I think one of the key components to a successful business is being extraordinary. When I think of a company that offers something extraordinary to their customers I always think of Disney. They go above and beyond anything anyone could expect.
I really don't expect a fast food restaurant to be all that extraordinary. When and if I go to a Burger King or McDonald's, I am just there for a fast, cheap, quick meal. In fact, when I am just there for a quick meal that is not expensive, I would rather a plain and simple experience than something extraordinary.
Even though people are there at Burger King or Mcdonalds just to get a quick cheap meal, you can always make thier experience better. For example, free wi-fi is important now, possibly HD t.v's to watch, or even a recycling station as the customer's leave. I think making a business more of an interactive experience is where the future is heading. Another examples would be create your own ice-cream as well as add your own toppings.
It is true that you should always show your best most extraordinary self in life and business. An example of this is a McDonalds i frequent to study at. It has free wifi and HD TVs and is easier to set up and be at than most coffee houses.
When picking what fast food place of course I think of what type of food Im really looking for but also the service. If I am getting fast food it is normally because I am in a rush and want my food fast. Our taco bell just got remodeled and now I choose to go there because of the atmosphere. I agree that fast food restaurants should be an extraordinary experience.
In this video I get the message to always give the best service possible, no matter where that may be. I agree with William in the sense that I go to these places like Burger King or McDonald's for a fast, cheap meal. If I get great service that is a great thing, but if I don't I did not expect anything less.
I totally agree with the message in this video. Going the extra mile will payoff in the long run. Customer service is important to me when I decide on places to eat and even shop. It is very important to be extraordinary in a business.
This short and concise video carries a very important message. Business managers can get caught up trying to make their businesses simply stay afloat, thus forgetting to add the certain je ne sais quoi that will differentiate them from their competition. "Be extraordinary" is a simple phrase with powerful powers.
I agree that a lot of restaurants are 'ho-hum' and they should strive to be extraordinary. I have recently been to a couple of places to eat, outside of Louisiana, that really stuck out to me as far as the quality of food and politeness of the wait staff. Burger King, McDonalds and Wendys are boring and need to spruce up a bit, if you will. They need something new, something to get people excited about.
One of my biggest pet peeves is going to a place where the physical appearance may be close to extraordinary, but what takes away from it may be the people working there. If their personality, appearance, and politeness isn’t there that just completely takes away from being "wowed." In the business industry management and employees should strive to take that extra step towards being extraordinary and memorable.
I agree on having a extraordinary business. It making everything easier and makes workers enjoy they jobs more so. A Fast Food joint is not extraordinary to me at all. Disney was a good idea for explain extraordinary business.
When I think of the word "extraordinary" I think of going above and beyond what is expected. I believe that even though a business does what is necessary for the company, it never hurts to go the extra mile. Customers will respect and remember which will induce customer loyalty. One of the biggest steps a business can take is holding their employees to a higher standard.
I believe whatever you do you should strive to be the best and to be extraordinary. I frequently visit plenty of fast food restaurants and even though I go there to get get fast and cheap quality food I do expect nothing but the best from my visit because I am spending my hard earned money there. Something that I really don't have to do. Anytime my money or time is involved I expect it to be extraordinary.
Being extraordinary is a way to make something or yourself stand out. It is very important to stand out in a positive way or be remembered by something when running a business. One's character, presentation, and personalilty can be remembered by being extraordinary and the way a business looks or is ran can be extraordinary. Making people say, "Wow" about your business or place you work is a key to success and attracting more customers from word of mouth or personal satisfaction.
I believe that having a business one must have a constant change, a constant challenge to make their porduct diffrent or improved. It's a way of life but when one settles for everything is good then there is where the bump in the road begins. The video hit this on the head.
It's hard to compete in the business world today. However, if a business can offer something extraordinary it can help set them apart from their competitors. Business must think about what their customers want in order to compete.
Being extraordinary is a key component in the business industry. One has to set a standard for there business to achieve extraordinary things. So I agree with this video.
I do not ever consider fast food anything special. I never really stay and eat at these places because I only stop at them while on road trips. They really just do not interest me.
I really like Tom Peters. Smart guy! We all need to be encouraged to be greater than what we are, both personally and professionally. I am inspired to do better today!
Ho-Hum? huh? Well, Tom Peters seems to know what's up. So I won't question that. He makes some good points thought. Getting comfortable can be a problem. Trying out new things or striving for something new, can be very beneficial.
I always enjoy listening to Tom Peters and his enthusiastic advise. Being extraordinary shows who you are and how much you stand out among everyone else. No one wants to say "When we did it right, it was still very ordinary." I can relate to this article because it happened to me. A customer, from the company I currently work for, confronted my supervisor about my personality and work ethics. He said he enjoyed stopping by our office to say hello. My supervisor later told me that the customer had nothing but good things to say about me and "Don't lose something great, she's going to go places!" I will never forget that and it made me feel like I mean something more than just an employee to this company.
I agree that the ‘ho-hum’ days of doing things are over, because if you don’t step things up with thinking outside of the box and making the customers visit to your company worthwhile, one of your competitors will.
Mr. Peters always has great advice on things he has come across in his life. His friend Barry Gibbons dedicated himself to overcoming the ‘ho-hum’ and fighting it with extraordinary things instead. This makes for much more interesting places and concepts to look forward to.
Being extraordinary is a definite benefit in business. Having a competitive advantage of being distinct in your industry can give that extra "pop" to keep customers coming back. Even in your personal life, accentuating what makes you different from others can be beneficial.
Tom Peters has always made good points. I have always tried my hardest to be different and be unique. That isn't always easy with so many people around you trying the same thing. Being extraordinary is hard sometimes but it is a goal more people should strive for. Stepping up your game will help in the long run because it will put a good impression on those people a good impression is need for. Too often we do just go with the flow but like he said that time is over.
