Have you logged on to the Vancouver Winter Olympics 2010 website yet? If not, you probably should. It’s an information overload and the hub for all online initiatives, which has already played a huge part in creating buzz for the games. Read the rest →
Posts Tagged ‘Vancouver’
January 27, 2010 | Melissa Eggert
Make the 2010 Winter Olympics Your Own
October 27, 2009 | Jeff Cohn
Vancouver’s Parking Meters. Technology meets Customer Service meets Brand.
Vancouver Parking Meter
I’m back in Vancouver for meetings with our client here and I came early to enjoy the town. I have a rental car so I had to deal with parking meters for the first time in this city. What did I find? A pleasurable experience. A PLEASURABLE METER EXPERIENCE I HEAR YOU CRY? Yes, and here’s why.
I really don’t mind paying to park. What I cannot stand are the barriers to parking with such inconveniences as not having enough change, concern that my time will run out and I’ll be ticketed, and such. Vancouver has solved that with an extraordinary system.
Every meter has a small sign on it that says, “pay by phone” and an identifying meter number. The first time one calls the system, an automated attendant walks you through a very simple process of about three minutes whereby you set up an account, credit card number and car license plate. You then enter the meter number, the number of requested minutes and, voila, the voice tells you that you’re all paid up. No coins. No mess. No fuss.
The second time I used the system, it recognized my cell phone number (no numbers to enter) and I simply entered the code and number of minutes and we were done in less than 30 seconds. Am I willing to pay a small .30 cent convenience fee for this service? You bet I am!
This system offers some useful marketing lessons. First, it speaks to the power of technology when used to drive or enhance customer experience. The system in itself is easy to use and customer friendly. Layered on top of this is a brand message. Vancouver is, in my mind, a progressive city and has a brand image of being on top of things. By offering this system and making my life easier as a customer, the city’s brand moves up a notch. No wonder it’s a thriving metropolis.
Kudos to the city officials of Vancouver for providing this forward thinking system. I’d love to see the leadership of my city, Denver CO, use a similar approach. I think it would significantly boost retail and restaurant sales in areas with paid parking such as downtown and Cherry Creek North and with it city tax revenues. Not to mention enhancing Denver’s brand as a progressive, technology driven market.
May 13, 2009 | Jeff Cohn
B.C.’s GPS: Global Positioning Statement
During my recent visit to Vancouver, I opened up the Sunday Province, the newspaper of British Columbia. As I paged through the paper, I noticed an ad from the provincial government of British Columbia focusing on health-related issues. I was impressed that this clean and well-designed ad was from a governmental agency.
May 11, 2009 | Jeff Cohn
An Olympic Challenge
Vancouver is an amazing city, and Canada has some outstanding experience in managing international events throughout the land. But if every brand experience is a touchpoint, then Vancouver and Canada’s immigration department have some work to do. I landed here on a typical Friday evening around 9. As I entered the immigration area at the airport, I saw a line that would make the one at Space Mountain at Disney World during spring break seem short. My excitement to be in Vancouver and Canada waned considerably as I navigated the long snaking line to enter the land.
May 6, 2009 | Jeff Cohn
Serving Up a Delicious Cup of Distinction
My business travels have taken me to one of my favorite places, Vancouver B.C., Canada. Ask anyone who knows me and they’ll tell you, it’s one of my favorite places to be. Before leaving Denver, a member of our team suggested I visit a place called Caffe Artigiano. They have several locations in Vancouver but as luck would have it, there was one just a block from my hotel. These folks totally get the value of brand. They offer a true coffeehouse experience, differentiating themselves from the rest of the pack. What brings their brand to life?
