Sidewalk Solutions

by Marc Scribner

May 26, 2009 @ 5:23 pm

The Laffer curve is the economic model that purports to demonstrate that by decreasing marginal tax rates, tax receipts may actually increase. It is a central concept of supply-side economics, famously denounced by George H.W. Bush as “voodoo economics” during his Republican presidential primary run against Ronald Reagan. Setting aside the debate over what constitutes an “optimal level of taxation” and the Laffer curve’s other political implications, Maryland provides a good example of how “soak-the-rich” tax policies can lead to disastrous fiscal results. Continue Reading »

Milo is doing well, coming up for his second birthday, he is no longer the new kid on the block around here. Yesterday whilst out for one of his four daily walks, we happened past a Sri Lankan Celebration (they were celebrating the demise of the Tamil Tigers) with much singing and dancing to a Sri Lankan band the people were having a great time. “Hello Milo” came the call from the band, apparently one of the band lived nearby and knew Milo from his various walks. Milo of course likes his name being called out, even more if it is from a microphone accompanied by lots of lovely young ladies shouting his name “Milo Helloooooo.” Continue Reading »

Today you can count yourself fortunate to get served, never mind delighted with the service you receive. Everywhere I go I am appalled at the level of customer service – now there are notable exceptions, but the vast majority of companies and organisations have gone to hell in a handbasket when it comes to World-Class Customer Service.

A few recent personal examples – the Vodafone shop in Sydney, Australia where the assistant kept chatting to who knows who, on her mobile phone, the entire time she served me. The York, UK taxi driver who played his car radio so loud he could not hear where I wanted to go and when asked to turn the radio down a bit became aggressive and abusive.  In Dubai, the Emirates Business Lounge Assistant who refused to accept my recently out of date Business Lounge Card because they did not have an electronic card reader that would have accepted the card (the account was valid). She did offer to let us in the Lounge for $40 each, no thanks. I am sure you all have your own customer service disaster stories. Continue Reading »

The latest financial performance from BA simply underlines what has been obvious to almost everyone else – that they are not competitive, are over-staffed and are way too employee focused at the cost of what passengers want. Like KODAK wakening up 10 years too late to the digital revolution and trying to sell us film when the demand for film had long gone,  BA missed their flight many years ago. The future of passenger airways was led by Southwest Airlines back in the 1972.  Peanuts and smiles all round, they declared that their main competitor was the car. So Southwest set about structuring their costs and performance to compete with the car. Continue Reading »

What is the common thread that runs through -  Enron Executive Greed, Banking Executive Greed and the UK Politician’s Greed – well – if it looks like greed and smells like greed – then let’s assume that it’s greed. Now what can we do about greed? Can we ban it or legislate against it or do we just have to accept it as part of modern society, whatever that is.

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