I think a lot of people in the business world these days just try to stay afloat and loose the drive to be extraordinary. I think to set themselves apart from others they should always strive to be extraordinary. If not you are just ho-hum and like every other business out there. They will better their business and themselves if they just try.
I believe that if I am going to put my efforts into something, I'm going to do it to the best of my ability. I don't want to be just another person doing whatever it is I'm doing, I want to stand out and be recognized for the great work I'm doing. I guess that is some of my competitive nature coming out because I always want to be considered the best. If you are just "ho-hum" no one will remember you, and isn't that the point of life, to be remembered?
Perseverance shall prevail, nothing worth accomplishing comes easy. Someone once told me to dream with my eyes open, not closed. Tom Peters has an outstanding perspective and way of conveying the subject matter to his audience. Certainly, provides me with an incentive to strive at being extraordinary.
I think people want to feel good about the businesses they spend money on. An extrodinary business does well. Someone said disney is a great example of being extrodinary. I agree. Some other businesses I can think of are Whole Foods because they sell organic foods that are extrodinary and that you can't buy at any other grocery store.
As usual Tom Peters has some valid points in his videos. I do believe that if you are going to put your time, money, and effort into a business then you should strive to be the best. Be extraordinary. As a consumer, it is truly disappointing when a new business opens up only to find out that it is just like all its competitors. In my opinion, an extraordinary business can be the difference between struggling to keep the doors open and planning for a retirement.
I agree. The only way to be truly successful and to be remembered is to be extraordinary and put that "WOW" on your customer or clients face. However everywhere I go I don't wan't or expect a "WOW" but if every company could atleast just work harder at pleasing their customers then I believe they have achieved extraordinary.
I agree with this video's message. In the business world it is crucial to stand out from your competitors. The entire business does not have to be the most extraordinary ever, but you must have some sort of "wow" factor. Or else you'll be Ho-Hum.
I think that it is important for a company to try to be extraordinary, it is what keeps bringing the customers back. If you can make the customer's experience with your company a good one then they will be repeat customers.
He is right. We live in a world that has come to expect things. Standing out in a crowd is definitely something that could do you well. Not only in business but in personal life as well. I try to stand out on a regular basis, sometimes it is appropriate, sometimes not.
It's the little things in customer service that can make a company extraordinary. Tom Peters is right in saying going the extra mile can mean so much. If the place stands out as just a tad bit better than the competition, then most likely that's the place I'll give my business too.
“Ho-Hum”, isn’t that an interesting way to describe an ordinary product or business? I have to agree with that statement. When I go into a restaurant like Burger King, I know what to expect. I don’t see how that can be changed.
Obviously, you want to always strive to have your business be extraordinary, but realistically no one expects that of fast food chain restaurants, and I don't see them changing anytime soon, with the few rare exceptions of those like 'Chickfila' that have exemplary service.
Ho Hum. Does everybody and their manager's daddy use this phrase? Even the people who wrote our book has used it 6 or 7 times in 3 hapters. That is just so Ho Hum! For real though it is best to seperate yourself from the sheeple.
I think that it is very important for businesses to differentiate themselves from others. This gives them a competitive advantage and allows their customers to remember them. Also, going the extra mile, and doing little things are remembered and appreciated.
I think in this tough job market today, being extraordinary and differentiating yourself is extremely important. With most of us in this class graduating soon and going into the ever changing job market, this is really good advice. I mean think about it, employers get TONS of resumes and interview a good amount of people. At the end of the day, if you've done nothing to make yourself stand out, do you think they're going to remember you? Of course not. That's why it's SO vital and important to make sure there's something about you that stands out and will make potential employers remember you.
I think quality is a very important component in the working environment. It is great to be able to socialize and communicate with people, but if you are only doing a mediocre quality of work than you aren't allowing yourself to stand out which is very important in maintaining a career. I always try to let my quality speak for itself at my job. If you cannot stand out at work, then why should you be chosen for a promotion or advancement than any other person. They might as well be picking names out of a hat.
The hands get me every time! Okay, to the video comment. I do agree with him though. You have to stand out and have some type of competitive advantage that makes me choose your goods or services over any other place of business and what is provided there. That is a make-it-or-break-it factor for me; if you don’t stand out from other competitors, it is more than likely I will spend my money wherever the item is cheapest. (Depending on the product and my preferences).
It is very important to have a competitive advantage for your product or service. If someone doesn't have a competitive advantage they will suffer within their industry. With the way the economy is if a company does not have that advantage consumers will go to others that do have that advantage.
Yes businesses need to set themselves apart from others. That's the only way they can continually improve in this market. I also love the fact that he said Ho hum!
Being extraordinary is very important in a successful business. This video gives great advice. It shows that no matter what you should always give good service.
This guy reminds me of Ben Stein. I kept waiting to hear "Bueller, Bueller"! I agree that everyone, including companies need something that is extraordinary about them or the company. Competition is very cut-throat today. With globalization gaining speed, every person and company needs to harness something that sets them apart from the rest. They need to find their niche, their competitive advantage.
I agree with the video because you should never want to settle for what you already have. You should always want to do better and achieve more. I was inspired by the Burger King CEO because he let me know that I am not the other one pushing in life to make my life and dreams come true.
A lot of places today are trying to be interactive with customers and make there place seem home like. Mcdonalds being an example with wifi and warm food..but not all people are into that.
It think it is important to be extraordinary in everything you do. In the work place it is very important to be extraordinary because if they see you are doing more than expected it can cause you to move up faster. It also makes you stand out from the rest of the employees.In everything you do you should try to be better then others.
I agree. The days of being "ho-hum" are over. Being extraordinary and thinking outside of the box is important in the success of a business. This video gives some good advice.
I believe it is hard for a fast food resturant such as burger king to be extraordinary. No one goes to burger king expecting that and i believe that they should use that to their advange, sort of a suprise attack.
BK is not a place where I would expect something to be different at. Most people go here expecting certain things a certain way and this is what they receive no surprises would be cool though.
