Comments for Made to Stick http://www.madetostick.com/blog Authors' Blog by Dan and Chip Heath Fri, 05 Sep 2008 21:37:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 Comment on Scenes from American Express by Hugh Bursi http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/25/scenes-from-american-express/#comment-14743 Tue, 02 Sep 2008 19:34:25 +0000 http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/25/scenes-from-american-express/#comment-14743 On a more pleasant note, LOVE THE BOOK. It sits on my desk as all times and every time I write or re-write a marketing piece, the principles are applied. On a more pleasant note, LOVE THE BOOK. It sits on my desk as all times and every time I write or re-write a marketing piece, the principles are applied.

]]> Comment on Scenes from American Express by Hugh Bursi http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/25/scenes-from-american-express/#comment-14742 Tue, 02 Sep 2008 19:31:30 +0000 http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/25/scenes-from-american-express/#comment-14742 Okay, here is my last AMEX story, the proverbial straw that led to cancellation of three different cards and one more soon to follow. At Best Buy purchasing ink for my PC printer, my American Express Delta card which I have had since they first came out is denied. Gave them a VISA card and figured I would call when I got home and straighten things out. HA! Upon calling, I find the account is frozen/blocked, as is all my other American Express card accounts. Asking why they are blocked, neither the agent or her supervisor can tell me. After a couple of transfers (re-telling the whole story each time - one would think the details could be passed via a comment in my account record or somesuch appraoch) -- I finally get someone who can tell me the account was frozen by the "collections" department. This department is closed for the weekend and I have to call back on Monday to get the whole story. On Monday, I find that they say they have discovered a charge from about 25 years ago for about $250 that I owe on a card I do not posses (and do not remember possessing). Also, all my accounts will be blocked until I pay the charge. I ask when and what the charge was for (i.e., what was purchased when). They cannot tell me! I ask why they did not call, write or e-mail before blocking the cards to inform me of this alleged deliquency. They cannot tell me! I tell them there is no way I am going to pay for a charge they can neither describe or date and hang up. The next day I called and cancelled three of the four AMEX cards I have. The last, a green card I have had since 1975 and used mainly for business and personal travel expenses, I decide to keep for sentimental reasons. A week or so later, I got a letter from a special customer service group asking me to call. After explaining why I had cancelled the cards and that I have yet to receive a valid explanation for their actions, the agent agrees that I was not treated very well. The next day I use my Green card only to find out it is blocked due to lack of activity. I call back the "special" agent who works with me to get the card unfrozen. Tehn, for a subsequent purchase, I find out the freeze was released for only the one transaction and the card still cannot be used. I called Citibank and got an AAdvantage personal and business card within two days. The green card just came up for renewal and I have decided screw the sentimentality about the 28 years, the card and AMEX is toast in my financial life. Okay, here is my last AMEX story, the proverbial straw that led to cancellation of three different cards and one more soon to follow.

At Best Buy purchasing ink for my PC printer, my American Express Delta card which I have had since they first came out is denied. Gave them a VISA card and figured I would call when I got home and straighten things out. HA!

Upon calling, I find the account is frozen/blocked, as is all my other American Express card accounts. Asking why they are blocked, neither the agent or her supervisor can tell me. After a couple of transfers (re-telling the whole story each time - one would think the details could be passed via a comment in my account record or somesuch appraoch) — I finally get someone who can tell me the account was frozen by the “collections” department. This department is closed for the weekend and I have to call back on Monday to get the whole story.

On Monday, I find that they say they have discovered a charge from about 25 years ago for about $250 that I owe on a card I do not posses (and do not remember possessing). Also, all my accounts will be blocked until I pay the charge. I ask when and what the charge was for (i.e., what was purchased when). They cannot tell me! I ask why they did not call, write or e-mail before blocking the cards to inform me of this alleged deliquency. They cannot tell me!

I tell them there is no way I am going to pay for a charge they can neither describe or date and hang up.

The next day I called and cancelled three of the four AMEX cards I have. The last, a green card I have had since 1975 and used mainly for business and personal travel expenses, I decide to keep for sentimental reasons.

A week or so later, I got a letter from a special customer service group asking me to call. After explaining why I had cancelled the cards and that I have yet to receive a valid explanation for their actions, the agent agrees that I was not treated very well.

The next day I use my Green card only to find out it is blocked due to lack of activity. I call back the “special” agent who works with me to get the card unfrozen. Tehn, for a subsequent purchase, I find out the freeze was released for only the one transaction and the card still cannot be used.

I called Citibank and got an AAdvantage personal and business card within two days. The green card just came up for renewal and I have decided screw the sentimentality about the 28 years, the card and AMEX is toast in my financial life.

