oil sands making it the third largest oil reserves in the world.
  7. The Trans-Canada Highway between Victoria (BC) and St. John’s (NF) is the world’s longest national highway with a length of 7,821 km (4,860 mi). Unfortunately, the highway does not pass through the Yukon, Northwest Territories or in Nunavut (nor in Newfoundland’s Labrador). And last but not least…
  8. On April 20 1980, Terrance Stanley “Terry” Fox started his east to west cross-Canada run called ‘Marathon of Hope’, from St. John’s NL to Victoria BC, to raise funds for Cancer research. He had his right leg amputated because of bone cancer in 1977. Regrettably, after running 5,373 kilometres in 143 days — he’d run the equivalent of full-marathon (42km) distance every day, Fox was forced to stop running outside Thunder Bay, Ont. because cancer appeared in his lungs. He passed away in 1981 at age 22!

Wishing every Canadian on this planet and beyond, a Happy Canada Day!

Sources:

  1. The real-life Canadian story of Winnie-the-Pooh
  2. A Mari duque ad Mare
  3. Canada-United States border
  4. Origin of the name “Canada”
  5. Wood Buffalo National Park
  6. Oil Sands
  7. Highway Overview
  8. Terry Fox

The (Very) Dreadful Return Policy Of Nike

May 28, 2019 Happenings
Nike Logo

I never thought I would someday write this about a brand like Nike that it probably has one of the worst possible return policies of the big brands that I have experienced so far and so discriminatory. There’s simply an air of superiority & control as they leverage their branding dominance while negotiating with customers who want to return their products due to faulty workmanship on the part of Nike. And I’m surprised, that a multi-billion dollar brand as big as Nike, still haven’t figured out an easy solution to products which have a manufacturing flaw and not physically damaged.

A portion of the ubiquitous swoosh logo on one of the sneakers I purchased recently at mall outlet had come off despite using the pair sparingly and exclusively for normal activities such as walking, so when I went to that outlet to ask for a replacement I was surprisingly told to call up Nike. After giving them a call I was asked to ship the product so one of the Nike inspectors would take a decision on whether or not it warranted a replacement or otherwise. It’s totally on the discretion of the inspectors I was told. The weird replacement policy also suggests that regardless of the colour at the time of the purchase Nike does not guarantee it would replace the sneakers with the same shade although they definitely guarantee the size. So god forbid, but how much I’d hate myself to be ogled on the streets with bright fluorescent orange shoes! Wasn’t Nike’s product messaging attributed to ‘personalization’ and individualism? This again, is left at the discretion of the inspectors. Moreover, when I bought the shoes I was just told about the 30-day return policy and nothing about paying the shipping costs in case I opt to return the product. Clearly, this has to be one of the most ridiculous return policies from a well-known brand. Here’s what I learned during my conversation with the Nike representatives and it’ll shock you.

Nike Store Operations
It was during the call today that I realized to my surprised that Nike operates two categories of brick and mortar stores — one that’s owned and operated by Nike and the other are franchisee outlets. In other words, unlike the Apple stores which are owned and operated by Apple with clear branding & customer experience not all stores with the ‘swoosh’ identity are operated by Nike. Beware!

Return Policy
Per my conversation with the customer executives (Peter, Mary, Ozzie) based on your selection of the store the return policy differs to an extent. Products bought at the Nike-owned stores and Nike.com are accepted at the Nike-owned outlet and they bear all the shipping costs but anything that you buy at the franchise outlet must be shipped to Nike and the shipping costs must be paid buy the customer. And there’s no easy way to know which store is what unless you have a specific conversation with the sales executive on their return policy or make your purchases online on Nike.com.

From a customer standpoint, if Nike is selling its products through retail stores it shouldn’t matter if they are owned by Nike or by whoever because it’s the experience & value proposition in question, the store is simply a channel. Hence it has to stop its policy of discrimination as long as the customers are being charged for the brand, regardless of wherever. So if the franchisees are selling Nike products they receive the returns too at no extra cost to the customers. Clearly, there’s an underlying business tactic behind this deal which I’m not able to comprehend, but in simple terms, Nike should offer the same privileges to customers from their franchise stores as their online or at Retail Store. Where’s the question of paying for shipment for a product if there’s a manufacturing defect? Just Do It.

There’s More…
Once the sneakers are inspected by the so-called inspectors and they decide whether it’s worth sending a replacement. Physical wear and tear is not covered under this policy, most importantly, sneakers which are older than 2 years from the date of their manufacturing are not eligible so the next time you decide to go for a pair of Nike sneakers ensure this info by looking for the tag underneath the pad inside, the manufacturing date is legibly mentioned alongside the item no., something like BEXXXX-004. Why can’t the manager of the outlet where the Nike product was purchased take a call on whether a replacement could be afforded or not?