I definitely agree with him. Good customer service is a key concept to a successful business. At my job we are trained in customer service. It is always important to take that extra step in striving to give the best customer service to your customers.
I do not believe it is hard to be great in the fast food industry. If you provide great service, friendly people working there, and keep it so fresh and clean. That in my eyes is a pretty great fast food place.
Being unique is definitely very important in the business world. If a fast food restaurant can pull off getting people to say that their visit was extraordinary, that's their competitive advantage. Most fast food though is by no means extraordinary.
There are so many companies that only do the bare minimum to complete a job and satisfy the client but don't go out of their way to try and make the client happy. A lot of this is also due to employees who don't return calls or have a "come in, get your stuff, and leave" attitude which companies should not allow.
In any business, you have to be extraordinary or you will fail. You have to find your niche and what makes you special in order to be successful. Alot of companies take customer service for granted, especially in the fast food industry.
28. If you are talking about a fast food restaurant you look for the little things that make it efficient. For many years the management departments at places like Burger King have been able to almost perfect the way they make, service, and basically run their business. There is almost a science like approach when it comes to chain restaurants. It can start by the overall design for waiting lines all the way to how they set up each of their prepping stations. They are able to get costs and develop speed in their businesses in many different ways. If these companies would not have evolved to create these cost saving techniques their business would not run as efficiently has they do today.
Yes, burger king is very ho hum. I cant stand to go there anymore, just for the mediocrity of the place. But in contrast i love going to McDonald not because they are so spectacular they just have amazing tasting food above average or extraordinary.To avoid being ho hum is definitively something everyone should be considered about in business.
In order to compete in todays service industry you must have a competitive advantage over your competition. The best advantage that comes to mind is being extraordinary. Tom Peters always has a fantastic, clear way of describing was to be successful and most certainly proved that in this video about his friend. Personally, average is not enough for me and my future business ventures.
I agree that being extraordinary is very important is an business; especially in the restaurant industry. I work at a restaurant and giving excellent service is the key is good business. If we do not give good service we don't get a tip for one, and two we could loose business. so it is important to always be as extraordinary as possible. at least in my opinion anyway.
So right!! You should always try to be the best and not settle for average. You want to try for excellence. In order to be the best mediocrity is not an option. People need to not just take the norm or the average service. They should want the best. People should want the best out of their employees, their product, and their business. Why be ho-hum when you could be extraordinary.
I disagree with him when he said that being ordinary could be worse than being awful. I think the worst of all is being awful, but I do not think that you should be ordinary either. I think people should do something to make it stand out and distinguish it from others’.
I have always thought the best thing to be is extraordinary; however, I do think that ordinary is still better than bad. Being in a whole new league from the competition is a great advantage in any scenario.
The extraordinary people are the trendsetters, and often times the most sought after--and most profitable. I always use Apple as an example of a company that goes above and beyond what customers want (or “think they want”, as Jobs put it). Passion translates to sales, and with success comes copycats; therefor, you can never stop being extraordinary, or you will ultimately fail.
i dont agree with his ordinary idea or how ever he puts it. being yourself is the best thing for anyone and everyone to do. but being over average can really help and make extra money and get your name noticed more with people and jobs.
I found this video interesting. This guy will spend his life (until death) trying to make another fast-food restaurant something un "ho-hum". Not knocking Burger King, but it's never registered in my mind as superior or exceptional within it's market (compared to others). I guess I'm wondering if it's even possible with a situation like Burger King. I get the gist of the message, but I guess its the outlet you choose for your extra-ordinary ventures.
This video is a very positive way to look at business. Without extraordinary efforts and people, businesses and markets can not reach their full potential. It's also important to continue extraordinary work to keep consumers from joining competing companies.
Being extraordinary is a great way to differentiate between a good company and a great company. Like he said when someone walks into your business for the first time you want them to see a business that pops. Not one that is ordinary. You can go about it in a average way but you’ll get average results. Stay new and relative and that’s how people will look at your company.
I think all this extra talk is useless. If you want to be extraordinary, it must first start from within yourself. If you are a moral, good natured, truthful, honest person then you really don't have to strive so hard to be extraordinary, it will come as if it was just natural to you. Extraordinary people are not just talk they live it day to day in their business and personal lives.
Good advice, but let's face it, it's a fast food restaurant. You offer sub par food at low prices immediately.... and a fat ass American will praise you as a GOD for it!
I agree that you have to be extraordinary to get the best results. One has to put out the effort and present why their company, their product, or themselves are better than the competition. It's easy to do nothing, and normal to be average, but you have to go above and beyond what is expected to get incredible results that will distinguish you from rest. So, ask yourself what is the norm, then find ways to surpass this mark and be unique!
The fast food industry probably has the biggest opportunity right now for businesses to become extraordinary and differentiate themselves. Every fast food restaurant that comes to mind right now is just completely ordinary and dull. How about some flat screen TV's? Nicer locations? Additional drive through services? It seems like the only thing these chains care about is quick execution of mediocre services.
I think that every owner, restaurant or store, should always keep that in mind and always strive to be better. I agree with saying that ho hum might be worst than bad because if every place someone went was ho hum, they might not go back to that place. Barry was on to something when he said what he did.
My whole work ethic is exactly what he is talking about here. I do believe that no matter what happens at work I should ALWAYS be my best.... I wish I did the same for school :P
The information here that ho-hum is worse than awful seems quite harsh. I believe in everything you do at your job or at the company that you own, should always be your best work and extraordinary. It would be sad to think that your employees would be satisfied with ho-hum but to view that as the worst thing every, I do not agree.
I dont know if I agree that ordinary is worse than awful but I do agree that you should stive to be better than ordinary in any line of work. Being extraordinary will bring you above the competition and in return bring in a greater profit. I usually try to be above ordinary at my work and I should try more at school as well.
