In Response to Chris's 'Prices going UP'

I couldn't' agree with you more! People who complain about gas prices are usually the ones driving an SUV, or some kind of car that is not necessarily very good on gas.  I drive a 1996 BMW, I try not to complain about the gas prices because I'm choosing to drive that car so I have to pay what I have to pay.  However, on the other end of the spectrum, you have the families that are struggling to provide and have a hard time affording gas; they also might not be able to afford buying a better more fuel efficient car.
With gas prices going up I believe that we will begin to see more smart cars/fuel efficient cars on the road.  I heard on the radio however that recent polls show that most people will not move to smart cars or more fuel efficient cars until gas prices hit $6.51, which is an extremely random number.  Would you still drive a car of your choice if the gas price went that high? Would you drive a fuel efficient car even if it was harder to use with a family, kids, etc.?

In Response to Jacelyn's post about Apple

I think Apple is moving in the correct direction with building customer loyalty using the steps and protocol that they have in place.  If other companies were to use this they would have greater outcomes with their sales/customer loyalty.  Take the company Dell for example, (granted there are no actual Dell stores around here) however if they were to take their time with their customers and respond better to feedback they would be a more successful company as well as more competition for Apple.  Apple has mastered the customer loyalty technique as well as making you feel comfortable and almost right at home when you walk in their door.
If more companies used Apple's technique I think that our expectations as customers would change, we would expect more from the stores when we walk into them.  Apple has the right idea with the way that they run their business, and if more companies were to follow this they would be more successful with their operations.
Do you think that other business don't take this approach because they lack the money?  Or do you think they just simply don't need the customer loyalty to be successful

In response to Chris' Facebook IPO

I think that Facebook will do extremely well.  Facebook is a technology that people of all ages are using; they also gain more members everyday.  Facebook is a worldwide company that has members in many different countries.  Facebook to me is going to be the next Apple in the world of stocks.  I can admit one thing, every time I sit down at the computer, I'm going to check Facebook at some point even if it is not the moment that I sit down.  There is definitely money to be made with this offering, it is already such a successful company that this will only help them.  Mark Zuckerburg seems to know how to run the website and what people want with social networking and I believe that investors understand this, which will make people want to invest in this company even more.  Do you think that the investors will try to put too much of their own words in on how to run the company? Will this upset Zuckerburg if it happens?

TSA Airport ID Scanning

TSA in airports is now using an automated systems that checks your ID and boarding passes.  These new systems will prevent from fraudulent ID's or boarding passes from getting through security as they have in the past.  I think that this new system is a great idea, this will make it nearly impossible to create an ID or boarding pass that can pass these automated machines.  Up until this new invention TSA employees physically check each individual ID and boarding pass.  This will also improve the time it will take to get through the line at a security checkpoint in the airport because all the employees will have to do is slide the ID or boarding pass through the machine and this will tell them whether it is a valid ID or boarding pass.
Do you think this is a good thing for the TSA to do? Do you t think that the TSA is trying to do to much with the new machines that they are coming out with to improve security breaches?

In response to Michael Thompson's "Pick up your phone, your tattoo is vibrating"

I recently read about this and found it very interesting.  Having a tattoo that vibrates would be pretty neat but don't you think that would get annoying after a while?  Nokia has reached a new level and market with creating tattoos that can vibrate and I personally think it's a waste of time.  I don't think that there is a big enough market for vibrating tattoos.  I've got one tattoo right now, I've thought about getting another one; but to get one that would vibrate every time my phone rang, well, I think I would be ready to cut it out of me after the second day.  In a business perspective I think that this is a waste of time and money for Nokia; this will turn out to be a "cool thing" for a few months but people will begin to get sick of their tattoos.  How do you feel about this? Would you go out and get a vibrating tattoo for your phone?

Economic Downfall

Yes I bet the only reason you're reading this is because the title caught your eye.  Well I just read an article today saying that the stock market is on its third day at a loss.  To me this comes as no surprise because of where the economy has been for the past few years.  However, according to the people who wrote the article this is a big deal because this is the "first time in some time that there has been a particularly negative job report".  This is a little surprising to me because our unemployment rate is still above 8% right now so how can they say this is the first time in some time that there has been a negative report? Last time I checked 8% is pretty negative.  The article goes on to explain how stocks in the market is continuing to decline over the past few days.  I don't think that this will change until the market starts to improve.  What do you think this article is showing? DO you think the writers are overreacting to the loss in the market or do you think it means something?

