"Dear Netflix" Is Trending Because of a $6 Price Hike
Poor Netflix has been called a "manipulative greaseball pig" and worse. "Dear Netflix" is a popular topic on Twitter because of a substantial price hike -- from $10 to $16 for one DVD per month and unlimited streaming. Netflix has been overwhelmed with complaints, and at one point, could not handle the call volume (listen to the outgoing message). Apparently, Netflix is trying to kill its expensive DVD business.
In response to Netflix's plan change announcement, more than 11,000 customers within two days have posted comments like this one, which received 922 "Likes."
Discussion Starters:
- What is your reaction to the news? Is a 60% price increase reasonable in this case?
- Could Netflix have handled the announcement differently? What, if anything, could the company have done to make the news more palatable?
- How could Netflix handle the commentary at this point? If you were Reed Hastings, Jr., the company's CEO, what would you do to try to manage the situation?
Future Doctors Tested for People Skills
Medical schools are finally seeing the importance of a good "bedside manner" and are testing applicants for people skills. The "M.M.I." or multiple mini interview is now in place in at least eight medical schools in the United States and 13 in Canada. Applicants face ethical questions, such as circumcision and alternative remedies, and have to discuss their views in nine brief interviews. A New York Times article explains:
"Candidates who jump to improper conclusions, fail to listen or are overly opinionated fare poorly because such behavior undermines teams. Those who respond appropriately to the emotional tenor of the interviewer or ask for more information do well in the new admissions process because such tendencies are helpful not only with colleagues but also with patients."
Discussion Starters:
- What is your opinion about the new selection technique? In what ways is this similar to employment interviews for corporate jobs?
- What do you think about the emphasis on people skills for medical school students? Is this important, or should doctors just be good scientists?
- What is your experience with doctors and their people skills? Do you see room for improvement that this selection process might help?
Dr Pepper Sues Its Bottler
A family-owned company in Dublin, TX, has been bottling Dr Pepper since 1891 but is now being sued by Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc., which owns the brand. The parent company wants the bottler to stop using "Dublin" on its label and to stop selling its bottles via the Internet. The Dublin bottler uses cane sugar rather than high fructose corn syrup.
Discussion Starter and Assignment Idea:
- How do you think this news reflects on the Dr Pepper brand? Could this damage its reputation, or will this blow over quickly?
- Write a bad-news message from the parent company's management team to its employees. How will you explain the lawsuit internally?
Move over Myspace: LinkedIn
LinkedIn, the business social networking site, has surpassed Myspace in number of visitors each month. LinkedIn is now the second most popular social network, behind Facebook. The news is interesting considering that LinkedIn offers a focus on careers and job search. Myspace, in contrast, may be too close to Facebook, as a general social network. For business communicators, the news is no surprise: only consumer product companies seem to have much use for Myspace. A Burson-Marsteller Fortune Global 100 Social Media Study focuses on Facebook fan pages, Twitter, YouTube, and blogs.
Discussion Starters:
- What is your experience with Myspace? Why do you believe that LinkedIn is more popular?
- Are you on LinkedIn? What do you see as the value of joining? How do you use the site?
When Twitter Becomes Triage
On the heels of Business Insider's "Most Hated Companies" list, I am increasingly annoyed at companies that can't seem to fix core problems. Rather, they put their customer service staff on the front line to appease people through Twitter and other channels.
A look at DirectTV's recent tweets, for example, reveals a company in distress: "DM us," "Have you called," "I'm sorry," "We need to escalate." Too many apologies for one day of work. Social media will do just so much to resolve systemic company issues, as this customer says:
Discussion Starters:
- How do you assess DirectTV's approach? Compare DirectTV's tweets to similar companies'.
- What is your best experience with a company response to a complaint? When have you complained to a company and had good results?
How Much Do You Hate PowerPoint?
If you're like a political group in Switzerland, you would ban PowerPoint forever. The Anti-PowerPoint Party (APPP) views PowerPoint "as a representative of all presentation software" (and clearly, pure evil). With rough calculations, the group claims that PowerPoint destroys 2.1 billion Swiss Francs each year and potentially 110 billion Euros; however, the group says that "the average number of participants may be umpteen times higher" (whatever "umpteen" is).
Of course, this isn't the first cry for help in the Days of PowerPoint. Many of us have been subjected to "death by PowerPoint" and have welcomed scathing articles such as the New York Times piece, "We Have Met the Enemy and He Is PowerPoint."
But one might ask: why not just improve how we use the software rather than throw out the tool entirely?
Discussion Starters:
- As a viewer of PowerPoint presentations, what frustrates you? How have you seen people misuse the software?
- What alternatives do you see for PowerPoint? What other ways can you engage an audience and help them visualize information?