I recently took a skiing trip to Utah and extraordinary is a very good word to describe the fast food restaurants there. The fast food restaurants that i went to while i was there were the cleanest i had ever seen and the employees were the nicest most polite fast food workers I have ever been around. Coming home was a major reality check and im pretty sure that the "ho hums" Tom Peters is talking about is the fast food restaurants in the south. I think the biggest difference between the fast food restaurants in the south and those out west are the employees. In the south the majority of employees could care less about the customers, their workplace, and the food they sell while the fast food workers I have seen out west are the complete opposite.
I'm not sure that the restaurant industry is a place where judging 'ho hum' is really applicable. If it's a standalone, then sure. But a franchise or chain restaurant, the whole point is that a whopper in New jersey is going to taste the same as a Whopper in New Mexico. Yet, at the same time, I agree completely. I have gotten laughed at doing work for a job because I want to make the best 'whatever I'm making at the moment' that I can, and not just slap another on the line. It's why my own personal standards won't let me go to 'just another chain' job. It's gotten me into a lot of trouble at jobs because I want to do it right, not just get it done.
Sadly, people sometimes have to work just to have money and they don't have the luxury of looking for a job they love, but I honestly think that if they took a little time to find at least a few good things about the job and not just the paycheck and took pride in what they do do instead of feeling entitled to something better, we'd have a lot fewer 'ho hum' places in the world.
Tom Peters always makes good points on the things he shares. It's definitely important for every company to try to be better than just good, being extraordinary is what keeps customers comming back.
Burger King and other fast food restaurants are basically the same across the country. It is a chain restaurant and I am not sure that it is completely necessary to have ho-hum implemented in this way. I have gone to different McDonald's more than Burger King and some of them are nicer than others. That I am shocked by but it is nothing that any other place can't do. Some businesses do need to apply this ho-hum idea in order to make themselves stand out from the competition.
With all the business out there, there need to be something unique about your business. There needs to be that X factor which makes people interested and returning. It seems that every fast food place McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's and others are all the same. Being able to have something in a business that separates out from all other is key today. It seems there is a lot of the same ole, same ole out there.
I think a lot of people try to just coast through life getting by with the minimum instead of making an impression and stand out. I know most people see all fast food restaurants as the same thing just a quick cheap meal and nothing to extrordinary. Trying to go out of your way and do something extraordinary gives you a challenge day in and out to be better at what you do.
I agree that the ‘ho-hum’ days of doing things are over, because if you don’t step things up with thinking outside of the box and making the customers visit to your company worthwhile, one of your competitors will.
Most places out their today are ho-hum the ones that do the best are the ones that stand out from the rest. Places that stand out succeed until they become ho-hum and have to reinvent their business model to become revenant again. The best example of this is Apple they release a new product and as soon as the product becomes ho- hum or boing they release a new one to make themselves in demand again.
Excellent customer service is a great thing. However I am going to be modest on this topic. I have worked in fast food before and it is anything but pleasant. I hate to be stereotypical but the majority of people that come in those places are just looking to get a quick fix of food at cheap prices. A lot of them don't even appreciatte excellent customer service. So basically I believe in customer service but from this standpoint I would not put much effot into this field of business.
I think that he is making a good point. For a business to be really successful, they have to be unique. Standing out will attract customers and help your business grow. I think that it is worth it to go the extra mile because your customers will definitly notice. Especially if you are in a very competitive market.
I always love watching Tom Peters little films, he is a really smart guy. I agree with what he is saying, that a business to be successful it should be unique and "Ho Hum". But is not always true, because people are use to the Ho Hums and don;t like change and go to the restaurants that are all the same instead of trying the small family owned restaurants that are unique. Because at the Ho Hums they know they are getting and can know the outcome where at small business you take a chance.
I agree with Tom on this topic. You should always do your best in every aspect of your life no matter what it is. Even you just work at McDonalds, if you go the extra mile you might make it to manager soon which may have very good perks. Your make it all the way to one day owning one or having a say on how it is run.
I agree with Tom. I believe that it doesnt matter if you are fine dining or fast food, customers should have a great expererience. Word of mouth is one of the most powerful advertising tactic. When people have a bad experience at an establishment, chances are, they will tell there friends. From that point on, it is a domino effect of bad comments.
My comment will also use the fast food chain. Sometimes I get Wendy’s for lunch, sometimes I get Chik-Fil-A. When I go to Wendy’s thru the drive-thru, the person at the window NEVER says “thank you”. When I go to Chik-Fil-A, the person always says “I will be happy to serve you at the window” and when I get to the window, I am always told “thank you, have a good day”. Which restaurant do you think I frequent most? Chik-Fil-A of course. I like to be appreciated. In fact, I called the 1-800 number for Wendy’s and told them about this store not being customer friendly. There has been no change. I no longer go to that Wendy’s store. I would much rather go somewhere that is extraordinary than ho-hum.
I agree with Tom 100 percent. He always has good advice. Just because you are doing something and getting positive results doesn't me its being done to the best it can be. If you settle for good enough thats all the return you will ever get. You will have a good enough job with a good enough salary and a good enough life. You will never be great. I have been Living by this theory for a while now. I try to the best at everything no matter what.
I found this video by Tom Peters insightful. Business owners need to be very careful that they are not running their business in a ho-hum manner. When I walk into a Burger King, I am usually not impressed. On the other hand, when I walk into the brand new McDonalds and see flat screen TVs on the walls and more interesting products I am intrigued. It is hard to run a business successfully and reach above ho-hum results. It just takes time and perseverance.
Well I couldn't agree with Tom Peters anymore on this, except that I don't know if I've seen a Burger King run up to par since I was a kid. Those companies that can make themselves extraordinary and stand out create a competitive advantage, but I honestly cannot remember the last time I wasn't disgusted going into a Burger King.
100 comments:
I think one of the key components to a successful business is being extraordinary. When I think of a company that offers something extraordinary to their customers I always think of Disney. They go above and beyond anything anyone could expect.