Apple iPad 2

I'm sure just by looking at the title you know what this blog is about, actually, I'm sure anyone who sees the title to this blog would know what I'm talking about.  The new release of the iPad 2 has already sold out, even the preorders are backed up.  Apple has just released the iPad 2 that has more features and better qualities than the previous iPad.  Having sold out of the iPad 2 already Apple is on its way to record selling sales this week as customers continue to buy the tablet.  The one question this article made me ask was, "If we're living in such a tough economy right now, how is it that Apple can have record selling sales with a device that is no where near a necessity?"  I still don't know if I know how to answer the question, but I'll try and take a stab at it.  People living in this economy right now don't want to spend they're money (unless it's someone from the upper/rich class) unless its on necessities such as groceries, clothes, bills, etc.  However, being in a generation run by technology everyone wants the new device to be caught up in the loop.  Here's where buying the iPad 2 comes in, since everyone wants the new device they will start saving up for it before it even comes out so that they can buy it the day of release.  This was just a few thoughts I had about this.  How do you feel about Apple's products?  Do you think that them having record selling sales for one week is saying something about our economy possibly growing?

In Response to Dr. Johnson's article about John Smith

First of all John Smith should not sell the names to the car company.  Secondly, the statement of ethics for the AMA to me says the it is completely unethical to sell the names of the people to the car company.  The people who agreed to take the survey done by John Smith are trusting Smith with their information and that they won't let it get to places that the people would not like their information to go.  They are trusting Smith with their information the same way Smith is trusting that the person being surveyed will give their honest answer and not lie.
I think that the whole statement relates to John Smiths dilemma; my reasoning behind this: their three main principles that the AMA goes by, which is, "Do no harm, Foster trust in the marketing system, and embrace ethical values."  Two of the three principles effect John Smith directly, these are "Foster Trust in the Marketing System and Embrace Ethical Values".  The reason that these two are effected is because the people being surveyed are trusting John Smith with their information so if they turn around and sell the names to the car company then Smith would not be Fostering Trust in the Marketing system.  Embrace Ethical Values is also being disrupted because it is completely unethical to sell someones information to another company without the person knowing, which is exactly what John Smith is debating on doing.  Do you think that these types of situations happen a lot in the marketing world?  If it is so unethical to sell names to another company, why does everyone who has a mailbox receive flyers an advertisements?  Do you think the companies who send out flyers to mailboxes get your information in a similar way?

Apple Cutting Cords

Everyone recognizes Apple's famous USB cord that connects the iPod, iPhone or iPad to their computer. In the article here from PC World Apple talks about how they are trying to cut down to a smaller port connector or maybe even no cord at all.
The new operating system from Apple, iOS 5, Apple offers a new "iCloud" that allows you to get your music and files from your phone, tablet, or pc without any cords at all so this new step moving to smaller, less or even no cord at all is something that is not far off.  For the generation growing up with this technology, this is awesome.  Less cords means less work; this also means it will be easier to understand.  When I say that, yes I do mean the older people who have a hard time with technology, if everything is wireless and all you have to do is click a few buttons and then everything is exactly how you want it, well, I think that everyone could figure that out.  Tell me, how do you feel about moving to smaller, less or possibly no cords at all?  Also, how do you feel about "iCloud", the cloud feature that allows you to share things with all your devices via off-site server that Apple controls?  Do you think they have access to too much of your information?

In Response To Mike Fratea's "Facebook" article

Honestly when I read the title to that article I was thinking that it was one of those "eye catchers" that really isn't what happens in the article, clearly I was mistaken.  I can understand ex-husbands and ex-wives take each other to court for a number of different things; I have never seen someone be forced to apologize via social networking website or they would go to jail.  If I were the judge in this case I would have forced a formal apology, maybe even a written letter but I would not make the person put that on a social networking site, let alone the biggest in the world, "Facebook".  I don't think this is a waste of our tax payers money however because the judge is still getting his point across while the lady gets justice by getting her apology and her money.  Do you think social networking is getting a little overwhelming?  By that I mean law enforcement is now using this as some key pieces to evidence and information.  How do you feel about this and where do you think that this will take us?

Response to Shane & Gorgianne

I believe that clients will return to products that they have used in the past and have found value in, do you?


I agree with what you have said in your post Shane.  For example, I've bought a product in the past where I've debated buying it for a few days for the fact it might not be what I wanted, or I think it will end up breaking.  To make a long story short I should have gone with my gut feeling, the product ended up breaking.  However, I've also bought products that I love and would get another one in a heartbeat; a perfect example for this is my iPhone.  I bought my iPhone about a year ago and I have never had a phone like it, as well as I have never had problems with it.  The phone I had prior to this was a blackberry, I feel like my blackberry was always having problems and running slow, so I would never get one of those again.  
Shane made a good point, when it comes to bars people generally tend to stick to the same one because of the service that they value and they enjoy.  I think it is part of human nature, consciously and sub-conciously, that we go back to places or stick to products that we know and enjoy, as well as products that have value in them. Have you had any instances similar to these?  Do you think that some companies make these less durable products/services for a reason?