Don’t Be Left Cheated
It’s not surprising how the entire sales experience is played out to pull in customers but just like any other big product brand the service experience is pathetic and selective. And just so you don’t feel like a a complete idiot who was taken for a ride, here’s what I’d recommend you must do. Next time you make a purchase at any ‘Nike outlet’ make sure you check the sneakers for the manufacturing date. Ask the sales rep about the return policy and I’m pretty sure they’d end at telling you it’s 30-days, but that information is not enough as I have noted in my response. Prod them about the shipping details, etc. Trust me, this would save a lot of your invaluable time and energy going forward. Lastly, don’t take Nike’s word or for that matter, any other brand for granted on their quality standards. To put it plainly, it’s a manufacturing process and there will always be some flaw. It’s better to know the servicing process than curse the manufacturing one. In a nutshell, Nike is asking you to buy at the Nike Store or Nike.com and avoid Nike Partner Stores. Check the online store locator to find the Nike Store closest to you.

Accountability from Nike
Stick with whatever policy you might be comfortable be but be transparent about your service/return policies at least. Ensure that franchisees make it amply clear they don’t run the brand but are merely owning the place that sells Nike. When asked about return policy ask your franchisee outlets to outline the WHOLE process and not just the “30-day” version. Don’t make the customer feel as if you don’t care for their hard-earned money.

I have to say the toll-free customer service is grossly misguided and out of touch with current times. They sound awfully robotic and politically correct and perhaps they don’t have the freedom or the courage to empathize with a customer’s reasonable demand. Plus their lack of conversational skills and advocacy for what is truthfully justified is both surprising and sad because Nike is such a youthful brand. For example, when I asked if I could be given a discount on my next purchase — I was paying shipping costs, I wasn’t told about this complicated return policy and I had no discretion to choose the shade for the replacement or whether or not I’d get a replacement shoes, I was told I could go online on Nike.com where they put out promo codes every once in a while. That’s utterly shameful to hear on behalf of a top quality global brand.

I’m unable to comprehend Nike’s discriminatory retail strategy in penalizing buyers who prefer Nike partner outlets. Do they want to transition to single brand retail and are encouraging customers to move their purchase priorities to exclusive Nike-owned domains? Another rationale relates to the franchisee businesses who aren’t keen on after sales servicing. They’d rather have Nike to carry that load. Whatever the case may be, Nike should be accountable for fixing its fragmented buying experience and to stop differentiating customers on the basis of where they end up buying their items.

I learned several things dealing with Nike and the dilemma that many top brands face in the wake of competition although I would not like to put Amazon in the same basket as Nike or Apple. Because Amazon seems to have grasped the value of being truly ‘customer centric’ and ‘customer-driven’ without running a brick-mortar outlet and by engaging with them solely on the basis of feedback and data. In that sense, I feel Nike is light years away from figuring customer experience despite being the in the retail business for ages and successfully creating the impression of being a strong, vibrant entity largely thanks to their association with sports and sports personalities. The important question is, where does the buck stop for customer support and services? Nike stands for quality so if a customer is dissatisfied with the quality of his/her product which was bought at a store, how might they build a seamless return experience to assure its customers about its effectiveness? At this point, it’s anything but smooth or seamless, rather just painful and lopsided.

Defining Memorable Customer Experiences

May 7, 2019 Happenings

I can think of no other way to empathise with customer behaviour and interpret their concerns & needs other than stepping into their shoes. This primarily happens through my interactions at retail stores, coffee shops, or malls, and enables me to observe the standard of experience amongst various brands across the city.

I believe, the sales drive at a store level constitutes to be the most difficult segment for a brand when you consider its complicated customer experience. Sales executives have to constantly walk the tightrope in balancing between actually selling the product on one hand (purchase) and convincing the customer to buy the product on the other (pre-purchase / post-purchase). You may have noticed, in most cases, sales reps begin by courteously asking if you need any help today and go about their jobs promising you assistance when you want it, it’s reassuring for individuals who may not like to be hassled during the pre-purchase stage. But I also find going into some stores like jumping into a lake full of alligators without any respite from the constant nudging and tailgating although customer experiences need not be so painful.

First Experience

Let me narrate a store incident that went so well it defines how some customers might like to be serviced. I was at a MEC outlet recently and I was looking for a particular camera brand to strap to my body and shoot videos on a vacation. The idea behind this was to keep my hands free so I can enjoy the time with my family while it kept getting the shots. I found a lone sales executive who initially hadn’t heard about the camera brand but was enlightened after searching for the product through the internal portal, and soon after, I realized it was going way beyond my budget for a 4-day vacation. Sensing my disappointment; maybe the sales rep sized me up, she began narrating her personal experience to me. So it turns out, she was as an adventurer and an avid photographer who occasionally shoots videos using her Canon DSLR while bungee jumping! She not only impressed me with her knowledge for photography & adventure but convinced me that if I owned a DSLR it would serve the purpose of shooting high-quality videos at no cost. On that day, I may not have purchased that camera at MEC but the executive’s friendly advice and interaction left an impression on my mind enough to pay the store another visit in the near future.