I really don't expect a fast food restaurant to be all that extraordinary. When and if I go to a Burger King or McDonald's, I am just there for a fast, cheap, quick meal. In fact, when I am just there for a quick meal that is not expensive, I would rather a plain and simple experience than something extraordinary.
Even though people are there at Burger King or Mcdonalds just to get a quick cheap meal, you can always make thier experience better. For example, free wi-fi is important now, possibly HD t.v's to watch, or even a recycling station as the customer's leave. I think making a business more of an interactive experience is where the future is heading. Another examples would be create your own ice-cream as well as add your own toppings.
It is true that you should always show your best most extraordinary self in life and business. An example of this is a McDonalds i frequent to study at. It has free wifi and HD TVs and is easier to set up and be at than most coffee houses.
When picking what fast food place of course I think of what type of food Im really looking for but also the service. If I am getting fast food it is normally because I am in a rush and want my food fast. Our taco bell just got remodeled and now I choose to go there because of the atmosphere. I agree that fast food restaurants should be an extraordinary experience.
In this video I get the message to always give the best service possible, no matter where that may be. I agree with William in the sense that I go to these places like Burger King or McDonald's for a fast, cheap meal. If I get great service that is a great thing, but if I don't I did not expect anything less.
I totally agree with the message in this video. Going the extra mile will payoff in the long run. Customer service is important to me when I decide on places to eat and even shop. It is very important to be extraordinary in a business.
This short and concise video carries a very important message. Business managers can get caught up trying to make their businesses simply stay afloat, thus forgetting to add the certain je ne sais quoi that will differentiate them from their competition. "Be extraordinary" is a simple phrase with powerful powers.
I agree that a lot of restaurants are 'ho-hum' and they should strive to be extraordinary. I have recently been to a couple of places to eat, outside of Louisiana, that really stuck out to me as far as the quality of food and politeness of the wait staff. Burger King, McDonalds and Wendys are boring and need to spruce up a bit, if you will. They need something new, something to get people excited about.
One of my biggest pet peeves is going to a place where the physical appearance may be close to extraordinary, but what takes away from it may be the people working there. If their personality, appearance, and politeness isn’t there that just completely takes away from being "wowed." In the business industry management and employees should strive to take that extra step towards being extraordinary and memorable.
I agree on having a extraordinary business. It making everything easier and makes workers enjoy they jobs more so. A Fast Food joint is not extraordinary to me at all. Disney was a good idea for explain extraordinary business.
When I think of the word "extraordinary" I think of going above and beyond what is expected. I believe that even though a business does what is necessary for the company, it never hurts to go the extra mile. Customers will respect and remember which will induce customer loyalty. One of the biggest steps a business can take is holding their employees to a higher standard.
I believe whatever you do you should strive to be the best and to be extraordinary. I frequently visit plenty of fast food restaurants and even though I go there to get get fast and cheap quality food I do expect nothing but the best from my visit because I am spending my hard earned money there. Something that I really don't have to do. Anytime my money or time is involved I expect it to be extraordinary.
Being extraordinary is a way to make something or yourself stand out. It is very important to stand out in a positive way or be remembered by something when running a business. One's character, presentation, and personalilty can be remembered by being extraordinary and the way a business looks or is ran can be extraordinary. Making people say, "Wow" about your business or place you work is a key to success and attracting more customers from word of mouth or personal satisfaction.
I believe that having a business one must have a constant change, a constant challenge to make their porduct diffrent or improved. It's a way of life but when one settles for everything is good then there is where the bump in the road begins. The video hit this on the head.
It's hard to compete in the business world today. However, if a business can offer something extraordinary it can help set them apart from their competitors. Business must think about what their customers want in order to compete.
Being extraordinary is a key component in the business industry. One has to set a standard for there business to achieve extraordinary things. So I agree with this video.
I do not ever consider fast food anything special. I never really stay and eat at these places because I only stop at them while on road trips. They really just do not interest me.
I really like Tom Peters. Smart guy! We all need to be encouraged to be greater than what we are, both personally and professionally. I am inspired to do better today!
Ho-Hum? huh? Well, Tom Peters seems to know what's up. So I won't question that. He makes some good points thought. Getting comfortable can be a problem. Trying out new things or striving for something new, can be very beneficial.
I always enjoy listening to Tom Peters and his enthusiastic advise. Being extraordinary shows who you are and how much you stand out among everyone else. No one wants to say "When we did it right, it was still very ordinary." I can relate to this article because it happened to me. A customer, from the company I currently work for, confronted my supervisor about my personality and work ethics. He said he enjoyed stopping by our office to say hello. My supervisor later told me that the customer had nothing but good things to say about me and "Don't lose something great, she's going to go places!" I will never forget that and it made me feel like I mean something more than just an employee to this company.
I agree that the ‘ho-hum’ days of doing things are over, because if you don’t step things up with thinking outside of the box and making the customers visit to your company worthwhile, one of your competitors will.
Mr. Peters always has great advice on things he has come across in his life. His friend Barry Gibbons dedicated himself to overcoming the ‘ho-hum’ and fighting it with extraordinary things instead. This makes for much more interesting places and concepts to look forward to.
Being extraordinary is a definite benefit in business. Having a competitive advantage of being distinct in your industry can give that extra "pop" to keep customers coming back. Even in your personal life, accentuating what makes you different from others can be beneficial.
Tom Peters has always made good points. I have always tried my hardest to be different and be unique. That isn't always easy with so many people around you trying the same thing. Being extraordinary is hard sometimes but it is a goal more people should strive for. Stepping up your game will help in the long run because it will put a good impression on those people a good impression is need for. Too often we do just go with the flow but like he said that time is over.
I think a lot of people in the business world these days just try to stay afloat and loose the drive to be extraordinary. I think to set themselves apart from others they should always strive to be extraordinary. If not you are just ho-hum and like every other business out there. They will better their business and themselves if they just try.