Selling Beer in Starbucks

In response to Mike's post about selling beer in Burger King and Starbucks, I too think that it isn't a bad idea for Burger King to sell beer to their "Sit-down" customers so that they could enjoy a nice beer with their burger; I'll tell you right now that if all burger kings started selling beer I would be buying a beer for me every time I bought a burger there.
On the other hand, I don't understand why Starbucks would want to start selling beer; Starbucks is known for their coffee and lattes.  To me in an environment where they are trying to sell coffee as a "wake-me-up" that you shouldn't be selling beer at the same place, especially where 80 percent of your customers leave as soon as they get their coffee.  Overall I think that places like Burger King and McDonalds would be able to get away with selling beer, however I do not think that Starbucks should sell beer just for the sake of the type of store/restaurant that they are.  What do you think, is Starbucks enough like a Burger King where they would be able to do this? Also, do you think there should be a limit on how many beers they can serve you, and/or, do you think this would cause more DUI's than there already are?

In Response to Mike's American Airlines

I agree with you Mike, this is not a good thing for those people, that company, or the economy.  When people lose their jobs unemployment goes up, when unemployment goes up people don't spend, etc. which eventually leads us right into a recession.  For companies around the world I think that it isn't good for them either because they will have to be laying people off as well.  These are just a couple thoughts I had on this topic. What do you think some suggestions for the company, or maybe the people losing their jobs?

NASA Reaches the Dark Side of the Moon

I recently read an article online about NASA saying they had reached the far side of the moon, they also had a video clip!  This video was recorded on January 19th of 2012.  These snapshots and videos are great because they can be used to study that side of the moon; the shots can also be used to give to students between fourth and eighth grade for them to stud the dark side of the moon with.  I think this is a great idea and that NASA is doing something to educate people.  I also think these snapshots and videos could possibly be useful, maybe they could show us something that we might have never known before, or maybe telling us something about the future, who knows?! I think what our space program is doing is very useful and important; what are your thoughts on this?

Marketing

I believe that, even if you are not majoring in marketing or pursuing that as a career, a course in that field can be very helpful.  Marketing is a tool used anywhere and everywhere with any company that you can think of; marketing is the tool behind getting the product into the customers hands.  Degrees such as Art or Graphic Design use marketing.  For example, we have a student in my Management information Systems class that is trying to come up with a product and launch it into the market; marketing will be a big backbone in trying to do so.  This student will need to come up with a target market which he will be advertising his product to, ways to show these people his product etc.  These are all tools that marketing uses and that are helpful to any business.  I work at a hospital in the kitchen and the website for the hospital is always changing and updating what's going on so that people know, and are informed.  Marketing is used all over the world and, I think, that it is the backbone to any successful business.  What do you think of Marketing, do you think that a business could survive with little to no marketing going on?

Myself as a Product

Product: MCH Food Serverices, I'm a cook-supervisor at a hospital kitchen.  I do everything from prep-cook work to making dinner for staff/patients.  I am a hard worker and very charismatic; I take pride in the cooking that I do, always taking the time I need to so that it looks as best as it can.  My employers would give me a high recommendation.
Place: The hospital kitchen that I work in has extremely good food; the location isn't somewhere you want to come for dinner however since we are located in a hospital.  But, say you have an appointment, are visiting someone, come on down to eat a nice lunch or dinner.  The cafeteria is roomy and homy for a nice dinner while visiting a family member.
Price: We have a very reasonable price for the food that we offer.  We also always have a hot soup, a hot steam table that has multiple entree's and sides along with a full salad and deli bar.  Both the salad and deli are weighed at .33 cents an oz along with our delicious soft serve ice cream!
Promotion: We have a couple different promotions that we do.  The first promotion is that if you want to go in and see a family member you can get one meal for free with them.  The second one is a meal deal in the cafeteria, this usually consists of one of the entree's from that day, two sides and a large fountain soda.
I feel that the four p's here are very closely related to each other and that you must be able to use them all to be successful, do you agree?  Are the four p's even related at all?

Difference between marketing, advertising & propaganda

In the business world there are many differences between the three words marketing, advertising and propaganda.  Marketing is a tool used by a specific company to market a certain product for that company; most companies even have their own marketing departments for that company.  Advertising is a little bit different; an advertising company is a company that strictly advertises things and may not have a lot of knowledge about a certain product.  An advertising company is given the product to advertise for another company.  Propaganda is something I'm not sure what it is; if I had to take a stab at what propaganda is I would say that it is a mix between marketing and advertising.  Maybe propaganda is a company that is strictly a merchandising company.  For example, Dell is a merchandising company, they don't manufacture a single compute they just put the brand name on their products and pay to have them made.
I would say that these are some of the differences between marketing, advertising and propaganda; I would love to hear your thoughts or opinions on this or debate with me what you might think that these three words mean?!