Intelligentsia, schmelligentsia. Great stories reveal, that’s what we’re here for
In the combined names of Social Intercourse, Meeting Interesting People, and Getting Out of a Rut, I have taken, in my time, some terrible beatings…. You see these gray hairs? Well, making whoopee with the intelligentsia was the way I earned them.
—Dorothy Parker
Dear readers and friends, crowd around the table. Having you join our luncheon once again makes this much more than whoopee! I’ve invited new friends and old to share their fresh perspective. I hope you’ll enjoy getting to know them—leave them a comment, and come on back to share your thoughts around the Maximum Customer Experience Round Table!
Perhaps it’s that favorite holiday of all storytellers, St. Patrick’s Day, coming to put a little Irish in each of us; perhaps it’s watching the girl I’ve told stories to since she was a wee lass turning ten. Whatever the reason, your intrepid Round Table host has been in something of a storytelling mood this week. So I’ve invited a group of incredible storytellers today to spin a few Customer Experience yarns. And ooh, are they tantalizing. Sit back in that fabulous chair, order your favorite beverage from the discreet waitstaff passing by our Table (so discreet you hardly know they’re there!), and slip away to faraway lands.
Let’s start with a tale that will make you want to run to Boston for the weekend. There’s a lot to be learned from Johnny Cupcakes’ storytelling style. Via Andy Nulman’s Pow! Right Between the Eyes.
Considering going out on your own, starting your dream business? Starting a Business Is Like Asking a Girl Out for the First Time, says Steve at MyWifeQuitHerJob.com, and though I haven’t asked any girls out, I feel like I’m ready now. (Wait. I think I have to go back and read that one again….) Utterly charming post, and an all-around great blog.
Mark Hurst is a wonderful storyteller, but today he’s pointing the way to two can’t-miss stories by other speakers, from his annual Gel Conference. If you do nothing else online today, please watch Natasha Schull’s speech about Las Vegas, linked to in Two Opposing Views of Customer Service at Good Experience. (Mark’s right—watching John Williams’ speech afterwards is a great antidote to the disturbing subject of Ms. Schull’s speech.)
But I know you aren’t going to settle for doing nothing else online today! Visit with Karen as she tells a story about a story: The “Coraline” Effect at Karen J. Lloyd’s Storyboard Blog. I love her description of this rare moviegoing experience.
Ms. Parker might not approve of ending on a light, happy note (I’ll try to go snarkier in the future), but this story is well worth breaking with her Round Table traditions. A Prototyping Experiment at Tim Brown’s Design Thinking. What would you do with your Free Time?
I hope you’ve eaten and drunk your fill with these great critics, tastemakers, and storytellers. Let’s do lunch again soon.
Love ‘em? Hate ‘em? Learn something fantastic as you clicked around? Think I missed the best one of the week? Please share in the comments!
Grow and be well,
Kelly Erickson
If you’re going to write, don’t pretend to write down. It’s going to be the best you can do, and it’s the fact that it’s the best you can do that kills you.
—Dorothy Parker
Previously, Mrs. Erickson and the Vision Circle (that’s you) entertained:
If you enjoyed this post, please Subscribe (it's free!) 
Comment 
Share
Trackback 
14 March 2009, 10:21 am
Have you seen Coraline?
Definitley worth it! I think “Polly” would love it too.
14 March 2009, 10:37 am
Friar,
“Polly” just told me last night that a 5th grader (woooo) she knows has seen it and was scared to death.
She doesn’t want to see it until she’s 21, now. *sigh*
Did you love Karen’s description of the hush? That’s a filmmaker’s dream moviegoer’s experience, I’m sure. I’m wowed by any movie that can do that to people. Cool.
Regards,
Kelly
14 March 2009, 7:29 pm
@Kelly
Most of the movie is pretty harmless. But the last 10 minutes is pretty creepy. I can see it scsring the crap out of a 5 year old.
But a 10 year old? Well…maybe.
That’s what sometimes happens, if kids grow up watching too much “Caillou” and not enough “Simpsons”.