I believe that if I am going to put my efforts into something, I'm going to do it to the best of my ability. I don't want to be just another person doing whatever it is I'm doing, I want to stand out and be recognized for the great work I'm doing. I guess that is some of my competitive nature coming out because I always want to be considered the best. If you are just "ho-hum" no one will remember you, and isn't that the point of life, to be remembered?
Perseverance shall prevail, nothing worth accomplishing comes easy. Someone once told me to dream with my eyes open, not closed. Tom Peters has an outstanding perspective and way of conveying the subject matter to his audience. Certainly, provides me with an incentive to strive at being extraordinary.
I think people want to feel good about the businesses they spend money on. An extrodinary business does well. Someone said disney is a great example of being extrodinary. I agree. Some other businesses I can think of are Whole Foods because they sell organic foods that are extrodinary and that you can't buy at any other grocery store.
As usual Tom Peters has some valid points in his videos. I do believe that if you are going to put your time, money, and effort into a business then you should strive to be the best. Be extraordinary. As a consumer, it is truly disappointing when a new business opens up only to find out that it is just like all its competitors. In my opinion, an extraordinary business can be the difference between struggling to keep the doors open and planning for a retirement.
I agree. The only way to be truly successful and to be remembered is to be extraordinary and put that "WOW" on your customer or clients face. However everywhere I go I don't wan't or expect a "WOW" but if every company could atleast just work harder at pleasing their customers then I believe they have achieved extraordinary.
I agree with this video's message. In the business world it is crucial to stand out from your competitors. The entire business does not have to be the most extraordinary ever, but you must have some sort of "wow" factor. Or else you'll be Ho-Hum.
I think that it is important for a company to try to be extraordinary, it is what keeps bringing the customers back. If you can make the customer's experience with your company a good one then they will be repeat customers.
He is right. We live in a world that has come to expect things. Standing out in a crowd is definitely something that could do you well. Not only in business but in personal life as well. I try to stand out on a regular basis, sometimes it is appropriate, sometimes not.
It's the little things in customer service that can make a company extraordinary. Tom Peters is right in saying going the extra mile can mean so much. If the place stands out as just a tad bit better than the competition, then most likely that's the place I'll give my business too.
I couldn't focus on most of this video because this guy distracts the mess out of me with his hands. He needs to calm down with all that.
I'm sorry but fast food will always be ho-hum. You can't expect such a cheap industry to not be that way.
“Ho-Hum”, isn’t that an interesting way to describe an ordinary product or business? I have to agree with that statement. When I go into a restaurant like Burger King, I know what to expect. I don’t see how that can be changed.
Obviously, you want to always strive to have your business be extraordinary, but realistically no one expects that of fast food chain restaurants, and I don't see them changing anytime soon, with the few rare exceptions of those like 'Chickfila' that have exemplary service.
Ho Hum. Does everybody and their manager's daddy use this phrase? Even the people who wrote our book has used it 6 or 7 times in 3 hapters. That is just so Ho Hum! For real though it is best to seperate yourself from the sheeple.
I think that it is very important for businesses to differentiate themselves from others. This gives them a competitive advantage and allows their customers to remember them. Also, going the extra mile, and doing little things are remembered and appreciated.
I think in this tough job market today, being extraordinary and differentiating yourself is extremely important. With most of us in this class graduating soon and going into the ever changing job market, this is really good advice. I mean think about it, employers get TONS of resumes and interview a good amount of people. At the end of the day, if you've done nothing to make yourself stand out, do you think they're going to remember you? Of course not. That's why it's SO vital and important to make sure there's something about you that stands out and will make potential employers remember you.
I think quality is a very important component in the working environment. It is great to be able to socialize and communicate with people, but if you are only doing a mediocre quality of work than you aren't allowing yourself to stand out which is very important in maintaining a career. I always try to let my quality speak for itself at my job. If you cannot stand out at work, then why should you be chosen for a promotion or advancement than any other person. They might as well be picking names out of a hat.
The hands get me every time! Okay, to the video comment. I do agree with him though. You have to stand out and have some type of competitive advantage that makes me choose your goods or services over any other place of business and what is provided there. That is a make-it-or-break-it factor for me; if you don’t stand out from other competitors, it is more than likely I will spend my money wherever the item is cheapest. (Depending on the product and my preferences).
It is very important to have a competitive advantage for your product or service. If someone doesn't have a competitive advantage they will suffer within their industry. With the way the economy is if a company does not have that advantage consumers will go to others that do have that advantage.
Yes businesses need to set themselves apart from others. That's the only way they can continually improve in this market. I also love the fact that he said Ho hum!
Being extraordinary is very important in a successful business. This video gives great advice. It shows that no matter what you should always give good service.
This guy reminds me of Ben Stein. I kept waiting to hear "Bueller, Bueller"! I agree that everyone, including companies need something that is extraordinary about them or the company. Competition is very cut-throat today. With globalization gaining speed, every person and company needs to harness something that sets them apart from the rest. They need to find their niche, their competitive advantage.
He makes it sound easy. I believe that like the Burger King CEO, it often takes a paradigm shift.
I agree with the video because you should never want to settle for what you already have. You should always want to do better and achieve more. I was inspired by the Burger King CEO because he let me know that I am not the other one pushing in life to make my life and dreams come true.
A lot of places today are trying to be interactive with customers and make there place seem home like. Mcdonalds being an example with wifi and warm food..but not all people are into that.
It think it is important to be extraordinary in everything you do. In the work place it is very important to be extraordinary because if they see you are doing more than expected it can cause you to move up faster. It also makes you stand out from the rest of the employees.In everything you do you should try to be better then others.
I agree. The days of being "ho-hum" are over. Being extraordinary and thinking outside of the box is important in the success of a business. This video gives some good advice.
I believe it is hard for a fast food resturant such as burger king to be extraordinary. No one goes to burger king expecting that and i believe that they should use that to their advange, sort of a suprise attack.
BK is not a place where I would expect something to be different at. Most people go here expecting certain things a certain way and this is what they receive no surprises would be cool though.
