Richard Keith Latman - The Blog

What is CCDM Anyway?

I've been involved with Customer Relationship Management since I was 7 years old and managed my very first lemonade stand. I quickly found out CRM's really not so hard to work, you just do what you say you are going to do and make sure you listen to their concerns. "Is it too sweet?", "Do I need to add more lemon juice?" were the questions I'd ask my customers and the answers would help me refine the product and sell more. Each step of my career I've used an informal CRM system to help me manage any project or business I might be involved with. The power of knowledge is nothing new, but I think CRM is mislabeled, it's really CCDM or Customer Communications Data Management.

CCDM is really needed throughout an organization and we use it at iMagicLab during all stages of the sales process. On the website (www.imagiclab.com) we set an impression that our product will make the sales cycle easier to manage. On our first demo we set the expectation that we don't negotiate on price and that we feel certain our product is the best there is. You can figure out the rest but the point is that managing the information that gets exchanged in simple communication is a huge competitive edge when it comes to understanding the needs of your prospects or handling the almost certain objections. Someday all calls will be transcribed automatically to create records of this crucial information exchange, but until then we rely on the "need" overcoming any burden that the technology creates. I say burden for a reason, because it really is a royal pain to input all this data and then use it effectively. Tens of thousands of users are typing notes into some type of tracking system as I write this but very few of them have any idea why. That's why CRM has failed most American companies: they provide wonderfully difficult technology to woefully under-trained staff and never articulate the clear benefits of its use. It's just mind boggling to me, but even iMagicLab customers sometimes just don't get it.

In my opinion it's managers so far that have failed companies by turning CRM systems into electronic babysitters and then using reports to chastise and demoralize folks. The message they deliver is wrong and it needs to change for sales organizations to realize their full potential. Could it be that the current group of managers do not understand the product they are mandating their employees to use? Do they really think it is big brother in a box? Whose fault is it and how do we correct it?

more to come....

The End is Near - Sorry Bill

You all know by now how I feel about software and how certain companies (namely Microsoft) have attempted to hijack your computer and make you do the things they want. As a friend of some powerful folks at MSFT I have had the distinct pleasure of testing the new Vista operating system over the past few months. I hate to say it, this is really a good piece of software and I'm pleased to say it's probably the last traditional OS we will see.

Quietly over these past few months a ton of new young companies have begun to place features of a desktop operating system online. Whether it be Google's new word processing and spreadsheets or my friend Mark Cuban's new filesanywhere.com, the power of the desktop is rapidly relocating on massive server banks. For just a moment stop and think what your operating system (i.e. Windows) does for you... ok, so most of you said "email" and/or word processing. Clearly these functions are now better online than in Microsofts famously bloated Office product. You have all your documents and mail wherever you are, can share files effortlessly and never have to worry about a backup or virus. You see, the real magic here (as in iMagicLab) is that the hard work is done by computer professionals and risk and complexity of running the machine is removed. Much like 50 years ago, the terminals are dumb and the IT department keeps the network up. What we need now more than ever is just a simple machine to get us online and let the millions of brains connect and innovate.

It was a good time to retire Mr. Gates, the cookie's about to crumble: Here's some Windows-killers to check out:

http://docs.google.com/?pli=1

http://www.goowy.com/

http://www.filesanywhere.com/

http://www.flixster.com/

http://keepvid.com/

Hey Daisy? You Still Out There?

I have received tons of email regarding the letter I posted from Daisy Mao and I want to thank you all for the support. Funny though, Daisy has not responded even though I've emailed her multiple times trying to make things right. Daisy are you out there?

One email I opened from a brave U.S. Navy man kinda sums up the way most of you seem to feel. I am gratified and hopeful that you all reliese that I have tried for the past 3 years to make as many of you whole as possible. This started long before any criminal charges, it's just what is right. Here's what Daniel had to say:

From: Spragno, Daniel ET1 SLC
Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 8:41 PM
To: keith@latman.org
Subject: RE: Old Microworkz Business - Request Settlement

Kieth,

I do just want to say that even though I think bad of you on this.  I also believe that the justice system is jacked.  They should have given you the list of customers that were damaged by this for your discretion to take action alone even if you were not forced into repaying.  I give you credit for not hiding even seven years down the line you come out to face your challenge from the past which is quite noteworthy rather than start up without looking back.  I am only upset because these chains of events in my life make me only look back to how I had money I could have saved for challenging times that I face in present day and I have nothing more to show for it than some old credit card bills that I destroyed in anger because Providian wouldn't dispute the charge while I was stuck at bootcamp during the 60-day dispute period which maybe would have prevented me ever being in this mess with you.  I just wish that the customers were paid before the employees.  But anyways it takes a man to stand up and face the facts.

Daniel

When is an idea an asset?

I received a letter today from the Alan Wenokur, the U.S. Trustee's attorney in my bankruptcy case, that really has me thinking. The letter alleged that I had the domain name www.imagiclabs.com back in 1999 and therefore it belonged to the Trustee and I/we could no longer use it. This posting really has NOTHING to do with that letter (today I registered www.imagiclab.com for $6) but the legal principle is quite interesting.

In 1999, I registered the domain name on behalf of Microworkz.com and listed in as such. As those of you that are Internet savvy know, you must have 3 contacts listed with each registration along with the email addresses. Each of those people (or 1 person if the same person is listed 3 times) could be said to have "control" over the domain name. In the event that the company which originally paid for the name goes out of business, any of those 3 people could then simply pay the annual fee and transfer the name into their personal name (as I did with this name in 8/2001). At what point does this become "personal" property? Does it automatically become an asset of all 3 of the listed people when the company goes out of business? Further, when the domain name has never been used in commerce does it have an "asset" value? It's really an interesting question and one that we'll likely spend some money on because I don't think the law is clear.

The precedent here is a dangerous one: Which intellectual property or non-physical property is an "asset" and which is not. Certainly "sex.com", which has huge market value, was an asset then and now, but how about your email address? How about your home phone number? eBay account name? Understand where I am going here? iMagicLabs is just a cool name with zero market value and the name itself is still worthless. The Trustee thinks its an asset only because it might have value to us now (six years after the Bankruptcy discharge was denied): Two months ago, before we changed the name, it had no value to anyone and the Virginia Burdette, the U.S. Trustee, made no claim against it. By their logic ANYTHING, physical or intellectual, you have a "control" interest in at the time of a Bankruptcy can be attached at anytime in the future when or if any Trustee thinks that it has obtained a monetary value. What if I had an idea and jotted it down before the filing? If I later made the idea into a movie would that be an asset owned by the Estate? I could go on and on here but this is frightening as a precedent.

In this case the point is mute: Microworkz had registered and paid for the name in 1999. I acquired the name in late 2001 when the company was defunct. It was not in my personal property when I filed the petition but because I was listed as a contact I had first "dibs" when it came time for renewal. Much like the way I reacquired this domain name, in cyberspace it's not always clear who owns what or when the transactions took place.

In my business it makes no difference if we use imagiclabs, imagiclab or even imagiclabz, the product is great, business will not change and our customers could care less. The legal challenge though is much more important to the future and to any potential debtors in Bankruptcy court. I'll keep you all advised of what happens...