]]> Comment on Outstuck by Saill White http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/28/outstuck/#comment-14480 Sat, 30 Aug 2008 02:52:17 +0000 http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/28/outstuck/#comment-14480 Hmm, thinking of throwing a rock that far makes my shoulder sore. Imagine standing on top of the Empire State Building and shooting a BB into a shot glass on a table by the pool at the Trader Vic's in Beverly Hills. Hmm, thinking of throwing a rock that far makes my shoulder sore.

Imagine standing on top of the Empire State Building and shooting a BB into a shot glass on a table by the pool at the Trader Vic’s in Beverly Hills.

]]> Comment on Explanation before information by Mary Sullivan http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/26/explanation-before-information/#comment-14456 Fri, 29 Aug 2008 04:57:52 +0000 http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/26/explanation-before-information/#comment-14456 I like the metaphor of the framing for a house to explain how people acquire and retain information. You have to pour the foundation and then frame up the outlines and the roof with 2x4s. You can't do the plumbing and wiring until you have the frame done. When those are done, you can hang the sheetrock and do the finishing. What Rosen describes is very much like that, I think. I like the metaphor of the framing for a house to explain how people acquire and retain information. You have to pour the foundation and then frame up the outlines and the roof with 2×4s. You can’t do the plumbing and wiring until you have the frame done. When those are done, you can hang the sheetrock and do the finishing. What Rosen describes is very much like that, I think.

]]> Comment on Outstuck by Richard Fritzson http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/28/outstuck/#comment-14445 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:37:41 +0000 http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/28/outstuck/#comment-14445 Of course, paying attention to your audience matters too. For some it might be best to say "imagine making a hole-in-one while with your tee in New York and the green in Los Angeles". Of course, paying attention to your audience matters too. For some it might be best to say “imagine making a hole-in-one while with your tee in New York and the green in Los Angeles”.

]]> Comment on Outstuck by Hashim Warren http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/28/outstuck/#comment-14444 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:17:20 +0000 http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/28/outstuck/#comment-14444 What does a 50 cent piece look like? :) What does a 50 cent piece look like? :)

]]> Comment on Scenes from American Express by Benjamin Chambers http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/25/scenes-from-american-express/#comment-14320 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 05:24:13 +0000 http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/25/scenes-from-american-express/#comment-14320 Isn't that wonderful? If you do find <em>Gospel</em>, the acknowledgements are at the back; personally, I recommend Barnhardt's first book, <em>For Emma, Who Saved My Life</em>. Isn’t that wonderful? If you do find Gospel, the acknowledgements are at the back; personally, I recommend Barnhardt’s first book, For Emma, Who Saved My Life.

]]> Comment on Scenes from American Express by Dan Heath http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/25/scenes-from-american-express/#comment-14316 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:48:36 +0000 http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/25/scenes-from-american-express/#comment-14316 Benjamin, that is genius. I just started laughing out loud in a coffee shop, and now the other patrons are looking at me with unease. I must track down Gospel... Benjamin, that is genius. I just started laughing out loud in a coffee shop, and now the other patrons are looking at me with unease. I must track down Gospel…

]]> Comment on Scenes from American Express by Benjamin Chambers http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/25/scenes-from-american-express/#comment-14314 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:39:39 +0000 http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/25/scenes-from-american-express/#comment-14314 The most stylish story about American Express's absurdity is one told by fiction writer Wilton Barnhardt, which appears in the acknowledgments to his 1993 book, *Gospel.* Bear in mind that he'd been doing a lot of foreign travel to research the book: "...[A]nd to American Express, who canceled my card <em>when I was in the friggin' Sudan</em> after a review showed I had "insufficient salary" to deserve renewal, I execrate you: <em>Anathema! Anathema! Anathema!</em> The most stylish story about American Express’s absurdity is one told by fiction writer Wilton Barnhardt, which appears in the acknowledgments to his 1993 book, *Gospel.* Bear in mind that he’d been doing a lot of foreign travel to research the book: “…[A]nd to American Express, who canceled my card when I was in the friggin’ Sudan after a review showed I had “insufficient salary” to deserve renewal, I execrate you: Anathema! Anathema! Anathema!

]]> Comment on Scenes from American Express by Dan Heath http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/25/scenes-from-american-express/#comment-14288 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:29:13 +0000 http://www.madetostick.com/blog/2008/08/25/scenes-from-american-express/#comment-14288 I think maybe Andy has locked this one up. I don't know how you beat that story. I love the "proof of homeowner's insurance deductible" component -- that is admirably absurd. I think maybe Andy has locked this one up. I don’t know how you beat that story. I love the “proof of homeowner’s insurance deductible” component — that is admirably absurd.

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