(hee! hee! hee! …ducking and running now..!).
Friar’s last blog post…Canadian Provinces and Territories Described in 10 Words
14 March 2009, 8:59 pm
LOL. She’s a proud scaredy-cat just like Mama. I don’t even watch commercials for scary or gory stuff, ‘cuz I can get nightmares just from that. I’ve always been like that.
Keeps me innocent and pure.
That, and plenty of Caillou!
14 March 2009, 11:40 pm
There is no greater compliment than getting linked by someone who has nothing to do with what you do, but relates to it anyway.
Thanks for the link love oh-so-awesomesauce-Kelly. You rock.
And I think you should still drag ‘Polly’ to Coraline. My little friend was 10 and she absolutely loved it. Yes, maybe she’s a tad less sensitive (living in the part of town with drug dealers and hookers…but I digress).
The little bit of creepiness factor is paled by the ‘wow’ factor. And Coraline is a fantastic girl-empowering character! This is the kind of character girls should be influenced by. Not by the likes of those skanky ‘Brats’. *shudder*
So I hope you can convince her to give it a go. Just keep saying this: “It’s just a cartoon, they’re just puppets, it’s just a cartoon, they’re just puppets…”
Let me know if you do. You can always blame me for the emotional scaring. (Kidding! The occasional freaky-factor is good for the soul).
Karen JL’s last blog post…Lazy Lessons for the Week
15 March 2009, 11:27 am
Karen,
Heh. I’ve just realized that I do not get called “awesomesauce” often enough. Putting that on everyone else’s to-do list.
& you were totally talking about what I do in that post, so of course I linked! One thing I love about Experience Design is *everyone* sees it every day. You don’t have to work in it to have something to say about it, or to be creating those purposeful experiences in your own field. (So why don’t I have 32,000 readers? I really should.)
Well, if I can’t blame you, we’re going to Witch Mountain instead.
Srsly, I told her we’d rent Coraline when it comes out on DVD so she wouldn’t feel bad if she wanted to walk out for a scene or just couldn’t stomach it. Control helps. So my update on the experience of that movie won’t be for a couple of months. This is word-of-mouth in action. If my nephew had heard from a 5th grader that he was scared to death, he’d have run for the nearest theatre to see if it was true… my kid, not so much.
Until later,
Kelly
15 March 2009, 2:50 pm
Well, gee whiz, it’s not like it’s ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’! Methinks that 5th grader is a bit of a wimpy-puss.
I actually read something good about Witch Mountain, so let me know. Another recent decent one was “Hotel for Dogs”. Probably have to wait for the DVD now though.
And I hadn’t really thought about experience design in that way. But you’re right. Movie-going can be the ultimate experience can’t it?
You are awesomesauce! (I can’t take credit for the word. It came from the Havi Brooks camp.) I also left you a little gift on Brett’s blog. Enjoy.
Karen JL’s last blog post…Lazy Lessons for the Week
15 March 2009, 5:25 pm
@Kelly and Karen
You’re the best.
No…YOU are.
No…you BOTH ARE.
Allright…GROUP HUG, everyone!
(Not me, though…I’m running screaming from the room)
15 March 2009, 5:35 pm
Hehehe, this is what happens on a quiet weekend.
Awesomesauce, awesomesauce!
(Karen, I don’t travel in Havi’s circle too much, so I’ll let you have the credit. Too much awesomeness for me over there. *sigh*)
15 March 2009, 6:51 pm
*gives Friar the finger*
There’s a little awesomef’nsauce for you too buddy.
Karen JL’s last blog post…Lazy Lessons for the Week
15 March 2009, 8:15 pm
Feel free to delete that one Kelly. I feel better now.
Karen JL’s last blog post…Lazy Lessons for the Week
15 March 2009, 8:38 pm
@Karen
It goes like this…
..|.
Friar’s last blog post…Canadian Provinces and Territories Described in 10 Words
15 March 2009, 8:44 pm
@Kelly
Feel free to NOT delete that last one. (Karen started it…!)
Friar’s last blog post…Canadian Provinces and Territories Described in 10 Words