How "Awesome" Is Facebook + Skype?
Last week, in an Apple-style tease, Facebook promised an "awesome" announcement today.
The news is a video calling feature that Facebook users can access without a separate Skype account. The response seems to be excitement, indifference, and a little anger laced with betrayal:
Facebook, you can't do this to us. I have been loyal to you for years because you held out a tantalizing future where my only interaction would be with one-inch-square boxes that vaguely resembled my memory of what people once looked like. You promised me that I would never have to talk to anyone ever again.
According to the Washington Post, CEO Mark Zuckerberg no longer considers growth a metric of social networking. Rather, Facebook will focus on apps and mobile technology. This shift is convenient following some reports that Facebook is losing users.
Discussion Starters:
- What do you think of Facebook's pre-announcement? Is this a clever marketing approach or just annoying?
- In Chapter 1, we discuss the pending convergence of communication technologies. Do you see this announcement as a move towards convergence or something else?
Most Hated Companies
Business Insider has posted a list of the 19 most hated companies, based on the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Large banks, airlines, and power and telecom companies seem to be most hated according to thousands of customer satisfaction surveys. Weighing in at number 6, US Airways received 61/100 points from customers.
Discussion Starters:
- Does this list surprise you? Why or why not? Does the list reflect your own experience with these companies?
- According to one analyst at the American Consumer Satisfaction Index, large banks, airlines, and communication firms represent "not terribly competitive industries, as the switching barriers for most of them are quite high... In other industries, like the food or clothing sector, the competition is huge. They bend over backwards to make customers happy, because they have to." How does this rationale explain the customer service failures? Does it excuse them?
Fox News' Twitter Feed Hacked with False Reports of Obama's Death
Fox News was the latest victim of computer hacking when its Twitter feed showed several false tweets about President Obama's death. As of this writing, the source of the security breach is unclear.
CNET's hacker chart shows a series of recent attacks, which have caused increasing concern about computer security.
Discussion Starters:
- The hackers' rationale for breaching Fox News' Twitter feed is this: "We are looking to find information about corporations to assist with antisec [a concerted hacker attack on corporate and government security]. Fox News was selected because we figured their security would be just as much of a joke as their reporting." What do you think of this response? Did the hackers make a funny joke, raise a good point, or present a serious concern?
- What are the consequences of this breach for the country? For Fox News?
Panic Erupts over Potential Loss of the Oxford Comma
One of the most beloved and hated punctuation marks of our time, the Oxford (or "serial") comma was briefly living on the edge of obscurity. As all business communication instructors likely know, the Oxford comma is the last in a series, for example, "a, b, and c" instead of "a, b and c." It's usefulness is touted by many and illustrated in this example (NPR): "'I met a realtor, a DJ, a surfer, and a pharmaceutical salesperson.' (In this sentence, I am on The Bachelorette.)"
Twitter rumors had The University of Oxford dropping the comma for good; however, it has merely continued its practice of omitting the comma in press releases and internal communications (which matches journalistic standards). The university's style guide for books is in tact, recommending the comma for clarity. Whew!
For a humorous -- but obscene -- music video, watch "Oxford Comma" by Vampire Weekend. The lyrics include "Who gives a ---- about an Oxford Comma?"
Discussion Starters:
- What are the arguments for and against the Oxford comma?
- Think of a few sentences for which the comma would add clarity.
Video Examples for Chapter 4: The Writing Process
Just for fun: Commercial to illustrate the difference between "compliment" and "complement."
Are People Tired of Email?
Email open and click rates are on the decline, meaning people are less likely to open a marketing email. The latest study shows people opening marketing emails at a rate of 17% (compared to 26% in 2009).
This continues a trend since 2007.
Discussion Starters:
- Do these statistics surprise you? Why or why not?
- What influences whether you open an email?
- What can you learn from this for your own email messages -- both internal and external?
Assignment Ideas:
- Open your email inbox. Looking at the last 25 or so messages, which are you most likely to open and why? In small groups, discuss your reaction to the marketing emails. Did you open them initially?
- Now look at your sent box. Rewrite the subject lines of five emails to make them more enticing for the receiver to open.
Following Complaint Letter, No "Mystery Shopper" Study of Doctors
The Obama Administration had planned a survey to test how difficult it is for Medicaid and Medicare patients to get appointments with doctors. But following criticism about the cost of the study and the "proposed clandestine method of collecting information from physician offices," the study has been canceled.
For data collection, the study called for mystery shoppers, who would pose as patients. In a letter, Senator Mark Kirk emphasized the "stealth" nature of the plan and his belief that the purpose of the study -- to prove a shortage of doctors -- has already been documented.
