{"id":165,"date":"2010-01-24T19:22:09","date_gmt":"2010-01-25T00:22:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aaronkuehn.net\/tol\/?p=165"},"modified":"2010-01-24T19:22:09","modified_gmt":"2010-01-25T00:22:09","slug":"consumer-electronics-show-fails","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aaronkuehn.net\/tol\/?p=165","title":{"rendered":"Consumer Electronics Show Fails"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"CESWebLogo\"<\/a>I recently attended my first Consumer Electronics Show (CES).<\/p>\n

Several years ago I had a consulting gig at the Las Vegas Review-Journal newspaper and my hotel was right next to the CES.\u00a0 Each night I saw see people pour in to the hotel lobby with bags of swag.\u00a0 The swag was el-primo:\u00a0 USB drives, mugs, music players, tiny pocket cameras and BMWs.<\/p>\n

I made it my mission to find a way to attend that glorious giveaway event someday.<\/p>\n

The CES is only open to people “in the bidness.”\u00a0\u00a0 I’ve worked in newspapers my entire life (in print production and I.T.) and probably could have scammed my way in by pretending to be a technology reporter.\u00a0 I don’t have the nerve to pull off something like that.<\/p>\n

Now that I sit behind a desk at a software company, it was easier to get credentials to attend the show.\u00a0 I applied last summer and was approved.\u00a0 The anticipation and excitement bubbled until show day.<\/p>\n

I attended with my buddy and co-worker, Blaine.\u00a0 We were most interested in looking at digital photography gear and ways to embed GPS coordinates in photos that newspaper journalists shoot.\u00a0 The systems that we sell can then use that GPS data to create maps and help researchers find data specific to a location.<\/p>\n

We wanted to see cool new stuff.<\/p>\n

Oh, and by the way, we wanted swag.\u00a0 Lots of it.\u00a0 We drove to Las Vegas from Provo, Utah in Blaine’s Camry.\u00a0 We went with the bare essentials in order to have plenty of room for the giveaways that undoubtedly would be thrown at us.\u00a0 We stopped just short of removing the back seat.<\/p>\n

On show day we started at the hearty $29 breakfast buffet at our hotel.\u00a0 We stoked our furnaces with piles of their very excellent hash browns.\u00a0 Then we got on the shuttle to the show.<\/p>\n

I’ll cut to the chase.\u00a0 At least one chase.\u00a0 There was no swag.<\/p>\n

I know, I know.\u00a0 It’s the economy.\u00a0 But this is THE biggest show for technology, gadgets and fun stuff in the world!\u00a0 If not here, then where?\u00a0 And what better way to drum up business, build enthusiasm, brand or product awareness than to give away cool stuff?<\/p>\n

So you’re selling website design?\u00a0 Give me a 200 GB USB drive with sample websites on it!\u00a0 Give me a big fancy mug!\u00a0 Give me a music player loaded with your jingle or a podcast or something!!\u00a0 Give me a camera with your logo on it!\u00a0 Give me stuff!\u00a0\u00a0 I have come for stuff!<\/p>\n

So, after about nine hours on the floors of two of the 36 buildings with CES content on hand, I came away with three ink pens.\u00a0 One doesn’t write.\u00a0 I also have several bags.\u00a0 Bags like you get at the grocery store to reduce the number of regular plastic grocery bags that end up along the roadside or wrapped around bird beaks.<\/p>\n

Several of the bags shed the ink used to print the logo on the bag.\u00a0\u00a0 That created a real mess in my suitcase.<\/p>\n

Yes, I joke about wanting free stuff, but the real message here is that I left with nothing to show my cronies back at the office.\u00a0 I saw 14,325 vendors and I don’t remember #349 because they weren’t’ giving away anything to help me remember their product or message.<\/p>\n

But the misses don’t end there.\u00a0 I totally understand that a business could spend huge sums on giveaways and most of them would not yield any benefits.\u00a0 I’m sad, but I get it.<\/p>\n

However, this is the biggest show for the industry.\u00a0 The heavy hitters and newbies are there for this one chance to make an impact and build sales momentum for the coming year.\u00a0 And in so many, many instances, they totally botched it.<\/p>\n

WHO ARE YOU?<\/h3>\n

Many vendors had very elaborate displays with great graphics, blinding lights, booming music and sexy models prowling around.\u00a0 Okay, I see you, but who are you?\u00a0 I see your name on the $50,000 banner…but what does “Superdohicky” do?<\/p>\n

