You may be one of the almost 1 million people who have seen this video in the short time it’s been posted on YouTube.  Is it refreshing, brutal honesty?  Or is it an example of an extremely stupid contrived spoof?

Our video star, Cullman Liquidation owner Robert Lee was quoted last week in a local Huntsville, Alabama TV news story as saying he really didn’t think this would help his business.  He only did it because he thought no one would see it.

Lee also reports his sales are “up 60%” since the video appeared.  Things are so good that his lot is almost empty.  He’s in search of more inventory because he’s selling more than usual.

What do you make of this?  Is this the new wave in marketing and advertising?  Or is this just a one-off publicity stunt?

What do you think?

Twenty years ago, while doing research on customer service, I stumbled upon a guy named Jan Carlzon.  He was  President of a failing, also-ran airline (SAS).  He wrote a book called “Moments of Truth” detailing how he turned the airline around by making it a customer oriented, customer friendly business.

“We have 50,000 moments of truth everyday,” said Carlson as he exhorted his staff to service excellence.  What the heck is a moment of truth?  And why are there so many?

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Why is it that I pass by a perfectly good Walgreens to shop at CVS?  In my “consumer mind” there is no difference between the two.  I have shopped at  Walgreens.  I have no problem with their stores or their brand.  So why, in almost every case, do I pass them by?

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One of the business buzz words being liberally thrown around these days is “value.” Seldom does anyone stop to ask what it means.

To many, it defaults to low price, particularly in our current economy.  But the experts tell us it can be about three things:  One is low price.  Another is product superiority and innovation and a third is customized customer service and solutions.

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