Big Business - Stop Telling Us About Surcharge Fees!

What ever happened to the good old days when companies raised their prices and didnt bother to tell us why or for what? What is with all the surcharge fee disclosure?

It seems that corporate America and a few enterprising local government authorities are disclosing that consumers are paying more for certain reasons. American Airlines and United Airlines have instituted checked baggage fees and some local police departments are adding fuel surchages to speeding tickets. Why are they giving names to new fees?

Has everyone forgotten how to raise prices? I remember when companies needed to make more profits they would raise prices in a way that Joe Consumer would accept without complaint. But adding fees for services that use to be free causes outrage and upoar. The whole checked baggage fee issue has created a public relations debacle.

It would have been a lot smarter if the eggheads over at American and United simply increased the cost of airfare across the board. Most people do not know how the cost of their airfare until they start searching for flights. An extra added $15 or $30 to a ticket would not have raised eyebrows. Anyone who flies at least once a year knows that the cost of an airline ticket varies based on the time of day, how far in advance you book etc.

Creating a new charge for checking bags only adds insult to injury. With over 40 years of free checked baggage, we all have an entitlement attitude about checked baggage. The same goes for food service on planes. Free beverages, snacks and meals have been a pleasant perk. No one wants to pay $2 for something that has been free for years. Like hotels charge "resort fees", airlines could have added a "hospitality fee" to the price of airfare and no one would have been the wiser.

I urge big business and police authorities to stop announcing new fees. Be smart, raise the cost of our tickets and keep all the reasons to yourself -- it is better for your brand and business.

Miley Cyrus - If it walks like a duck...

Miley Cyrus is under fire for taking very risque photos for Vanity Fair magazine. She is posed NUDE with a sheet draping her underage body. My first question - who approved such a photo? Next Question - have the person(s) involved with approving the salacious photos been fired from her team of advisers?

Miley Cyrus is a franchise - a Disney frachise. Disney is batting zero with keeping its teen stars squeaky clean. Jamie-Lynn Spears is 16 years -old and pregnant and a star from High School Musical was embarassed by her own set of super sexy photos.

Who is protecting the brand of these stars? My guess - no one. Are there parents so caught in the paychecks of the young teen stars that they have forgotten how to be parents? Miley Cyrus sells out stadiums faster than established rockers who have been touring for 20 years. Why would anyone jeopardize the Hannah Montana franchise? My guess is that it was never in jeopardy.

Let's face it - if Jamie-lynn Spears still has a Disney contract with a 16 years old pregnant belly than Miley taking semi-nude kiddy porn labeled "artistic" is mild. Disney like the rest of nation realizes that family values are dead. But what happened to Disney's integrity? What happened to celebrity integrity and protecting a personal brand?

Recently, I heard Carol Alt - a former super model- talk about how she easily transitioned from the runway to being a entrepreneur with a niche in women's wellness. She said something that resonated with me. Alt cited her ability to keep the "Carol Alt name clean" throughout her 20 years of modeling as the reason she has been able to be an icon for women's health and fitness. Carol Alt made sure that she didn't do anything that would tarnish and ruin the Alt brand. Today, she benefits from keeping her personal brand clean and is able to get decent work and be respected.

Miley Cyrus might be able to come out of the public relations debacle, but she has broken the seal on her innocence. Perhaps, today's young rising stars can tear a page out of Carol Alt's book of personal branding. And I have one note of advice to Annie Leibowitz, the photographer that coaxed Cyrus in the provocative pose, the next time you photograph an underage teenager ... grab a teddy bear instead of a sheet.

Alcatel Lucent Allegedly Lays Off Employees via Email

When you fire employees via email it is information that will spread quickly. Unfortunately, I learned that Alcatel Lucent allegedly laid off some of its employees via an email. I actually met someone who was one of four Alcatel Lucent employees in New Jersey allegedly emailed that they were being let go on January 25. It was simple, they arrived at work, logged into their computer, checked their email and learned their fate.

Obviously, this is not the way to handle a lay off. Perhaps it is a cultural difference in the french company Alcatel and the american employees of Alcatel Lucent in New Jersey. Maybe it is standard to inform employees in France that they will be unemployed via email, but that is not the case in the United States.

I heard that all of the employees retained a copy of the alleged ill-fated email which is why this is a bad idea. Anything electronic can go mobile quickly. The employees receiving the bad emailed news can hit forward and send it to everyone in their department or the company. The worse case scenario is that the disgruntled former employees start forwarding the note outside the company. That is when the company at fault loses control of the situation causing a public relations fiasco.

