You Sleep When You Die

Penn State’s next head coach must, before anything else, be person of character. Bobby Stoops of Oklahoma comes to mind. So does John Wooden, the legendary UCLA basketball coach. You can’t picture either of those coaches turning a blind eye to his obligations the way Paterno did. Are coaches like that easy to find?

Your brand is your image and your reputation, and at the end of the day, it’s all you’ve got. Whether you’re the President, a video distributor, a university, or a tech giant, your viability depends on your ability to keep the promises your brand makes.

I always admired Al Davis a great deal, and saw him as a special kind of role model. He embraced the “maverick” label, and he successfully walked the thin line between being feared and being loved. Perhaps most importantly, he had a long-term commitment to excellence in the art of branding. The iconic silver-and-black Raiders logo is one of the most enduring brands in all of sports.

October 3 marks the beginning of National Customer Service Week, an annual event sponsored, since 1991, by the Customer Service Group. This special week is designed to encourage companies in all industries to reward their very best customer service reps by launching celebrations that shine a spotlight on best practices…As we enter National Customer Service Week, I want to ask you: What company is your hero when it comes to customer service — and why?

I want to pose a larger question for readers of this blog: Was this marriage of a luxury brand and a low-end distribution channel a good idea or a strategic mistake?