I definitely agree with him. Good customer service is a key concept to a successful business. At my job we are trained in customer service. It is always important to take that extra step in striving to give the best customer service to your customers.
I do not believe it is hard to be great in the fast food industry. If you provide great service, friendly people working there, and keep it so fresh and clean. That in my eyes is a pretty great fast food place.
Being unique is definitely very important in the business world. If a fast food restaurant can pull off getting people to say that their visit was extraordinary, that's their competitive advantage. Most fast food though is by no means extraordinary.
There are so many companies that only do the bare minimum to complete a job and satisfy the client but don't go out of their way to try and make the client happy. A lot of this is also due to employees who don't return calls or have a "come in, get your stuff, and leave" attitude which companies should not allow.
In any business, you have to be extraordinary or you will fail. You have to find your niche and what makes you special in order to be successful. Alot of companies take customer service for granted, especially in the fast food industry.
28. If you are talking about a fast food restaurant you look for the little things that make it efficient. For many years the management departments at places like Burger King have been able to almost perfect the way they make, service, and basically run their business. There is almost a science like approach when it comes to chain restaurants. It can start by the overall design for waiting lines all the way to how they set up each of their prepping stations. They are able to get costs and develop speed in their businesses in many different ways. If these companies would not have evolved to create these cost saving techniques their business would not run as efficiently has they do today.
Yes, burger king is very ho hum. I cant stand to go there anymore, just for the mediocrity of the place. But in contrast i love going to McDonald not because they are so spectacular they just have amazing tasting food above average or extraordinary.To avoid being ho hum is definitively something everyone should be considered about in business.
Being extraordinary is important for businesses. They need something to make them stand out so their customers choose them over competitors.
In order to compete in todays service industry you must have a competitive advantage over your competition. The best advantage that comes to mind is being extraordinary. Tom Peters always has a fantastic, clear way of describing was to be successful and most certainly proved that in this video about his friend. Personally, average is not enough for me and my future business ventures.
I agree that being extraordinary is very important is an business; especially in the restaurant industry. I work at a restaurant and giving excellent service is the key is good business. If we do not give good service we don't get a tip for one, and two we could loose business. so it is important to always be as extraordinary as possible. at least in my opinion anyway.
So right!! You should always try to be the best and not settle for average. You want to try for excellence. In order to be the best mediocrity is not an option. People need to not just take the norm or the average service. They should want the best. People should want the best out of their employees, their product, and their business. Why be ho-hum when you could be extraordinary.
I disagree with him when he said that being ordinary could be worse than being awful. I think the worst of all is being awful, but I do not think that you should be ordinary either. I think people should do something to make it stand out and distinguish it from others’.
I have always thought the best thing to be is extraordinary; however, I do think that ordinary is still better than bad. Being in a whole new league from the competition is a great advantage in any scenario.
The extraordinary people are the trendsetters, and often times the most sought after--and most profitable. I always use Apple as an example of a company that goes above and beyond what customers want (or “think they want”, as Jobs put it). Passion translates to sales, and with success comes copycats; therefor, you can never stop being extraordinary, or you will ultimately fail.
i dont agree with his ordinary idea or how ever he puts it. being yourself is the best thing for anyone and everyone to do. but being over average can really help and make extra money and get your name noticed more with people and jobs.
I found this video interesting. This guy will spend his life (until death) trying to make another fast-food restaurant something un "ho-hum". Not knocking Burger King, but it's never registered in my mind as superior or exceptional within it's market (compared to others). I guess I'm wondering if it's even possible with a situation like Burger King. I get the gist of the message, but I guess its the outlet you choose for your extra-ordinary ventures.
This video is a very positive way to look at business. Without extraordinary efforts and people, businesses and markets can not reach their full potential. It's also important to continue extraordinary work to keep consumers from joining competing companies.
Being extraordinary can help gain more leverage in a company and reach higher levels. I agree that this technique can offer benefits well.
Being extraordinary is a great way to differentiate between a good company and a great company. Like he said when someone walks into your business for the first time you want them to see a business that pops. Not one that is ordinary. You can go about it in a average way but you’ll get average results. Stay new and relative and that’s how people will look at your company.
I think all this extra talk is useless. If you want to be extraordinary, it must first start from within yourself. If you are a moral, good natured, truthful, honest person then you really don't have to strive so hard to be extraordinary, it will come as if it was just natural to you. Extraordinary people are not just talk they live it day to day in their business and personal lives.
Good advice, but let's face it, it's a fast food restaurant. You offer sub par food at low prices immediately.... and a fat ass American will praise you as a GOD for it!
I agree that you have to be extraordinary to get the best results. One has to put out the effort and present why their company, their product, or themselves are better than the competition. It's easy to do nothing, and normal to be average, but you have to go above and beyond what is expected to get incredible results that will distinguish you from rest. So, ask yourself what is the norm, then find ways to surpass this mark and be unique!
The fast food industry probably has the biggest opportunity right now for businesses to become extraordinary and differentiate themselves. Every fast food restaurant that comes to mind right now is just completely ordinary and dull. How about some flat screen TV's? Nicer locations? Additional drive through services? It seems like the only thing these chains care about is quick execution of mediocre services.
I think that every owner, restaurant or store, should always keep that in mind and always strive to be better. I agree with saying that ho hum might be worst than bad because if every place someone went was ho hum, they might not go back to that place. Barry was on to something when he said what he did.
My whole work ethic is exactly what he is talking about here. I do believe that no matter what happens at work I should ALWAYS be my best.... I wish I did the same for school :P
The information here that ho-hum is worse than awful seems quite harsh. I believe in everything you do at your job or at the company that you own, should always be your best work and extraordinary. It would be sad to think that your employees would be satisfied with ho-hum but to view that as the worst thing every, I do not agree.
I dont know if I agree that ordinary is worse than awful but I do agree that you should stive to be better than ordinary in any line of work. Being extraordinary will bring you above the competition and in return bring in a greater profit. I usually try to be above ordinary at my work and I should try more at school as well.