Display after display left me thinking “Okay, here you are, but what do you do?”\u00a0 “What do you sell?”\u00a0 “Do I want to step in or keep walking?”<\/p>\n

So much money and effort apparently went into the production of booths, why didn’t they include something that would tell a passerby what product or service is offered there?<\/p>\n

I was interested in anything about digital imaging.\u00a0 If you sell retrofit home wiring systems, I’m not the least bit interested in you.\u00a0 And you don’t want me in your booth because you’ll be wasting time and effort on a dude who is going to throw you zero business.<\/p>\n

Another impact of not having a good visual message is that the salespeople on the floor feel compelled to latch on to every warm body to try to TELL them why they should be interested in them.<\/p>\n

“Do you wish you could do your job better?” one sales kid asked of every ear canal in range.\u00a0 Well sure, the obvious answer is that most of us probably wish we could do our jobs better.\u00a0 But what an ineffective, slow and plodding way to try to get people into your booth!!\u00a0 Imagine if they just added the words “We Do Process Analysis To Improve Your Workflow” to their signage!<\/p>\n

Since I’m after digital imaging I’m going to walk right by and I won’t waste my time or yours.\u00a0 On the other hand, Freddie is frustrated by all the steps it takes to make his widgets, so he’d be interested in hiring a third set of eyes to review his processes and maybe shave off some hours in his manufacturing process.\u00a0 He’s the guy you want, not me.\u00a0 A few words would have made these types of displays far more effective.<\/p>\n

DO YOU WORK HERE?<\/h3>\n

Maybe I’ve said it before, but CES is the biggest thing in the world for these people.\u00a0 They plan all year (at least you’d think they would).\u00a0 They put a lot of eggs in this basket.\u00a0 You’d think they’d carefully select the people they put out in public.\u00a0 No, I’m not saying that people with horns, three eyes or antennae should be banned from the show.\u00a0 But those chosen to work the show should be coached, prepped and ready!<\/p>\n

This usually was not the case.<\/p>\n

I like radios.\u00a0 I have several old radios and have spent years looking for the perfect floor model from the 1930s.\u00a0 I’m also an amateur woodworker.\u00a0 So when I saw the Pure radio display of cool tabletop radios made with lots of wood, I was interested.\u00a0 No, I’m not going to buy 10,000 units for my chain of electronics stores.\u00a0 But I might want one for my desk at work.\u00a0 But you don’t know that yet.\u00a0 And you really shouldn’t care — a sale, interest, consumer enthusiasm, word of mouth:\u00a0 all of it should be like gold to you!<\/p>\n

So I started to fondle and drool over the radios.\u00a0 They’re very cool.\u00a0 They look retro.\u00a0 They’re well-made.\u00a0 They have built-in rechargeable batteries.\u00a0 They have jacks for external players.\u00a0 They have a USB port.\u00a0 So I was ready to buy!!\u00a0 I was very interested.<\/p>\n

I wanted to hear it play.\u00a0 Doh!\u00a0 It wasn’t plugged in!\u00a0 The battery wasn’t charged!\u00a0 They must have had 50 radios on display but most of them weren’t even set up to work.<\/p>\n

A sales dude came over and started to tell me all the great features about the radio in my hands.\u00a0 He told me all the same stuff that was on the printed placard beside the radio.\u00a0 But of course I wanted to know how much the thing costs.<\/p>\n

“What’s the price on this one?”\u00a0 I asked.<\/p>\n

“Ummmmm….” the dude responded.\u00a0 He actually looked panicked.\u00a0 You’d think I had just yelled “Fire!”<\/p>\n

“Let me see if I can find a price sheet somewhere.” He said and scurried off.<\/p>\n

Excuse me?\u00a0 You don’t know how much it sells for?\u00a0 Isn’t that why you’re here…to sell stuff?<\/p>\n

He walked around, conferred with associates and pointed at me like I had\u00a0 just insulted his mother.<\/p>\n

I hung around for about five more minutes while various Pure People huddled and pointed.<\/p>\n

To this day I don’t know how much it costs.\u00a0 Or where to buy it.<\/p>\n

By contrast, I stopped at a teeny, tiny booth.\u00a0 One of those tucked around on the back side of a row.\u00a0 The CES low rent district.<\/p>\n

This guy was selling radios very similar to what Pure had on display.\u00a0 I have to think Pure’s booth costs six figures.\u00a0 This guy was by himself and had set his products up on folding tables.\u00a0\u00a0 Maybe he financed his entire display by collecting empty soda cans littered around the nearest state park.\u00a0 But his radios looked just as cool as Pure’s.<\/p>\n

