Who knew a 1″ bulb could become such a great marketing and customer service lesson? After trying to deal with Best Buy for a month about a warranty issue I got so mad I gave up and discovered a wonderful locally owned shop that replaced my projector bulb and had me on my way in under 1/2 hour. You can read the long version of this saga on my Lifestylist® page -it still amazes me how I was treated by a company that should care more about it’s customers than Best Buy seems to.

Then today when I was getting all of my facts checked I went to the Best Buy Facebook page so I could quote other unhappy customers, and one of them had linked to a Forbes article  about “Why Best Buy Is Going Out of Business Gradually“. They linked to a follow-up story that talked about how Best Buy handled different issues “The People Vs Best Buy Round Two” Sadly, it’s nice to know I’m not the only one that feels this way and they have even given lousy customer service to Larry Downes, a professor and best selling author.

I’ll never get back the time I’ve wasted on this, but I’m hoping that by sharing these experiences I can help my readers not make the same purchasing mistakes.

I just want to cry right now.  When I bought a cool new projection TV awhile ago at Best Buy they talked me into the super-duper-fancy-deluxe Black Tie Extended Warranty because it would make my life soooo much easier. Everything is covered…. you’ve heard it. So when the bulb went out I wasn’t too worried because I bought the warranty. Surely that black tie service would have me  watching my Real Housewives shows again in record time. I waited anxiously for the Geek Squad to pull up to my door… but they never came.

Well so much for reality. I’m sitting here today going on week 4 of this drama. They sent me the wrong part for ME to install not once, but twice. And they wanted to wait until I sent them the wrong part back before they sent me the right one! As you can see by the photos, what they sent isn’t even close – the real part is the smaller one. How they thought that monster bulb would fit in my projector that they had the serial number on is a mystery that will never be solved, but I’m thinking it’s because they are using parts that aren’t made by the manufacturer. In fact, it stated on the invoice that “customer accepts sub” which I never was asked or agreed to.

I wish I had transcripts of the conversations that have taken place because of this, but the emails are almost as insightful.

The first automated email you get after you have a problem and are mad enough that you write on Facebook says “We strive to provide as prompt a response as possible.  A member of our team will do their best to assist you within up to 3-5 business days.” When someone is having a bad experience telling them to wait 3-5 days for them to contact you is like waving red in front of a charging bull – bad idea. What happened to the promises that were made when they sold me the extended warranty?

When I asked for a tracking number so I could be sure that a new replacement part was indeed shipped I got the following email from Allan – a Digital Imaging Expert at Best Buy Corporate:”I do not have access to any tracking numbers for this bulb. I do not work in our parts department, and all information I get on this would only be able to be acquired by contacting them. In my last communication with them I was informed that the part vendor was shipping the bulb to your home yesterday. This of course means you wouldn’t have received it yet. I have no idea how this bulb is shipping to you, and because of this I would not even be able to guess as to when you will receive this. If I was to guess I would say you should receive the bulb by early next week.” The bulb came today – 3 weeks after all of this started, and again it was the wrong bulb – the huge monster in the photo. Instead of Allan checking on things with the parts department, making sure it was the correct part and getting the tracking number he just dropped the ball and here I am (again) with the wrong part and no answers from Best Buy. I just waited on hold for the 4th time tonight trying to get this resolved and after waiting 30 minutes I give up. But my favorite part? In at least 3 of the emails they “thank me for my patience.”

As a Lifestylist® I always try to look at things like this as lessons learned. I guess it’s a good thing that this was my personal TV and not one I bought for a client. I had to order 3 televisions today alone for clients and I bet you know where I didn’t buy them! Consumers have two things more than ever these days – choices and voices. With social media and the internet anyone can go online and shop for something and share their experiences, and many people do.

I may now have a very expensive prop that I’ve given up ever getting fixed, but every time I look at it I’ll remember to share this customer experience story and why as a consumer you deserve better. It will also remind me how important it is to go the extra mile with my clients and make sure that they are not only happy with the work I provide but they refer me to their friends and family. Oh – and I will never have to “thank them for their patience” because I’ll exceed their expectations the first time.

One of the questions I always get asked is exactly what is a Lifestylist®, and what is unique about the Lifestylist® Lifestyle. The second most asked question is what makes me a Trailer Diva!