I recently took a skiing trip to Utah and extraordinary is a very good word to describe the fast food restaurants there. The fast food restaurants that i went to while i was there were the cleanest i had ever seen and the employees were the nicest most polite fast food workers I have ever been around. Coming home was a major reality check and im pretty sure that the "ho hums" Tom Peters is talking about is the fast food restaurants in the south. I think the biggest difference between the fast food restaurants in the south and those out west are the employees. In the south the majority of employees could care less about the customers, their workplace, and the food they sell while the fast food workers I have seen out west are the complete opposite.
I'm not sure that the restaurant industry is a place where judging 'ho hum' is really applicable. If it's a standalone, then sure. But a franchise or chain restaurant, the whole point is that a whopper in New jersey is going to taste the same as a Whopper in New Mexico. Yet, at the same time, I agree completely. I have gotten laughed at doing work for a job because I want to make the best 'whatever I'm making at the moment' that I can, and not just slap another on the line. It's why my own personal standards won't let me go to 'just another chain' job. It's gotten me into a lot of trouble at jobs because I want to do it right, not just get it done.
Sadly, people sometimes have to work just to have money and they don't have the luxury of looking for a job they love, but I honestly think that if they took a little time to find at least a few good things about the job and not just the paycheck and took pride in what they do do instead of feeling entitled to something better, we'd have a lot fewer 'ho hum' places in the world.
Tom Peters always makes good points on the things he shares. It's definitely important for every company to try to be better than just good, being extraordinary is what keeps customers comming back.
Burger King and other fast food restaurants are basically the same across the country. It is a chain restaurant and I am not sure that it is completely necessary to have ho-hum implemented in this way. I have gone to different McDonald's more than Burger King and some of them are nicer than others. That I am shocked by but it is nothing that any other place can't do. Some businesses do need to apply this ho-hum idea in order to make themselves stand out from the competition.
With all the business out there, there need to be something unique about your business. There needs to be that X factor which makes people interested and returning. It seems that every fast food place McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's and others are all the same. Being able to have something in a business that separates out from all other is key today. It seems there is a lot of the same ole, same ole out there.
I think a lot of people try to just coast through life getting by with the minimum instead of making an impression and stand out. I know most people see all fast food restaurants as the same thing just a quick cheap meal and nothing to extrordinary. Trying to go out of your way and do something extraordinary gives you a challenge day in and out to be better at what you do.
I agree that the ‘ho-hum’ days of doing things are over, because if you don’t step things up with thinking outside of the box and making the customers visit to your company worthwhile, one of your competitors will.
Most places out their today are ho-hum the ones that do the best are the ones that stand out from the rest. Places that stand out succeed until they become ho-hum and have to reinvent their business model to become revenant again. The best example of this is Apple they release a new product and as soon as the product becomes ho- hum or boing they release a new one to make themselves in demand again.
Excellent customer service is a great thing. However I am going to be modest on this topic. I have worked in fast food before and it is anything but pleasant. I hate to be stereotypical but the majority of people that come in those places are just looking to get a quick fix of food at cheap prices. A lot of them don't even appreciatte excellent customer service. So basically I believe in customer service but from this standpoint I would not put much effot into this field of business.
I think that he is making a good point. For a business to be really successful, they have to be unique. Standing out will attract customers and help your business grow. I think that it is worth it to go the extra mile because your customers will definitly notice. Especially if you are in a very competitive market.
I always love watching Tom Peters little films, he is a really smart guy. I agree with what he is saying, that a business to be successful it should be unique and "Ho Hum". But is not always true, because people are use to the Ho Hums and don;t like change and go to the restaurants that are all the same instead of trying the small family owned restaurants that are unique. Because at the Ho Hums they know they are getting and can know the outcome where at small business you take a chance.
I agree with Tom on this topic. You should always do your best in every aspect of your life no matter what it is. Even you just work at McDonalds, if you go the extra mile you might make it to manager soon which may have very good perks. Your make it all the way to one day owning one or having a say on how it is run.
I agree with Tom. I believe that it doesnt matter if you are fine dining or fast food, customers should have a great expererience. Word of mouth is one of the most powerful advertising tactic. When people have a bad experience at an establishment, chances are, they will tell there friends. From that point on, it is a domino effect of bad comments.
My comment will also use the fast food chain. Sometimes I get Wendy’s for lunch, sometimes I get Chik-Fil-A. When I go to Wendy’s thru the drive-thru, the person at the window NEVER says “thank you”. When I go to Chik-Fil-A, the person always says “I will be happy to serve you at the window” and when I get to the window, I am always told “thank you, have a good day”. Which restaurant do you think I frequent most? Chik-Fil-A of course. I like to be appreciated. In fact, I called the 1-800 number for Wendy’s and told them about this store not being customer friendly. There has been no change. I no longer go to that Wendy’s store. I would much rather go somewhere that is extraordinary than ho-hum.
I agree, it's easy to be ordinary and go through the motions of serving people but being extraordinary is always better...always
I agree with Tom 100 percent. He always has good advice. Just because you are doing something and getting positive results doesn't me its being done to the best it can be. If you settle for good enough thats all the return you will ever get. You will have a good enough job with a good enough salary and a good enough life. You will never be great. I have been Living by this theory for a while now. I try to the best at everything no matter what.
I found this video by Tom Peters insightful. Business owners need to be very careful that they are not running their business in a ho-hum manner. When I walk into a Burger King, I am usually not impressed. On the other hand, when I walk into the brand new McDonalds and see flat screen TVs on the walls and more interesting products I am intrigued. It is hard to run a business successfully and reach above ho-hum results. It just takes time and perseverance.
Well I couldn't agree with Tom Peters anymore on this, except that I don't know if I've seen a Burger King run up to par since I was a kid. Those companies that can make themselves extraordinary and stand out create a competitive advantage, but I honestly cannot remember the last time I wasn't disgusted going into a Burger King.
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