Watch a related video: President Obama's discussion of Medicare.
Discussion Starters:
- What research was the Obama Administration trying to gather that they believed could only be obtained through mystery shoppers? In other words, what was the value of using mystery shoppers for this study?
- From reading Senator Kirk's letter, do you consider the original study with mystery shoppers to be ethical for this purpose? Why or why not?
Santa Makes a Summer Appearance in Pepsi Commercial
Pepsi has launched a new commercial featuring Santa Clause at a summer party. In a direct hit to Coke, which Pepsi now trails in sales (including Diet Coke), the ad shows Santa rejecting bottles of Coca-Cola. Critics say that Pepsi had lost focus on its flagship product; does this commercial signal a new direction?
Discussion Starters:
- Had you associated Santa Clause with Coke? Does your knowledge or lack of knowledge change your perception of the commercial?
- How is Pepsi using logos, pathos, and ethos in this commercial to persuade viewers?
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Former Skype Employees Lose Stock Options
Following Microsoft's acquisition of Skype, former Skype employees are challenging the company's stance on stock options, including those they thought were "vested" or guaranteed. In a letter to one departing employee, the issue of stock options was explained:
"Not withstanding the exercisability of your Options, Section 12 of your Stock Option Grant Agreement (the 'Grant Agreement') provides that any shares issuable upon the exercise of your Options would be issued on your behalf to the Partnership."
Well that clears things up.
Assignment Idea:
- Read the letter about stock options. See how many nominalizations and prepositions you can identify.
- If you have enough finance knowledge, try to rewrite the letter in plain language.
Delta Criticized for Saudi Partnership: Can Jews Fly?
Delta Airlines has formed an alliance with Saudi Arabian Airlines that is causing people to question whether Delta discriminates against Jewish people. The Saudi government does not grant visas to Israelis. The Anti-Defamation League, an organization that fights anti-Semitism, has urged the airline not to "be a party" to discriminatory practices. Delta responded to the criticism in a statement: "Delta Air Lines does not discriminate nor do we condone discrimination against any of our customers in regards to age, race, nationality, religion, or gender." Read more of Delta's response on its blog.
Discussion Starters:
- Do you consider Delta's partnership discriminatory? Why or why not?
- How do you react to Delta's response on its blog? Which arguments do you find most and least convincing?
Nike "Get High" T-Shirts Anger Boston Mayor
Mayor of Boston Thomas Menino doesn't like Nike's new T-shirts. He believes that messages such as "Get High" and "Dope" promote drug use. In a letter to the general manager of Niketown Boston, Menino urges the company to remove the T-shirts.
Nike has responded to my tweet about the situation:
Discussion Starters:
- What is your opinion of Nike's new T-shirts: dangerous or just clever marketing?
- Analyze the mayor's letter. What principles of persuasion does he use? Do you consider this an effective letter? Why or why not?
- How do you think Nike should respond to the mayor's letter? What are the consequences of the company removing -- or keeping -- the T-shirts?
- How do you assess Nike's tweets to BizCom in the News?
Will Graphic Images Encourage People to Quit Smoking?
The U.S. government is using more visuals to help people get healthier. Shortly after revising the food pyramid, federal health officials have selected nine graphic images to appear on cigarette packs. If you're strong, you can see all of the new images here. As we might expect, the major tobacco companies are disputing the images, claiming, among other issues, infringement of their right to free speech. Read the government's news release.
Discussion Starters:
- Which, if any, of the images might convince someone to quit smoking? Do you find some images more effective than others? Why?
- Why do you think the government is using pathos (emotional appeals) in this campaign rather than logical arguments, for example, providing data about life expectancy?
- The Truth campaign has used graphic videos to encourage young people not to start or to quit smoking. How effective do you find this video, for example?
As "Sheriff" of Vancouver Riots, Social Media Nabs Several People
Disappointed fans rioted after the Vancouver Canucks' Stanley Cup loss, and now some are paying the price. A University of British Columbia student, caught up in the action and caught on video, took two pair of pants from a store. She has since apologized on her blog.
Cacnio wasn't the only one identified in riot videos (she can be seen at 1:30 - 1:33 below). According to a Globe and Mail story, "Social media has become the sheriff of this unlawful event, in essence rounding up a number of rioters by posting their pictures on the Internet and encouraging people to identify the people in them. That has led to online shaming of those named, some of whom have since turned themselves into police and are lining up to publicly apologize online."
Discussion Starters:
- If a prospective employer Googled you, what would he or she find? (Try searching for yourself to make sure.)
- How do you assess Cacnio's apology? She has quite an extensive list of people to whom she apologizes. Do you think this is appropriate given the situation, or did she do more than was necessary?