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CRM Magazine Blog http://www.destinationcrmblog.com A blog from the editors of CRM magazine Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:56:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 CRM Magazine and destinationCRM.com is dedicated to providing Customer Relationship Management product and service information in a timely manner to connect decision makers and CRM industry providers now and in the future. A blog from the editors of CRM magazine CRM Magazine http://www.destinationcrmblog.com/CRMBlogPodcast.jpgCRM Magazine Bloghttp://www.destinationcrmblog.com crm, customer relationship management, sales, marketing, customer service, social media, customer-centric clean CRM Magazine postcast@destinationcrm.com Maybe a Little Schadenfreude? http://www.destinationcrmblog.com/2008/10/17/maybe-a-little-schadenfreude/ http://www.destinationcrmblog.com/2008/10/17/maybe-a-little-schadenfreude/#comments Fri, 17 Oct 2008 20:29:48 +0000 Jessica Tsai http://www.destinationcrmblog.com/?p=528 http://www.destinationcrmblog.com/2008/10/17/maybe-a-little-schadenfreude/feed/ 1 New York Times columnist Judith Warner wrote a piece entitled <a href="http://warner.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/02/waiting-for-schadenfreude/?scp=3&sq=schadenfreude&st=cse">“Waiting for Schadenfreude,“</a> where she made the astute observation that, Schadenfreude is impossible because the fat cats — the ones who bent the rules, the ones who pushed the envelopes, the ones who paid lower taxes because capital gains were most of their income, the ones who opposed regulations on the banking and mortgage industries — are taking us down with them. The very wealthiest are, as always, likely to do just fine. Real, hard-core Wall Street, as <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/28/opinion/28wolfe.html" target="new">Tom Wolfe reminded us</a> last weekend, long ago decamped for the hedge funds of Greenwich. The political leaders who allowed this mess to develop have turned into the great defenders of “Main Street.” (If I have to hear the juxtaposition of “Main Street” and “Wall Street” one more time, I will be the one drowning in a pool of vomit.). It’s a whole host of other people — vulnerable middle class homeowners and small business owners and, now, universities unable to make payroll — who are hurting. <a href="http://www.destinationcrmblog.com/images/bailout10_p.mov"><img class="alignleft" style="margin: 3px 5px; float: left;" src="http://www.destinationcrmblog.com/images/dennys-ad-233x300.jpg" alt="" width="233" height="300" /></a> I got a pitch today from restaurant chain Denny’s about its latest promotion, the $4 Weekday Express Slam. [<a href="http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/081015/20081015005354.html?.v=1">Press release can be found here</a>. Click the image to watch the video.] The commercial begins with, “It’s one thing to bail out Wall Street, but who’s going to bail you out? Denny’s!” The combo includes two buttermilk pancakes, two eggs and the choice of two bacon slices or two sausage links, and it’s all served in 10 minutes or less. Families can also enjoy a Kids (10 and under) Eat Free program, a free kid’s meal with the purchase of one adult meal. So now Joe Six-Pack Joe the Plumber the average Joe can enjoy some benefit from this crisis; but even as we revel in the comfort of comfort food, it seems we still won’t be enjoying it with a side of Wall Street misery. Inasmuch as we hear about big banks closing and merging, we only really hear deals that help one person spend for an entire meal what another might spend on a bottle of water. In a report released in August, ABI Research predicted that “revenues from branded handsets will exceed $11 billion next year, increasing to more than $43 billion in 2013.” Handsets! Then again, luxury brands were always selling more than just a name — it’s an image, a status symbol. I’m waiting for Denny’s to get back to me, but I’m wondering how the food and service sector — particularly fast food — is faring at this time. (I, for one, would certainly be up for a 50¢ menu.) Loyalty and engagement have long been thought of as recession-proof strategies but when push comes to shove and your customers are reluctant to take out their wallets — well, it’s not hard to see why companies are backed into a corner feeling like price cuts are the [...] New York Times columnist Judith Warner wrote a piece entitled “Waiting for Schadenfreude,“ where she made the astute observation that, Schadenfreude is impossible because the fat cats — the ones who bent the rules, the ones who pushed the [...]