Dumb Starbucks Mystery Solved: Comic Owner Stands Behind “Parody Law” |  |
- Dumb Starbucks Mystery Solved: Comic Owner Stands Behind “Parody Law”
- YouTube Producers: Tough To Build Business on Ad Revenue Alone
- October 2015: Say Goodbye to Credit Card Swipes and Signatures, Hello to PINs
- Adobe Announces Flash Vulnerability, Hackers Can Control Your Computer
- Top 10 Interview Questions to Ask Prospective Employees
- Nothing Says I’m Sorry Like a Crate Full of Shaving Cream Cans
| Dumb Starbucks Mystery Solved: Comic Owner Stands Behind “Parody Law” Posted: 11 Feb 2014 02:30 PM PST
Plenty of buzz surrounded a mysterious “Dumb Starbucks Coffee” cafe that opened in southern California over the weekend. What has happened since should get the attention of every business owner. It reveals the potential power and influence of viral marketing and the importance of protecting a brand’s identity. The coffee shop, almost a dead ringer for Starbucks, started serving free coffee on Saturday and Sunday at a strip mall in Los Feliz, Calif., a suburb of Los Angeles. The only marketing was a tweet from the coffee shop’s own account: Based on photos posted online by visitors, the outside and inside of the cafe seemed almost identical to a Starbucks. The only difference was the addition of the word “Dumb” in front of the brand’s iconic name. Products were similarly named: Dumb Venti, Dumb Espresso, Dumb Tea, Dumb Norah Jones “Duets” CDs, etc. At its busiest, people were lined up outside for more than an hour to get a free cup of coffee. And the coffee wasn’t even that good, according to some customers who talked to inquisitive local reporters. As it operated throughout the weekend, speculation grew about who might be behind the cafe. Employees said they were hired via Craigslist and didn’t know the owners. There was also question whether this was a legitimate business or some kind of prank. How could it be legal to run a business that was essentially a rip off of such a popular brand? Starbucks told the press at the time that the company was still investigating its legal options. In an FAQ sheet prominently displayed inside the store, the unknown owners said they were operating under the protection of “parody law.” At a press conference Monday, the person behind the business/hoax, take-your-pick, was revealed to be Canadian comedian Nathan Fielder, who has his own show on Comedy Central: In the end, it’s unclear whether Fielder really considers his Dumb Starbucks Coffee a prank or a real business, insisting he plans to open another location in Brooklyn. But in the end, it wasn’t Starbucks that got Fielder. It was the Los Angeles County Health Department, who shut the coffee shop down on Monday for not having the proper permits. Image: Video Still The post Dumb Starbucks Mystery Solved: Comic Owner Stands Behind “Parody Law” appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| YouTube Producers: Tough To Build Business on Ad Revenue Alone Posted: 11 Feb 2014 12:30 PM PST
With Google Ads Chief Susan Wojcicki the new head of YouTube, sources say the video site wants to start competing with TV for ad share. The trouble is, some YouTube producers, small business owners who share revenue for ads that appear on their videos, say they’re not making enough money. YouTube launched its revenue sharing program in 2012. At the time, the site even gave a number of $1 million grants to producers to encourage them to make higher quality videos. The strategy has worked for YouTube, which generated $5.6 billion last year in ad revenue. But some seem less happy. For example, Olga Kay, who runs five channels on YouTube, told The New York Times recently she makes between $100,000 and $130,000 a year from her channels, but must invest a substantial part back into production. Meanwhile, video producer Jason Calacanis told the paper:
Critics say part of the problem is the slice of revenue YouTube keeps for itself. A Variety report notes that revenue partners get 55 percent of ad revenue and YouTube takes 45 percent. Others say videos are being loaded to YouTube so quickly, the site can’t sell ads fast enough, meaning too few ads are being spread too thin. There’s also the concern YouTube is getting too little for its ads. Recent data suggests the site gets about $7.60 per 1000 views compared with $20 per 1000 on network TV. This makes ads on YouTube a great buy but perhaps not such a great source of revenue for producers. YouTube, of course, points to the fact that its parent company Google provides a 12,000 member global sales force which sell the ads on YouTube in the first place. The company also points to the investment in the technology that allows for the upload of high quality video. But YouTube executives say producers seeking to make money from YouTube only may be going at things the wrong way anyway. The site is also a place to launch programming that might eventually lead to more profitable ventures in other markets. They use as an example Awesomeness TV which started on YouTube, but now provides content for Nickelodeon on cable, too. Video Photo via Shutterstock The post YouTube Producers: Tough To Build Business on Ad Revenue Alone appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| October 2015: Say Goodbye to Credit Card Swipes and Signatures, Hello to PINs Posted: 11 Feb 2014 10:00 AM PST