I generally think twice or five times before entering the tiny booths because you’re really trapped.\u00a0 They can put the sales spiel on you or start asking probing questions about you, your business, your Dun and Bradstreet listing and your shoe size.\u00a0 Often the only way to leave is to be downright anti-social and walk away.<\/p>\n

But that’s not how this was.\u00a0 This guy, I think he was from India, was on his game.\u00a0 Here’s about how it went:<\/p>\n

Radio Dude:\u00a0 “Hello.\u00a0 I have here a line of very high quality tabletop radios.\u00a0 We use beautiful woods for the case, internal antennas and have great sound quality.\u00a0 Inside is a rechargeable battery that lasts about 10 hours.\u00a0 We support USB and auxiliary connections.”<\/p>\n

Quick.\u00a0 To the point.\u00a0 Told me what he had.\u00a0 My choice to stay or move on.<\/p>\n

I stayed.<\/p>\n

I went to a radio and turned it on.\u00a0 It worked.\u00a0 In fact, every radio he had was plugged in.\u00a0 Even those that were turned off were pre-tuned to an actual station.\u00a0 They were ready to try.\u00a0 The radio sounded great.\u00a0 It was heavy.\u00a0 It was solid.<\/p>\n

Radio Dude:\u00a0 “If you have any questions, please just ask.”<\/p>\n

He didn’t hound me.\u00a0 He was there if I needed him.\u00a0 He had good signs that told me all the details about each model…except price.<\/p>\n

Me:\u00a0 “What’s the price on this one?” I asked, thinking the good experience was about to fall apart.<\/p>\n

Radio Dude:\u00a0 “Are you interested in bulk wholesale pricing or individual pricing?”<\/p>\n

Me:\u00a0 “I’m not a reseller, I’m just interested for myself.”<\/p>\n

Radio Dude:\u00a0 “The one you’re looking at is listed at $279.\u00a0 The range of our models goes from $225 to $500.”\u00a0 He reached behind his table and pulled out a small card.\u00a0 “This web address will show you a list of current resellers where you can buy one.”<\/p>\n

Perfection!<\/p>\n

The guy was nice, knew his product, and didn’t try to “sell” me.\u00a0 The big Pure kids could have learned a lot from him.<\/p>\n

DO NOT LIE TO ME<\/h3>\n

You shouldn’t lie.\u00a0 It’s a bad thing.\u00a0 It’s naughty.\u00a0 If I had a five-year-old, he’d know better.<\/p>\n

But it’s especially bad when you lie to me about your competitor’s product when I can walk down the aisle and see your competitor’s product and instantly know you’re a weasel<\/p>\n

This happened when we stopped at the booth of a company that makes hard-sided foam-filled cases for schlepping fragile gear around the world.\u00a0\u00a0 These cases are made for shipping cameras, computers and the like.<\/p>\n

We liked this particular vendor it had many cases out on display and were happy to let us play with them.\u00a0 They also had these clever spring-loaded latches that looked really cool.<\/p>\n

The representative told us that “no other manufacturer” had “any kind of latch” like it.\u00a0 He added that “all other manufacturers” used latches that could be bumped open.\u00a0 Wow, we were impressed.\u00a0 We sure didn’t want our case being “bumped open” to let our netbooks, cameras and Ming vases fall out onto the pavement.<\/p>\n

Then we asked about a handle and wheels, which the case in question did not have.\u00a0 He said that “nobody puts handles and wheels on these very large cases” because they just don’t hold up.<\/p>\n

Still, the case was very impressive and we took a flyer and thought about stopping back to buy a case for our workplace needs.<\/p>\n

But lo and behold, not 30 minutes later, we were at the booth of one his competitors.\u00a0 Not only did they have latches that were all but identical to his, but they had pull-out handles and wheels.<\/p>\n

Now maybe the guy just didn’t know his market (though he should), but I think he was telling tales in an attempt to get us to give him business on the spot.\u00a0 At best he should have said “I’m not aware of any other company out there doing this.”\u00a0 But to say with such authority that he was alone in the marketplace, essentially without competition, was a really ugly way to do business.<\/p>\n

HANDS ON<\/h3>\n

One of the benefits of a big show like this is to touch and feel.\u00a0 I’ve been to tons of car shows, gun shows and woodworking shows in my time.\u00a0 They let you touch, try, feel and see.<\/p>\n