The Lifestylist philosophy is about “Life Celebrating Style”. Our clients life and style is what dictates how a Lifestylist® works with you. My favorite example is I had a client in Phoenix, Arizona that was a major Phoenix Suns fan, and their team colors are orange and purple. The client wanted their entire home done in these colors. What they wanted is what they got, complete with a child’s room with a hardwood floor striped like a basketball court. They wanted to stylishly celebrate their interests and love of their home team and we did!

I just spoke to a friend who’s dog just dug up their entire garden and her daughter slammed the door on the neighbor’s hand – all in about 30 minutes time. Her needs and lifestyle are completely different from my son – no kids, no dogs, and lives in front of his computer. What my style is wouldn’t work well for either of them which is why I need to understand the client and what their “hot buttons” are. It’s takes extra time and sleuthing to achieve this – many times the client has trouble putting into words exactly what they are looking for but they know it when they see it. I take the responsibility very seriously – a person’s environment can truly change their lives in a positive or negative way. If someone is happy in their home their quality of life improves.

Next to being a mother, becoming a Lifestylist® is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. I’m looking forward to expanding the concept and what it offers in the years to come. – we will be launching a new food line this Spring!

There is nothing this Lifestylist® loves more than when a community comes together, and this weekend was a wonderful example of that. Dallas celebrated the opening of The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge – a beautiful example of functional art by having a weekend of activities including art exhibits, car shows, fun runs and parades. It also introduced visitors to some of the newest residents of West Dallas – The Workroom and Trinity Groves.

The Parade of Giants featured 15 giant puppets that were made by local groups and artisans and represented people who played a part in the history of the area. Many of the people who worked on the puppets were related to the people represented by the puppets, and it was really fun to hear stories about how these people had played a part in shaping the community and themselves.

Bridge-O-Rama is an event that I hope will continue – it was well managed and was truly an event for the people.

They want to increase my rate by over $10,000 for no reason other than they can. This is money that could be used to help the worthwhile non-profits we are involved in like Animal Rescue Corps , HomeAid and Genesis Womens Shelter.

I just spoke with Louise Dunne, Assistant Director of Business Compliance with Hartford. She did not want to go on record or have me use her name, but she said that “my business had performed well with them” and the problem wasn’t me, it was that I’m classified as a designer. What she shared was really disappointing as far as how Hartford views the design community, and she made it clear that they don’t really understand what our industry is about or what we do.

Lesson learned? Do business with an agent and an insurance company that you have a relationship with so they will take the time to understand you and your business. Saving a few dollars up front is not worth the headaches and frustration that can come with those savings down the road.

Daisy loves the Lifestylist® philosophy of Life Celebrating Style.  She is also open to any excuse to wear her favorite hats and attract attention.  Mardi Gras Greetings from Daisy the diva dog and the Lifestylist® family!

We just got back from The International Builders Show and there were so many great things to see and do it’s going to take me weeks to catch up! I like having those types of problems though, and after attending the show and having the rare opportunity to hear Ben Bernanke speak about true solutions that can help the building industry, I’m optimistic about what lies ahead.

One of my favorite seminars this year was hosted by the NAHB 20 Club Program which I think is one of the most important groups in the NAHB. Twenty non-competitive builders make up a group that gets together a few times a year to be open about their different business practices and share their successes and opportunities. Thermador is a major sponsor of this group and their participation has helped to make this program a vital resource for builders. They have made their amazing culinary center available for the 20 Club meetings and have been very supportive in every way possible.

David Riedman – President of Riedman Development and @home Builders has been a member of one of these groups for years, and he has always raved about how important they have been to the growth of his company. He was gracious enough to take time out of his very hectic schedule and share how this group has helped him. He was joined by three other panelists that are also very active, and are very successful in spite of the housing downturn. I think that says a lot for the value of these groups.

Being involved in his local Home Builders Association (he is a past president), the 20 Club and now having more of a national presence is one of the reasons @home Builders is so respected in the Rochester and Western New York housing markets. We are so proud of this growing company – Lifestylist® Design as been merchandising their model homes, apartment clubhouses and corporate apartments for over 15 years and it has been a delight to share in their successes.