Starting October 2015, MasterCard and Visa will usher in a major change in the U.S. credit card industry. Credit cards will have microchips in them. Consumers will use PIN numbers instead of signing credit card receipts. And consumers will insert the credit card into or wave it near the card reader, instead of swiping a magnetic strip. It’s all part of a major shift that experts say will cut down fraud and credit card data breaches — and bring the United States more in line with the rest of the world. At Senate hearings last week surrounding the Target stores data breach affecting 70 million people, there was a call to move to “chip and pin” technology for security reasons. Delara Derakhshani, Policy Counsel for Consumers Union, testified:
In an op-ed at CNBC.com, Chris McWilton, president of North American Markets at MasterCard, pointed out that magnetic stripe technology was new … way back in the 1970′s. Fast forward 40 years, and technology has advanced. Yet, the United States lags behind Europe and Asia in adopting chip-based cards, which are “widely used” there, he wrote. Why are they more secure? Microchips in the credit cards contain more data than magnetic strips. That makes the microchip cards harder to counterfeit. The data is also encrypted, making it harder to steal credit card data. And the use of a PIN number cuts down on unauthorized transactions by anyone other than the rightful owner of the card. What Merchants Need to Know About Chip And PinHere’s what you, as a merchant, need to know as we head toward this credit card industry shift by October 2015: Microchip cards become common – You will be seeing more customers between now and October 2015 with cards containing microchips. You can recognize the cards from the square chip (see image above). Some banks have already started issuing chip credit cards. More will follow. Liability shift will occur – MasterCard and Visa say they are not mandating the change, but are encouraging it by a liability shift. What this means is, if as a merchant you’re still swiping and not using the chip for credit card transactions, you could end up with liability in a fraud situation. Speaking in the Wall Street Journal, Carolyn Balfany of MasterCard said:
Through the liability shift, MasterCard and Visa are trying to encourage all players in the marketplace to adopt the new technology. New card readers required – By October 2015, you will want to upgrade your credit card terminals to accept the new chip-based cards, if you haven’t already. Because of the microchip, a new type of reader will be required that can read the data on the chip. Processes and staff training must be updated – Moving to chip based cards and pins may not be a big change to some small-business merchants. For other small businesses, it may require fundamental changes in process and staff retraining. One such example is restaurants that today take the credit card away from the table to process it. According to Heartland Systems, “Businesses that typically have "back-of-store" terminals (like restaurants) will have the greatest paradigm shift as terminals will have to be brought to the cardholder to input a PIN.” Contactless cards are different – The chip based cards are not necessarily the same as “contactless cards,” so called because they don’t need to be swiped (today) or inserted into the reader (future). In fact, mobile devices, key fobs and other devices can also be used for contactless transactions — it doesn’t always have to be a plastic card. Contactless cards or devices send a radio frequency signal a very short distance to process the transaction. That means they need only be tapped on the credit card terminal or can be waved very close to it – at most a couple of inches away. Educate yourself on all implications – Carefully read all communications from MasterCard, Visa, your credit card processor, and POS system provider. You will want to understand all the practical aspects and costs of making the shift. More information on the chip and PIN shift can be found at MasterCard and also at Visa. See also our earlier piece, “EMV: The Upside Of Smart Card Adoption, Will Small Businesses Be Ready?” Chip and Pin Credit Card image via Shutterstock The post October 2015: Say Goodbye to Credit Card Swipes and Signatures, Hello to PINs appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Adobe Announces Flash Vulnerability, Hackers Can Control Your Computer Posted: 11 Feb 2014 07:30 AM PST
Adobe recently announced a vulnerability in its Flash Player and has issued a security update to patch up the hole. Media reports warn the vulnerability could allow attackers to remotely seize control of your Windows, Mac or Linux computer. Adobe’s announcement, after the vulnerability was reported by Kaspersky Labs, also included details about two web browsers with Flash Player which are potentially affected – Google Chrome and Internet Explorer. According to CNET, Adobe has assigned a Priority 1 rating to the vulnerabilities, which is Adobe’s highest threat level. Even cellphones are not immune. If you have Flash Player on your Android phone, you need to check which version you have by going to “Settings > Applications > Manage Applications > Adobe Flash Player x.x”. But Adobe does not specify which version Android users need to have, or how it will be pushed to the phone. Will it be automatic? Or does the user have to download it? According to Adobe, if you are the owner of a Windows or Mac computer, and have Flash Player version 12.0.0.43 or earlier, then you are vulnerable. If you use Linux and have Flash Player 11.2.202.335 or earlier, then again you are open to attack. There’s two very quick and easy ways to check what version of Flash Player you have. The first is to go to this page and it will tell you your version number.