I have an expensive scrollsaw in my shop that I bought years ago at a woodworking show in Ann Arbor, Michigan.\u00a0 The DeWalt booth had a bunch of them set up, with piles of wood on hand, so you could actually MAKE THINGS!\u00a0 I fell in love with the saw.\u00a0 It was so much better than the Ryobi I already had that I bought it on the spot and hauled it out to my truck!\u00a0 Seeing it on static display in a store, or written about in magazines would not have made a sale.\u00a0 It was three times the price of my old saw.\u00a0 But USING it made me NEED it!<\/p>\n

At the CES I was stunned by how many items were under glass and protected lest anyone might actually want to use it\/<\/p>\n

You may remember that I was interested in digital imaging and photography gear.\u00a0\u00a0 I own Canon equipment, so I gravitated toward their display.\u00a0 I thought maybe they’d be giving away tiny, pocket cameras.\u00a0 Or maybe they were giving away memory cards or cleaning kits or SOMETHING.<\/p>\n

Not only did they have no swag but the cameras were under glass!\u00a0 Only the very cheap consumer cameras were “out.”\u00a0 And not very many of them.\u00a0 And they had no power.\u00a0 You couldn’t see how images displayed.\u00a0 You couldn’t take a shot or two.\u00a0 You couldn’t try out the controls.<\/p>\n

What was the point!?\u00a0 Maybe I’m trying to decide whether I want to get Canon or Nikon and what better place to COMPARE?<\/p>\n

Such a wasted opportunity.<\/p>\n

By contrast Kodak was loaded for bear in this regard.\u00a0 They had multiple kiosks with seemingly every camera they make on display.\u00a0 Plugged in.\u00a0 In working order.\u00a0 With a Kodak Person at each kiosk to explain, help and answer questions.\u00a0 In fact, I spent some time with the very cool Kodak Zi8 video camera.\u00a0 The lady at the kiosk explained how it worked, compared features to the other market leader Flip (without bad-mouthing that Flip was a garbage camera made by child labor in a torture camp in some Asian swamp).\u00a0 Just facts.\u00a0 And I was able to take movies and see them and really give the device a test.<\/p>\n

If you’re going to try to sell something this is the place to let me touch it and use it and try it.<\/p>\n

There weren’t very many computer vendors in the buildings we visited, but those that were didn’t even have their computers turned on.\u00a0 And those that were had a password on the screensaver.<\/p>\n

Do they expect to sell based only on the pretty case?\u00a0 I want to try the keyboard, see what the display looks like, and see how responsive it is.\u00a0 But so many vendors didn’t allow this.<\/p>\n

COMMUNICATION<\/h3>\n

The CES is an international show.\u00a0 It’s held in America.\u00a0 I’m an American snob I suppose, I do know that not “everyone” speaks English.\u00a0 But I would suggest at a show like this that English is the predominant language spoken.\u00a0 And maybe Spanish.\u00a0 Maybe some of the languages from Japan, China, Vietnam.<\/p>\n

But when I stop at your booth because you have a very cool looking box on display, with flashing lights and buttons that just beg to be pushed and I ask “What is it?” your Booth Boy should not say “Rugged!” with a thick unidentifiable accent.<\/p>\n

I thought of course he didn’t understand me.\u00a0 So I asked again, more slowly, “What is this, what does it do?”<\/p>\n

“Rugged!”<\/p>\n

Another Booth Boy walked over and I figured this one must speak English so he’s coming over to help out his friend.<\/p>\n

“What is this, what does it do?” I repeat.<\/p>\n

“We case metal.” he says.<\/p>\n

Uh, yeah, okay.<\/p>\n

Bye.<\/p>\n

THE HIGHLIGHT<\/h3>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Clearly the highlight of our visit to CES was the Eye-Fi<\/a> booth.\u00a0 Photography is my biggest hobby.\u00a0 And the software company where I work sells content-management databases for newspapers.\u00a0 We’re all about saving, finding, routing, manipulating and displaying pictures.<\/p>\n

I was particularly interested in the Eye-Fi product that automatically transmits pictures from a camera to your computer and\/or the web.\u00a0 And it can embed GPS data.\u00a0 It’s absolute magic.<\/p>\n

Before the show I’d done some research but simply didn’t believe it could work.\u00a0 It would have been easier to get me to buy into the idea of a functional Invisibility Cloak than it would be to convince me that I could take a picture and have it move from camera to web without me doing anything.<\/p>\n

But the Eye-Fi people were masters of the CES in my opinion.\u00a0 We stepped up to the display and even if we didn’t already know about them, their display clearly communicated what they were up to.\u00a0 There were quite a few people standing around with their jaw hinges in the full-open position.\u00a0 Clearly something very cool was going on.<\/p>\n

