So, how does Zenni Optical manage to keep their prices so low? Well, reading from the article I learnt that they produce and ship their glasses all the way from China. Yes, the shipping cost and time it takes to deliver is certainly more than getting it locally, but they can drive the cost of production right down. And how do they keep their costs so low? Well, the website links customers directly to the manufacturer. There are no middle men in the process, which means that any overheads are immediately minimised. All cost savings are passed on to the customers and voila, you have a lean process that places Zenni Optical right up there with the cheapest suppliers of prescription specs around.

They also ship internationally. I might even consider getting myself a pair!

It’s funny how sometimes something sticks in your head as an action or placeholder for something you want to do. Well, a few months ago I had heard my friend Sherrilynne talk about a set of stages that organisations go through in their jounrey to adopting Social Media. I ended up digging around and found her source, a most excellent post by Brian Solis called The 10 Stages of Social Media Integration in Business.

In a nutshell, the 10 stages are:

• Stage 1: Observe and Report
• Stage 2: Setting the Stage
• Stage 3: Socialising Media
• Stage 4: Finding a Voice and a Sense of Purpose
• Stage 5: Putting Words into Action
• Stage 6: Humanizing the Brand and Defining the Experience
• Stage 7: Community
• Stage 8: Social Darwinism
• Stage 9: The Socialization of Business Process
• Stage 10: Business Performance Metrics

It’s a thought provoking piece, and if you read nothing else today, read THIS. And I mean really read it; don’t skim through it, savour every word and ponder on its significance. It will give you a deeper understanding of the journey we’re all heading through.

Some interesting facts and figures surrounding the current ash cloud crisis in Europe and the cost it is causing to business. Here are some numbers:

• British Airways: £15m to £20m a day in lost business
• TUI Travel: £5m to £6m a day
• IATA: Industry costs of up to £165m a day

Some of the numbers mentioned are staggering, but it does give an indication of what a devastating effect natural causes can have on a business. You can expect to insure against this sort of eventuality, but the premiums would be astronomical. And then bring to bear the human cost of what could happen once companies start failing and jobs are lost and you begin painting a really bleak picture. It may not be as bleak as the current mesothelioma survival rate, but it still pretty ugly.

Have you been affected by the volcanic ash?

It looks like the iPad launch actually went better than iPad planned, it looks like supplies are tight because they underestimated the US demand. The thing about a new product is that you can hardly turn the outdoor lighting on it and see how brightly it will shine. Things have to be kept under wraps while the product is being developed. When Apple announced the iPad, it was already being produced and the amounts to make would already have been agreed.

Still, they can always make more huh?

Valves Suppliers UK is a company that specialises in industrial values, a pretty specialised market where customers number in the thousands rather than in the millions. They sell products like the Stainless Steel Dual Plate Wafer Check Valve that retails for around £500. You won’t be buying one of those every day, won’t you? Anyway, the Internet lets them get in touch with customers all around the globe, offering their products to any potential customers regardless of where they are in the world. They also have a selection of technical documents on the website and a user forum that helps them prove their authority in the field.

Any other niches you can find online?

It’s been interesting to watch Apple’s stock price over the last few days and over the last few hours since the iPad has been announced. Yesterday was characteristed by a steady increase in price, probably as the market started to feel the anticipation around the product launch. As the product was being announced the market dipped as it didn’t seem as exciting as everyone thought. However, when the price point was announces; a price point that would certainly make the product was very attractive to consumers; the price rose once again.

Product announcements can make or break a company. You can imagine what would happen if a company announced it had a cure for Mesothelioma cancer, only to be exposed as a fraud a few days after. It would probably be quite hard to recover from something like that. In the meantime, we’ll keep an eye on Apple and see what happens to their stock over the next few days, as the industry starts to get their hands on the initial devices.

I’ve had a flight cancellation with RyanAir recently and it got me thinking about how much low-cost companies actually save by removing the service element from their offering. Traditionally, companies have always sought to minimise costs and increase efficiency; whether it’s by reducing product complexity or using call center outsourcing, but doing so by removing the service element was a pretty bold move. The fascinating thing is that the net result has been the usurping of the incumbents and the emergence of a completely new model for flying.

It does turn the whole game on its head and opens the door to a rethinking of other sectors. More importantly, it raises an interesting question:

Is the customer still king? Or are cheaper prices more important?

photo credit: kagey_b

If you’ve ever had to travel for business, you know all about the risk of luggage going missing on your trip. But you don’t know the real dismay and the sinking feeling in your stomach that comes from realising your bag hasn’t made it. Most of the time, your bag gets found, but sometimes it doesn’t and you can kiss all your belongings goodbye. You may get something back from the insurance, but the sentimental value of some items just cannot be replaced. I’ve had my luggage lost a couple of times so far and it’s always a nightmare dealing with insurances, trying to find receipts of what was in the bag. Better if the bag wasn’t lost at all.

That’s where ReboundTag comes in. I received one of their tags as a sample to try and I must say I love the idea behind their service. They send you a special tag that has a barcode and a human readable number on the side. It also has two types of RFID technology embedded in the tag which airport scanners are designed to read. Once you receive your tag, you sign up to their website and leave your details. All that’s left is to affix the tag to your luggage and wait for the worst.

If you’re unfortunate enough that your bag goes walkies, this time you have a fighting chance. If the bag is recovered, the tag will point the finder to ReboundTag’s “I Found Something” page where they can key in the tag details and send a message to the tag holder (me in this case). It doesn’t guarantee that your bag will be found, but it does help return it to it’s rightful owner. It gives an extra level of comfort. Don’t get me wrong, I’d still keep any jewellery, MP3 players or phones on my person, but at least I know my bulky items are just a bit safer for the tag. Great idea!

The really interesting thing was one line that they added to the email response they sent:

Thanks for getting in touch and I must compliment you on your choice in kids wear.

I found that single line awesome. It wasn’t just a thank you for communicating with them. It showed that someone had taken the trouble to actually look at my order, and note what sort of products where in there. It added that touch a touch of personality to the email and gave it that human touch.

It doesn’t matter if you sell cheap clothes, or the top of the line walk in bath, adding that touch of humanity to your online presence can add that touch of class that will keep clients coming back for more.