If you would like to obtain a copy of his speech and find out more about the 20 Club program, it is available on MobilTape here.

Seth Godin is my guru. He is so no nonsense but funny at times, intellectual but down to earth, and what I really love about him is that he can get a point across faster than anyone else I know. His Purple Cow book started me on a new road to being more involved in marketing and social media so I’m forever grateful. When I worked on the Purple Cow House Campaign with Patriot Homes I made sure to get permission from Mr. Godin, and we credited him for the phrase (and gave out his Purple Cow Book).

Today I got a great post from him titled “Simple Thoughts About Fair Use“. So timely, and as always so well written. In this new blogging, social world I’m always stunned to see how many people are using other people’s photography, ads, brands, and stories without permission. This article is a must read for anyone who is even thinking about posting on Facebook, Twitter, or a blog and using someones text or images.

I’m fortunate enough to have access to a very talented photographer – Lisa Stewart of Lisa Stewart Photography. The images you see in my blogs, on my Lifestylist Design Facebook page and on my website have been shot specifically for my use. I do that so I’m not using other people’s work and having copyright infringements.

Lifestylist® is a term that I successfully trademarked in 2002 – my registration number is 2583235. I’m very proud of this because I thought I had a good idea and made the extra effort do “do the right thing” and spend the time, effort, and money to trademark it. You would be amazed at how much time I’ve had to spend since them protecting my mark because people haven’t bothered to do their homework and see that it’s trademarked before they use it in their own businesses.

Before you decide that you have discovered the next great phrase, or “borrow” a photo from someone else be sure to read Seth’s post. Wondering where to learn more about these topics? The US Patent and Trademark Office has a great site, and it is also where you can search trademark registrations and applications.

As a Lifestylist®, I spend a lot of time researching trends and learning what consumers want – then sharing that information with my clients. There are lots of places I do my research and new sites are popping up every day. I want to share with you one of my new favorites.

Have you discovered Pinterest yet? The site describes itself as “an online pinboard where you can organize and share things you love” but it is truly so much more than that. Words don’t do justice to this site – it’s definitely a visual experience.

Pinterest lets you do your own digital wish books where you can browse through thousands of images, recipes and inspirations that others have shared and “pin” them onto your own boards. You can also follow people who have a style that you like and share your favorite finds using Facebook or Twitter.

This is a great tool to see what consumers are liking and sharing. I have a huge appreciation for the laws governing intellectual property and don’t publish other people’s photos or articles on my sites without permission. Pinterest gives you the opportunity to share other people’s images without violating copyright rules, and it’s also a great way to share what you like and don’t like with others.

Our boards can be found at: pinterest.com/lifestylist take a look and let us know what you think. We’d love to see what your boards look like as well. Email us at: answers@lifestylist.com with your Pinterest name and we’ll take a look.

A lot of being a Lifestylist® is about being a trend tracker and doing research. Today I read something that was written by someone else titled “Social Media Lifestylist Guidelines for 2012″ – boy does that sound dull! The first thing that comes to mind is a big dusty manual full of rules and regulations, and that is exactly what social media (and being a Lifestylist®) is not about.

The tag line I have always used for my Lifestylist® brand is “It’s All About You”. I didn’t want the brand to be about me telling people what to do – I wanted to listen to people’s wants, needs, and dreams, and help them achieve those even when they didn’t know that’s what they were really searching for. I don’t want to dictate, I want to educate. I’ve learned that listening is so much more important than anything I will ever have to say, because sometimes if you let people express their thoughts they will find their answers.

Social media is such an exciting new frontier because it gives everyone the chance to tell their story to the universe. It’s become a great equalizer because almost anyone  on any budget can get access to a computer and a free site and share their thoughts.

There’s a down side to this though as well -there’s not as much editing as we’ve seen in the past. We have to learn that even though someone may have written it, there is the possibility it might not be true. Before we share or depend on information we find we have to be sure and check the facts. As the guardian of the Lifestylist® trademark for almost 10 years now I’ve seen how many people want to tie into my brand but aren’t willing to go through the legal process to acquire a brand of their own.

So what are the real Lifestylist’s guidelines for 2012? Never call them guidelines, live your life to the fullest, listen to those around you and you can never laugh too much or have too much great food and wine!

Here’s to a boisterous 2012!