Through choppy waters on the good ship Customer Service

I thought I’d share an email exchange between my wife Zara and a Cornish travel agency when she made an inquiry about a trip on Brittany Ferries’ Pont Aven flagship. Start at the bottom and read up. Any analysis from customer relations specialists, or indeed marine architects, would be welcome. 

Tarnished image of the regional ‘churnalist’

If you’re a journalist working in the regional media, what do you think people think of you? A trusted guardian of local democracy, educating, informing and entertaining, exposing wrongdoing and holding the powerful to account? Well think again. When I had a look at a government advice document to schools on how to deal with the media, it was interesting to see the perception of working life in the 2011 local media newsroom.

How Facebook is at the heart of a communications revolution

A news story last week struck me as providing proof of how far Facebook has been at the forefront of the global revolution in how we communicate. The prosecutor general in Eygpt announced on his department’s Facebook page that former president Hosni Mubarak and his two sons would be detained for 15 days for questioning over corruption in the former regime. Apparently the Facebook page was set up to promote communication between the new government and families of the people killed or injured during the political turmoil which led up to the ousting of Mubarak. Much has been written about how social media like Facebook and Twitter have been used by protesters to organise the movements for political change which have swept through the Middle East in recent months. Now in Egypt the authorities are using Facebook to communicate directly with people.

Will print and digital offer make Midlands paywall a success?

News website paywalls seem to polarise opinion, mostly negative. But now the West Midlands title the Express & Star – the UK’s biggest-selling regional daily newspaper – has come up with a subscription plan that combines a paid-for premium website with an iPhone app and  six-day delivery of the print title. It describes the offer on the premium website Express & Star 24 as: “A ground-breaking news-packed website, a smartphone application that gives you the latest stories around the clock and Britain’s biggest regional newspaper landing on your doorstep.”

Challenge and change in the media

Trust is key to publishing in the digital media. That was the underlying theme to emerge from a wide-ranging workshop discussion at a session called ‘How to build for the future in media and publishing”. I was representing local media in the packed session in a room at the Royal Clarence Hotel in Exeter, part of the two-day Like Minds conference on the theme Creativity and Curation.

Werewolves, war and veg in the hedge on the golden isle of Guernsey

First published in the Exeter Express & Echo Saturday, September 18 2010

WEREWOLVES were said to roam the narrow lanes of western Guernsey. The area  zig-zagged by narrow lanes leading down to the sea is called Variouf – werewolf in the ancient local French dialect. In fact the terrifying tales of people turning into fur-covered beasts at the full moon were encouraged by smugglers to keep the inquisitive away from their night-time activities. This is just one small example of how a mixture of wit, enterprise and opportunism has helped the islanders survive and thrive over the centuries at the crossroads of the English Channel.

Your cash is helping disabled kids have fun

In May this year I completed the Great West Run in Exeter, my first half-marathon. Friends, family, and colleagues at the Express & Echo sponsored me to the tune of £133. Earlier in the summer I sent off the cash to the Frenchay Unit Neuro Club, a small charity providing treats and short breaks for children with brain-related illnesses and injures being treated at Frenchay Hospital in Bristol, where my daughter Isobel was a patient for several years.

I have now been told my sponsorship money will go towards the cost of a weekend break for a group of children at the Calvert Trust, a specialist centre on Exmoor providing holidays for young people with disabilities. These particular children are being invited because they are unable to join the FUN Club’s normal activities due to their limited capabilities. The Calvert Trust looks like a great place, ensuring those with disabilities don’t miss out on the excitement and challenges of outdoor activities. So thanks again to everyone who sponsored me. Meanwhile I’m still running regularly and on the lookout for my next race, so watch out for my next sponsorship appeal.

Fairytale break in heart of idyllic Basque country

The beach at Vieux Port, Messanges, France

First published in the Express & Echo, Exeter, Saturday, July 31 2010

IT was like a staying for a week in Snow White’s cottage. Fluffy red squirrels scrambled down from the trees for a drink of water, floppy-eared rabbits hopped by and sparrows fluttered around pecking up the crumbs from our left-over baguettes. I half expected them to start the washing up as well.

Is your website home page doing its job?

I’ve recently been scanning small business websites. And I’ve been struck by how little care is often given to home page content. Too often the intros rattle on about how great the new website is, what a marvellous job the designers have done and how it’s going to make life so much better for visitors.

Now you may be rightly proud of your shiny new site and want to show it off. But your visitors don’t really care about all that stuff. They’re short on time. They just want it to do its job simply and quickly.

So keep your home page simple and functional. Tell them who you are, what you can do for them or what you are selling. Use simple clear language and encourage them to take the next step by clicking through to profiles, portfolios or products. Those first words are your first impression. Make sure it’s a good one.

Everyone a winner in the Great West Run

It was chilly and wet, but the warm welcome of the spectators made taking part in the Great West Run in Exeter on Sunday a real joy. It was my first half marathon and the longest distance I’ve ever run. Me and my son Tom covered the course together, from Exeter Arena, around the city centre and back a couple of times, in 2hr 11min.

There were 3,000 runners and hundreds of people lining the route, shouting encouragement. Social media played a part, with updates on Twitter from the organisers, training updates from runners and encouragement and reports on race day.

Tens of thousands of pounds have been raised for charities, including my own contribution of more than £100 for the Frenchay Unit Neurology Club (see my earlier blog post for details).

The Exeter running specialist shop Iron Bridge Runner did a superb job organising the event. It always seemed that way from the outside, now I can confirm that from the perspective of a runner.

It was an all round great day for Exeter and a special day for me. A year ago I was in Derriford Hospital in Plymouth undergoing a muscle biopsy for a disabling illness, eventually diagnosed as reactive arthritis. The Great West Run was a major goal for my successful recovery. Here’s a photo of me and Tom after the finish http://www.flickr.com/x/t/0099009/photos/49618497@N06/4585165478/