Bruce Kasanoff

There is no substitute for dynamic human engagements. In other words, getting together with talented people is much better than reading stuff online.

Make your gatherings as interesting and useful as possible. Invite the best speakers you can, and create opportunities for people to meet and get to know others. If you focus on giving participants the best experience possible, your membership wil... Read more

First, I'm not sure you want to keep the discussions structured. If it was obvious where to go next, you wouldn't be asking this question. You have at least two disruptive forces at work: sequestration, and the fact that every industry on the planet is wrestling with the changes wrought by an increasingly digital, wireless world.

It seems to me that you might want to consider thinking of at lea... Read more

Yep. Anonymous surveys have their place, but they have fatal flaw: there's nothing in it for the client. Personally, I never answer surveys.

If you want worthwhile feedback, ask clients how you can improve their service, and then immediately reward their feedback by doing as much of what they asked as possible.

This is a cultural shift, not just a new marketing research tactic. Stop worrying... Read more

You're not going to like my answer.

First, make sure the training is done right, and that no one rushes it. Usually the people within the company, not the vendor, rushes the process. This is a deadly mistake.

Second, you need to change how you pay (or don't pay) employees, so that you reward compliance and discourage (or punish) non-compliance.

Third, you need to figure out what employees... Read more

Absolutely. I've spent 20 years advocating this practice, and the most profitable firms all do it.

I once did a speaking tour of Canada for financial planners, and literally met thousands of these professionals over a two-week span. They could be divided into two groups. The first did NOT differentiate clients by value, and these planners were overworked and poor. The other group had some sort ... Read more

You don't structure a service guarantee; you make feedback public. Think about eBay's feedback ratings. This pressures vendors to resolve any complaints promptly.

Unless you can convince coaches and consultants to offer a money-back guarantee, any refund you would offer would be insignificant.

But if you want to test the idea of convincing coaches and consultants to offer such a guarantee, y... Read more

Earlier this week, I was part of a live LinkedIn webcast in which we discussed the urgent need for both companies and their employees to be more nimble and responsive to market pressures.

Providing training only through informal mentoring sends the message that your company isn't serious about helping employees to learn and constantly "up" their game. For more on this, you could read my article... Read more

Yes, you should respond to feedback immediately in a meaningful and genuine way. You could even put a card in every check (bill) holder, that says something to the effect of "Tell us now - we'll fix it now."

Some sites, such as Trip Advisor, allow you to respond to reviews. If this is the case, respond every time. Don't try to make excuses, but be honest and proactive. If the customer highligh... Read more

You must find instructors first, otherwise you are selling air. A good school identifies its instructors, so students can see they will be taught by knowledgeable experts. Mentors Guild is a great example of this strategy; they found the mentors first... Read more