Comments on: Maytag's Brand Blunder (a focus group of one) http://www.brandculture.com/blog/2009/01/maytags-brand-blunder-a-focus-group-of-one/ Branding. Not Bull. Fri, 03 Sep 2010 23:10:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Recession Silver Lining: Better Brand Experience at Best Buy, CB2, Corner Bakery and Verizon(?)! http://www.brandculture.com/blog/2009/01/maytags-brand-blunder-a-focus-group-of-one/comment-page-1/#comment-1469 Recession Silver Lining: Better Brand Experience at Best Buy, CB2, Corner Bakery and Verizon(?)! Tue, 13 Apr 2010 22:06:51 +0000 http://brandculturetalk.com/?p=75#comment-1469 [...] another entry in the unofficial BrandCultureTalk category “Focus Group of One” where we extrapolate larger significance to individual encounters we have with various [...] [...] another entry in the unofficial BrandCultureTalk category “Focus Group of One” where we extrapolate larger significance to individual encounters we have with various [...]

]]> By: Norman Farrell http://www.brandculture.com/blog/2009/01/maytags-brand-blunder-a-focus-group-of-one/comment-page-1/#comment-1252 Norman Farrell Sat, 06 Mar 2010 05:15:12 +0000 http://brandculturetalk.com/?p=75#comment-1252 Frederick Maytag founded a company that concentrated on building a narrow line of durable machines. It led the industry in financial performance and customer satisfaction for decades but lost sight of why it was successful. After 112 years, the remnants were worth little and the Maytag example is not unusual. Modern executives are captured by the tyranny of quarterly reports. Short-termism leads to sacrificing long term strategies for immediate profit results. A company loses loyalty to itself, forgets its purpose and its expertise. Arrogance, carelessness, greed and other factors contribute. Another business I intend to watch is Red Wing Shoe Co., a Minnesota based company that began selling high quality work boots and shoes in 1905. Until recent years, they proudly offered only U.S. made footwear. It was premium priced but premium quality product. Now, much of what they sell is made in China and while it still carries high prices, product quality is reduced. The full story here: http://northerninsights.blogspot.com/2010/03/when-did-someone-last-spin-story-about.html Frederick Maytag founded a company that concentrated on building a narrow line of durable machines. It led the industry in financial performance and customer satisfaction for decades but lost sight of why it was successful. After 112 years, the remnants were worth little and the Maytag example is not unusual.

Modern executives are captured by the tyranny of quarterly reports. Short-termism leads to sacrificing long term strategies for immediate profit results. A company loses loyalty to itself, forgets its purpose and its expertise. Arrogance, carelessness, greed and other factors contribute.

Another business I intend to watch is Red Wing Shoe Co., a Minnesota based company that began selling high quality work boots and shoes in 1905. Until recent years, they proudly offered only U.S. made footwear. It was premium priced but premium quality product. Now, much of what they sell is made in China and while it still carries high prices, product quality is reduced.

The full story here:

http://northerninsights.blogspot.com/2010/03/when-did-someone-last-spin-story-about.html

]]> By: Gamelda Narkosky http://www.brandculture.com/blog/2009/01/maytags-brand-blunder-a-focus-group-of-one/comment-page-1/#comment-444 Gamelda Narkosky Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:24:02 +0000 http://brandculturetalk.com/?p=75#comment-444 A sad holiday tale indeed. However, even I, who am not really up on what's good and what's bad knew that Maytag brand was not what it was in the last century. Just as it is with automobiles, the repairmen of computerized objects must learn new skills. What is abominable is the repair people, like doctors, make the consumer sit around for hours and usually don't show up until the end of the time window. I would like to hear from people who get repair people who come at the beginning of the time allotment. I've never met one. I do hope the blogger gets the necessary repair. The account is heartrending and shows admirable restraint on a highly charged subject. A sad holiday tale indeed. However, even I, who am not really up on what’s good and what’s bad knew that Maytag brand was not what it was in the last century. Just as it is with automobiles, the repairmen of computerized objects must learn new skills. What is abominable is the repair people, like doctors, make the consumer sit around for hours and usually don’t show up until the end of the time window. I would like to hear from people who get repair people who come at the beginning of the time allotment. I’ve never met one. I do hope the blogger gets the necessary repair. The account is heartrending and shows admirable restraint on a highly charged subject.

]]> By: Holiday story http://www.brandculture.com/blog/2009/01/maytags-brand-blunder-a-focus-group-of-one/comment-page-1/#comment-443 Holiday story Sat, 10 Jan 2009 17:46:23 +0000 http://brandculturetalk.com/?p=75#comment-443 What a sad holiday tale. This is where I think Apple excels with their genius bars and Applecare. Their support is actually helpful and relatively quick. Or, at least, they appear to care about customer service and customer experience after purchase. What a sad holiday tale. This is where I think Apple excels with their genius bars and Applecare. Their support is actually helpful and relatively quick. Or, at least, they appear to care about customer service and customer experience after purchase.

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