A business should never provide negative news via electronic communications. In certain circumstances an email might be a solution to get important news out quickly. But there are few circumstance that should cause individuals to find out they are losing their jobs via an emotionless, remorseless email.

Emailing company news is only appropriate when it is not unique to an individual. Sometimes company news about merger and acquisitions can come via an email or letter and then later followed by a company-wide live meeting. Most large and small organizations handle individual employee news with care. It is unfortunate to hear that such a useful and effective tool such as email is being used to handle sensitive company business. Do yourself and your company a favor, dissemminate company and employee news with care.

Ike Turner Leaves Behind A Personal Brand Tarnished By Scandal

Ike Turner died recently with baggage. Although Tina Turner's violent life with him was highly documented in her book and autobiographical film, Ike never owned up to abusing her. He led a life of rock and roll drinking and drugging. He never did anything to save his reputation.

For many, Ike Turner's legacy is one marred with violence and self-deprecation. He did not die a great music legend, he died a fallen star who wasn't man enough to own up to his dirty deeds.

Turner's personal brand was tarnished years ago and there was no public relations person or other star handler that could turn him around. He was a lost cause. I don't know a single song that Ike Turner did without Tina. Actually, only one song comes to mind when I think of Ike and Tina, Proud Mary. He didn't leave much of anything positive behind.

It is important to try to overcome scandal. Sometimes it is time to be contrite and try to seek the forgiveness of those who care about you. Many celebrities have been able to polish their tarnished image by admitting to wrong-doing and trying to move past the issues that have plagued them. Your personal brand is essential for your success. Be open about issues that you or your business face quickly. Don't deny something that is obviously true. Protect your personal brand by eloquently sharing your side of the story and then quickly move on.

Dog the Bounty Hunter: PR Nightmares Can Come From Within

Dog the Bounty Hunter made a career damaging mistake this week. He trusted someone with one of his most private of secrets. That someone he trusted was his son and what he told him has shed new light on “Dog”.

Duane “Dog” Chapman uses the n-word. We now know this because his son secretly recorded a telephone conversation when Dog exhibited his most canine side by explaining to his son that he could not bring his Black girlfriend around his staff because they often use the n-word. He told his son that he didn’t want to risk his Black girlfriend hearing the n-word because it could destroy everything he worked hard for. It is nice Dog could see how that would be a public relations problem, but it looks like his son values respect for humans over the family fortune.

Dog’s son recorded his enlightening conversation with his father and released it to the media, n-word and all. Now according to A&E, “Dog the Bounty Hunter” reality show has been shelved by A&E indefinitely - all because Dog trusted his son with his secret bone.

As the Dog, Britney Spears and Michael Vick realize, pretty much no one can be trusted. Even if you are a successful business owner or local celebrity in your own right, the people you think care about you may resent you. In the case of Dog, his son must have been outraged by his father’s display of pure disrespect and bigotry. He must have been hurt by his father and returned the favor by damaging Dog’s reputation.

You ever hear the saying “it’s lonely at the top”? Well it is true. In order to stay on top, you need to keep your distance from those who desire to destroy you. Question – when was the last time you heard about Bill Gates and his best friend? Or maybe Warren Buffet’s long time golf buddy. Donald Trump’s closest confidant? I can’t name anyone in particular. These guys are either with their wives or with business colleagues. You never hear about the best friends – because they probably don’t have someone they want that close to them for fear they might expose something about them.

Dog’s mistake was not talking on the phone with his son and using the n-word. It is his arrogance that he can control his son’s life and be free to say what ever he wants. If he doesn’t use the n-word when the camera is rolling for his A&E program, why couldn’t he use that same restraint when his son’s girlfriend was around? And why couldn’t he demand that his staff be respectful (as respectful as bigots could be) if she happened to come around with his son?


The lesson learned? Don’t say anything you don’t want repeated. Period. Don’t say anything improper to anyone. Use restraint when ever possible. And never have a conversation that you want to be confidential on the phone or via email.

Dog was right – it would be stupid to lose everything if his son’s girlfriend were to hear him use the n-word. Unfortunately, she didn’t need to come around his office or staff to hear it. His son took care of that and now the whole world knows. His worst fear may have come true and he may have done himself in – for now.



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