L&S Unscripted

I hate flying. The rising costs of flights. The crowds. Waiting in long lines. Flight delays. Losing luggage. Losing my mind. Sitting in the middle of two less than appealing seat-mates. Sitting through a three hour flight with a little monster behind you who won’t stop kicking the seat. Just me?
The point is, flying can be downright miserable, no matter how much you pay.

Granted, tougher (and necessary) security measures are part of it and the fact that the airlines are hemorrhaging money isn’t helping. But, there is something I think the airlines can do to…

• Make the flying experience as fun as the investment
• Make flying more affordable for the masses
• End price confusion…while preserving margins

My solution? Add more tiers of service to the flying public. You want to pay an arm and a leg for the same flight but ‘better’ service? Here you go. Can’t afford a flight, but don’t mind flying uncomfortably? Standing room for you.

I suggest an airline test the following concept:

First Class – Much like the old days with ample legroom, attentive flight attendants, a gourmet meal (w/ real silver), free booze, hot towels, slippers, etc.

Priced: $1000 — $1200

Executive Class – Friendly service with comfortable seating, a good meal (plastic utensils), discounted booze, priority boarding and lavatory-sharing with First Class passengers.

Priced: $600 — $800

Economy Class – Decent service, adequate legroom, soda/water and snacks for a fee and limited lavatory.

Priced: $300 — $500

Limited Class – No service, bench seating, water and lavatory only in emergency, board the craft moments prior to take-off and have to make the ‘walk of shame’ past other travelers.

Priced: $69 — $99

I never liked that old saying, “Nice guys finish last.” I don’t like it because often it is true. I also don’t like it because it isn’t true.

In the end nice guys finish first. Because they can look at themselves in the mirror and people respect them. Sometimes people even say nice things about them when they aren’t around. So maybe it isn’t that they finish last. It’s more that, because they are nice, they don’t call attention to themselves and don’t get the credit they deserve when they deserve it.

Let’s take Mt. Vernon, SD native, Iowa Hawkeye star and Minnesota Viking Linebacker Chad Greenway for example. He is a nice guy. I say that even though my wife went to high school prom with his uncle. I have to say it. Because it is true. Only a nice guy would have his NFL draft party at Wermers’ Lounge in his hometown while helping dad on the hog farm. And only a good guy would commit to donating $5,200 to Sanford Children’s Hospital if he makes the NFL Pro Bowl team.

That’s where you come in. Players are selected to their position in the Pro Bowl by three votes. The coaches, players and fans each have one vote. Chad is near the league leaders in tackles and forced fumbles. A number of Facebook groups and other social media efforts have sprung up in support of Chad’s Pro Bowl bid. Look them up. Get out there and join the fun. And most importantly, go to www.nfl.com/probowl/ballot and vote for Chad. As they used to say in Chicago, vote early and vote often. On the NFL site that is encouraged. Be sure to vote soon. The deadline is December 9th.

So why has all the viral dust begun to stir in support of Mr. Greenway. Mostly, because he’s earned it on the field. And in part, because he is a nice guy. Here’s your chance to help the nice guy finish first. And then maybe we won’t have to hear that annoying old saying anymore.

Vote for Chad!

Said another way, don’t leave Chad hanging.

Sorry, couldn’t help myself on that one.

A shot of the new Lawrence & Schiller website (http://www.l-s.com)

So as not to be forgotten in all this “refresh”, “redesign”, “rebranding” merriment, Lawrence & Schiller (http://www.l-s.com) has gotten a face lift.  Orange is the new black, as they say, but we’ve kept some of the old black as well.  This new design was aimed at making our agency seem more fun, because that’s what our clients said we were.  Once the flattery buzz wore off, we knew that we had a honey (pun) of a task ahead of us, and this website “refresh” was just a small part of that effort.

Talent from a number of teams was pooled, and extensive work was done on not only the web design and development but the SEO, copy, and information architecture as well.  We’ve added a new homepage flash that is more informative as well as being flashier (pun, again).  We’ve also created a Team Culture page to better showcase the habitat within which we work.  Not only that, but our client teams (Mint, Phoenix, Fuel, and Synergy) each get a page, giving clients a better idea of who it is they’re working with, even before they’re working with them!  We’ve also improved our What We Do section, better showcasing how we Understand, Plan, Implement, and Evaluate for our clients.

For the most part, the site is unchanged.  You can still read how we go 5280, view some of our work, and, of course, apply for a job (hint, hint).  Whatever your fancy, head on over and take it for a spin (pun, again – I’m awesome at this!).