One of the Eye-Fi People was sort of saying to nobody in particular what they do…and if you’d like to give it a try for yourself, please step right up.<\/p>\n

I stepped.<\/p>\n

I met Berend Ozceri, a Systems Architect at Eye-Fi.\u00a0 He had a digital camera and a laptop.\u00a0 He took my picture while he was explaining what their product did.\u00a0 While he was talking, my ugly mug appeared on the website that was open on his computer.<\/p>\n

His basic spiel answered all of the obvious questions one might have about the product and left me as one of the jaw-dropped ones who couldn’t believe what they just saw.<\/p>\n

He then handed the camera to me and said “Give it a try.”<\/p>\n

Excuse me!\u00a0 You’re going to let me actually try it?\u00a0 Use it?\u00a0 See how it works?\u00a0 What if it does something bad and embarrasses you?<\/p>\n

He didn’t care.<\/p>\n

He wasn’t embarrassed.\u00a0 It worked.\u00a0 I took pictures and they flew through the ethers and showed up on his computer.<\/p>\n

So then I started to ask the hard questions.\u00a0 I got technical.\u00a0 I explained the business I’m in and how we’d be interested in sports photographers for newspapers being able to shoot a football game on deadline and have their shots immediately available to a newsroom for print production while at the same time be on the newspaper’s website immediately.<\/p>\n

He was un-phased.\u00a0\u00a0 He jumped right in with enthusiasm about the product, explained various workflows that would answer the need.<\/p>\n

I asked more questions and he was totally honest when I asked about features that didn’t exist.\u00a0 He told me what they planned to do in future versions and was honest about things they did NOT plan to do.\u00a0 I trusted this guy.\u00a0 He wasn’t blowing smoke.<\/p>\n

I made it clear that apart from buying a single card for my own hobbyist shooting, I wasn’t going to buy anything.\u00a0 I told him the best I could do was maybe demonstrate, recommend or suggest the technology to our newspaper customers.<\/p>\n

That didn’t matter to Berend.\u00a0 He stuck with me.\u00a0 He didn’t get distracted by other potential customers.\u00a0 He had engaged with me and he was going to make sure I had taken all the pictures I wanted, asked all my “What if?” questions and was now a walking and talking expert on Eye-Fi technology.<\/p>\n

When I was done he handed me his card and said “Email or call me with any other questions that might come up.\u00a0 If I can’t help you directly, I’ll get you the help you need.”<\/p>\n

Clearly this guy believed in his product (which is easy to do because it’s so freakin’ brilliant).\u00a0 He knew his product and he was expert at helping someone understand it.<\/p>\n

At the same time, he wasn’t trying to get me to write a big check on the spot.\u00a0 Though if I worked for a big-box store, I’d be buying tons of these things and selling them just like Berend was demonstrating them.\u00a0 (And, shhh, I wouldn’t be selling them for $149, either.\u00a0 I’d double the price still sell bucket loads).<\/p>\n

And Eye-Fi\u00a0 understood that I wanted to touch it!\u00a0 I wanted to use it!\u00a0 I wanted to see behind the smoke and mirrors and look up the sleeve.<\/p>\n

This should have been the rule rather than the exception.\u00a0 But I’m so glad I found these folks because they have a great product and understood how to interact with people.<\/p>\n

I won’t go to CES again.<\/p>\n

Even if I had walked out with one of those cool $500 radios made with aircraft-style dials and deluxe wooden cabinets.<\/p>\n

I literally can get the same information by searching online or visiting BestBuy.<\/p>\n

I’m no marketing genius, I’m just a guy.\u00a0 But if any CES vendors want me to review your display ideas and presentation plans for CES 2011 I’m available.\u00a0 My consultation rates are very reasonable.\u00a0 I’m sure I have a price list around here somewhere….<\/p>\n

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I recently attended my first Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Several years ago I had a consulting gig at the Las Vegas Review-Journal newspaper and my hotel was right next to the CES.\u00a0 Each night I saw see people pour in to the hotel lobby with bags of swag.\u00a0 The swag was el-primo:\u00a0 USB drives, mugs, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-165","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-all"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aaronkuehn.net\/tol\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/165","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aaronkuehn.net\/tol\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aaronkuehn.net\/tol\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aaronkuehn.net\/tol\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aaronkuehn.net\/tol\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=165"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.aaronkuehn.net\/tol\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/165\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aaronkuehn.net\/tol\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=165"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aaronkuehn.net\/tol\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=165"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aaronkuehn.net\/tol\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=165"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}