| ViaTalk Issues & The Stan Shih SMile Curve & Growing Success As with any emerging or growing technology, and and we have faced it for as long as computers, internet, broadband, and now VOIP, etc. have been around; there are always going to be short comings & growing pains. (Remember how noisy and crackly phone lines were, how difficult it was to maintain a connection of any kind to the internet?). Some caused by lack of enforcement of the agreements made with/by companies and/or government in these areas, others by customers and competition not holding companies and gov. accountable for promises made and therefore act accordingly by removing our support/purchasing power, or votes. I have been a ViaTalk customer for sometime and remember how marginal service and customer service was with quality and resolution this and many other companies. I doubt many who can say they could honestly have done better (maybe in there dreams). I will agree there are many CEO's VP's, Directors, etc. that have no clue.
What I can do, (and my background is in IT for automotive retail), is point out to a "big wig" company that their actions, money, and responses have been followed by putting their money, actions, and support where their mouth is. I won't say they are perfect and that there are not some customers with negative experiences or relationships with Toyota Corp, but they are few. The reason I mention the Stan Shih Smile Chart is it lacks the 3rd dimension of the customer involvement through all components indicated. Although the company may perceive value in a new product they decide to develop, if the customer doesn't share in seeing the same value (either reducing custs or increasing sales in a measurable manner etc., the product will not succeed. Toyota has included its customers, employees at all levels front line to top management, etc. for changing and/or building a company of whom all can be proud (as well as satisfy its owners whether public or private). Toyota has succeeded to the point that they will even beat there own projections of being in the top 3 US car companies by 2010 to probably being so this year and perhaps # 1 by 2010 in the US. No, I do not and have never worked for Toyota, but sure wish more companies would adopt their customer-centric processes to grow their companies' success in ways that all can be proud. I would wish it were a US company, but it is not. Regardless, it is a great company anyway.
Josh B
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