Like many people, I use web-based services as part of my daily routine. From CRM and project management to live chat and collaboration tools, much of what I do takes place in a hosted environment. Whether you call them Hosted Services, Application Service Providers, or Software as a Service, the general idea is that someone […]

A few weeks ago, we decided to look into switching mobile phone providers. We started by contacting one of the large carriers and asking for a quote. In the initial request, we told them how many minutes and data plans we needed, plus the model of phone that would be acceptable. We also included a […]

I tried to get removed from a catalog mailing list yesterday. As usual, I never signed up for the catalog and they added my name (without asking) simply because I had made a prior purchase, but that’s a gripe for another day. At any rate, I was pleased to hear an option right on the […]

I’m not afraid to admit that I’m one of those people who carries a little bottle of Purell hand sanitizer wherever I go. My reasons for doing so are quite straightforward: using hand sanitizer is a very effective way to avoid getting sick, especially when traveling. So why do I still feel self-conscious about using […]

I spent a few days in a Hyatt hotel this week. Overall, the experience was pretty solid, but I was surprised by some of the basic things they got wrong. I’m not expecting incredible innovation. Instead, I’m talking about basic stuff that all of us take for granted at home or at work. You know, […]

I’m not sure if they still do it, but Range Rover used to provide a special test drive area at their dealerships. The idea was to let potential buyers drive the cars over rocks, up slopes, and through other harsh conditions — much worse than most people would ever use their vehicle in — to […]

There’s a wonderful sushi restaurant near me that I like to visit on Sunday nights. Although they’re pretty busy during the rest of the weekend, Sunday evenings are always dead, especially during the winter months. I always found this surprising, since the food and atmosphere are great, and the prices are quite reasonable. The restaurant […]

Virtually every time I go to Target, I end up looking for some simple household item they don’t carry. Usually these items fall into the category of “hardware,” and they have apparently deemed them too obscure to carry even in a megastore environment. When I ask an associate for help, they inevitably refer me to […]

A few weeks ago, I sent detailed feedback to several websites that I use. In each case, I gave them 5-10 suggestions and bug reports. One of the companies wrote back the very same day, with their customer support department thanking me for my comments. I even got a separate reply from my account manager, […]