I am respectful of how my relationship with the brand wasn’t just outlined on a professional level as a “customer” only. Letting customers like me into their personal space and treating them as guests by not persuading them to make a purchase, at the same time addressing their latent needs and concerns while being courteous makes the brand come across as more humane and leaves a lasting impression. It makes the customer’s visit memorable and they’re more likely to visit the store again with the intention to make a purchase. Personally, it’s the delight and the knowledge gained from the interaction that matters.

Second Experience

This was at a Nike store in an upscale Toronto mall. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular, just visiting my favourite brand’s store. As usual, I was approached by a sales rep with whom I struck a conversation out of the blue — it started when I asked her curiously about the pins she was wearing and I was told that Nike gifts them exclusively to high-performers. So amidst all the talk about fitness and training, etc., I discover the sales rep I’d befriended a while ago was a CrossFit trainer and an athlete! During all my visits to Nike stores, what’re the odds of meeting an actual sports enthusiast, a real athlete? She also told me about her fitness regimen and how she manages time between coaching and store hours and so on. In fact, her dad was a marathon/triathlon athlete, and even her grandpa was into fitness training at some point. It’s worth noting here, that we’re simply having this conversation and she showed no signs of frustration or desperation to sell anything or push me into buying a product, she kept responding on her fitness and so on! I was ready to leave the Nike store after that enriching interaction but she got me interested in the apparel and I eventually ended up making a purchase.

One of the tenets of a ‘memorable experience’ is to have a fortuitous interaction that creates a personal appeal for the brand being represented. The interaction could revolve around things that define a product’s experience, for instance, not putting the focus solely on the purchase value itself. Perhaps, I was lucky to discover a fitness trainer within a Nike store but it was a fantastic and delightful buying experience, to say the least.

In a nutshell, empathy works both ways because our inborn tendency is to be drawn into personal experiences which are fueled by an insatiable thirst for curiosity and interest. Hence, skilful use of personal experiences during a sales cycle both offline and online (testimonials, persona stories) could create a vibrant and memorable customer experience by lending a human touch to something totally routine and lifeless. At the same time, one must be aware, that an individual who’s also a potential customer might judge these interactions from a different perspective. It’s important to keep up with that friendly approach in letting the customer decide on the valid time for making the purchase and to totally avoid coming across as negative and judgemental. Lastly, it’s not every time that customers are curiously looking to know your background during a sales journey, but it wouldn’t be a wasted effort to keep your cerebral antennae ready, just in case.

Lessons From The Website Downtime

April 27, 2019 Happenings

I had a harrowing time during my website downtime which took me by complete surprise. I was trying to understand the issue which was causing the problem and following up with the tech support team was nothing short of a nightmare. Here’s what I learned from my experience.

I wrote about my experience during the server downtime. It seems like a lot of time has passed and I have aged faster. But thank god, it’s just been three days, although the server issues don’t seem likely to be ending anytime soon. Hours after I wrote a long post on yesterday, the website went down again. Honestly, I had reached the end of my daily quota of patience and I wasn’t sure what support was the technical staff at Bluehost offering me. Last night, a scan was initiated and a malware infection was discovered on the server. A load of malicious .php files were scrupulously dumped in different folders on my site and I was tasked with deleting the garbage. To make the matters worse, the agents had duplicated the root folder so there were duplicates of the infected files that I had to remove. Bravo!

The site went down in less than 4 hours of cleaning the server of the malware infection, then rescanning it for any infected files — I’m still not told how the files got infected though I would see myself just staring at a white browser screen with every refresh. So instead of getting on the live chat and cutting corners, I spent the next hour on the phone speaking with the technical support. He found some plugins that were interfering with the functioning of the site. I had heard that statement so many times in the past 24 hours, but he deactivated the entire list of plugins, that resulted in my site going down again and the white screen reappeared. Then he brought the site up through writing some code in the .htaccess file but I could only see the textual content, not the beautiful theme that I had painstakingly worked on for the past many years. He advised me to activate one plugin at a time and check the website to see if it comes online, to find out the irksome plugin. That exercise took me another hour, in between all the other stuff that I had to complete before the day ended. With the instigating piece of code out of the way the site went up but only the textual version.

I went on the live chat again with the tech-support. This time my site was up and I wanted the theme back, and trust me, I was completely spent by now. I don’t know why but the agents had reinstalled WordPress, just too many times. I later found copies of older versions of zipped WordPress installation files in the File Manager suggesting, the tech support team had tried every trick in the manual to bring the site up. It was closer to midnight, yesterday when the website came up finally after a gruelling ordeal which lasted 3 days! Importantly, the website was online overnight, this hasn’t happened in more than 3 days and that was good news.

There are some positive lessons I learned from this morbid experience which I wanted to document.

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