The second option is to right-click on any Flash content and choose the option “About Adobe Flash Player” from the contextual menu. Windows and Mac users are urged to update to Flash Player 12.0.0.44 as soon as possible, while Linux users should install version 11.2.202.336. Chrome and Internet Explorer will apparently be automatically updated without any input needed from the user. After installing the latest patch, it would also be a good idea to run your malware program to make sure that there is nothing nasty lurking on your computer. If you are stuck for what program to use, give MalwareBytes a try. The free version does more than enough to give your computer a thorough check-up. “Adobe does seem to have an unfortunate history of people finding security flaws with Flash that require updates” independent security consultant Alan Woodward told the BBC in an interview. Image: Flash The post Adobe Announces Flash Vulnerability, Hackers Can Control Your Computer appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Top 10 Interview Questions to Ask Prospective Employees Posted: 11 Feb 2014 05:00 AM PST Sponsored Post
While unemployment is the lowest in 5 years, it is still challenging to find the best employees for your company. Not only do they need the skills to perform their job well, but they also have to fit within the company's culture. To hire the perfect people, it's important to ask the right questions. This is a challenge for many small business owners because they typically talk more than the job candidate or they just ask questions which review their resume. Top Interview Questions to AskCan You Tell Me About Yourself?This is always a good introductory question. Ask and then don't say another thing until they are done. What they actually say is not critical, but how they answer this question is. Do they focus on personal or professional details? How do they see themselves? Does this view fit into the culture of the company? Can You Tell Me About a Time When. . .Many job candidates can talk in generalities about their skills and accomplishments. However, asking for a specific example is a much more effective why to discover what they have really achieved. For example, when interviewing a sales candidate pose this to them, "Tell me about a time when you won a customer from a competitor." How Will You Contribute to the Company?This will highlight their goals for the specific job and which of their skills would be most beneficial for the company. It also will tell you how they see themselves as part of a team. Remember, their goals should match the company's. When they deviate, employees leave. What is a Specific Example of the Biggest Professional Challenge You Have Faced?How a candidate faces adversity is key. Even if a project didn't go as planned, it's important to find out how the applicant would reacted and would remedy the problem in the future. How Would You Solve. . .Test them. In a professional setting, these are typically hypothetical situations or ones that have actually occurred at the company. They should demonstrate job-specific problem solving skills. Don't be afraid to ask them to solve problems they would face in the first month of their job at the actual interview. Why Are You Here?Andrew Alexander, President of Red Roof Inn, says it helps reveal what the person's passion is. The applicant should want to work at the company, not just want a job. Employees that are passionate about the company's mission excel at their position. What is Your Ideal Job?Liz Bingham, Partner at Ernst & Young, says it helps match whether or not the person is suitable for the open job. It reveals what their passions and strengths are. What Areas of Improvement Were Identified in Your Last Job Review?Andrew Shapin, CEO of Long Tall Sally, says it can show self-awareness and weaknesses when people answer this question honestly. Where's Your Passion?Hilarie Bass, Co-President of Greenberg Traurig, says they only hire people who are passionate about that profession. It helps attract committed employees that will make the business successful. How Do You Measure Success?This answer will tell you what the candidate values and if it matches the job compensation structure. What are your favorite top interview questions to ask? This article, provided by Nextiva, is republished through a content distribution agreement. The original can be found here. Interview Photo via Shutterstock The post Top 10 Interview Questions to Ask Prospective Employees appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Nothing Says I’m Sorry Like a Crate Full of Shaving Cream Cans Posted: 11 Feb 2014 02:30 AM PST
Go overboard to compensate your customers when you make a mistake. This is a business lesson that few entrepreneurs have learned and even fewer have put into practice. It doesn't mean simply replacing an item that was damaged or refunding a purchase that didn't live up to expectations. It means going beyond all of that to compensate them past the point where it would be even remotely fair. Never mind whether it’s profitable to you and your business. It might seem like bad business in the immediate sense, but doing this not only rectifies the problem situation, but also helps to create customers for life. In 2006, NPR's Scott Simon shared an anecdote about customer service that illustrates the importance of this practice. Joshua Steimle of Entrepreneur shares his takeaway from the story:
In this situation, it wouldn't be surprising to hear that the shaving cream company simply offered an apology and maybe a small discount for future purchases. But when customers feel that a company has wronged them, this type of small gesture often isn't enough. Instead, this company went beyond what was expected of them to apologize to their customer. Keep that customer happy, and most importantly keep them purchasing new items. Aside from this lesson, Steimle also shared a few more tips for correcting business mistakes. They include: Taking full responsibility for the failure, explaining to customers why the failure will never happen again, and then making sure to actually never do it again. Shaving Cream Photo via Shutterstock The post Nothing Says I’m Sorry Like a Crate Full of Shaving Cream Cans appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
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