Business Jazz

Paul and Roger return on the eve of the World Cup in Qatar. They discuss:

-How to make the unattractive attractive

-Why Cork should host a World Cup

-Which companies didn't sponsor this episode

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Paul talks about playing magnificent golf in Scotland.

Paul and Roger fire themselves live on air. Robots are coming to replace them—Tesla and Edison have seen to that. When should a business give up, or should it persevere until it succeeds? Will we be able to reframe ourselves in time for Season 16? Or is this the end?

The question of microphone adaptors - that's the topic that begins this episode. One expert and one novice. "I am the lowest tech person" says Paul O'Mahony. Business Jazz podcast is not the best place for you to get digital connection advice. Coffee making is another matter. Roger Overall hasn't noticed that there is a top-class coffee machine in Paul kitchen. Adobe software would frighten you because it's so complex - but Adobe have installed an explainer video that pops up to show you what to do. Coffee machine makers could learn from Adobe. It's best to drink coffee while listening to this episode. Roger gets down to brass tacks - he starts chat about how to help your customers. Shipping slips, pizza deliveries, maritime matters, China to Southampton, stuck in Suez canal, Canada, 'the amazing Jane Boyd", overnight driving, Halifax, Vancouver - all get a mention in about 3 minutes. What does "I ship that" mean to you? "I just want to socialise this" means what to you? Roger disapproves of modern corporate speak - "that's not how humans speak" asserts our grammarian. "I'll help you drive traffic to your website" - is the sentence that Paul detests - and considers it wrong to treat people as cows. Listen on for more of the conversation about attracting people ...

"To avoid a disaster" or "To gain additional success" - that's why Paul O'Mahony decides to record a back-up of this episode. You will hear Roger Overall report on the emergency customer service he received from Irish Water. A leak threatened to undermine his house - "there is a valuable business lesson here" Roger assures listeners. You'll hear about the local business that came to Roger's rescue - and you may pick up a tip or two on how best to serve your customers a solution. PS. The house survived. Roger also survived the pain.

The big issue is customer service. You'll hear here: Apple Storytelling - how Apple customer service was a disaster for Paul's daughter. "I lost all faith in your procedures". Paul O'Mahony & Roger Overall play with this experience. A box eventually delivered by UPC. What happened between the ordering of the iphone and the late delivery of it. Apple missed the deadline. You hear all the details ...

Crystallised stone sugar (Borstplaat) - brown sugar - brown rice - these are the first things you hear about - as you tune into the ongoing conversation between Roger Overall & Paul O'Mahony. It was not our intention to say anything damaging about Tate & Lyle - the sugar company. "How to become the No 1 restaurant in town" quickly becomes the subject of this episode. A black hat episode. Scurrilous rumours. ... Russell Brand has reformed. "No unpleasant person recommends meditation & mindfulness" - asserts Paul. The Valentine's Day Massacre enters the conversation. The Slurring Strategy: How to slur your competitors ... If Roger wanted to damage the city of Cork, this is what he would do ... Fake food poisoning ... Ryan's restaurant ... "you can't get Salmonella from eating steamed carrots. The rest of the episode goes from bad to badder.

In this episode (recorded in Montenotte Hotel, Cork, Ireland) Paul O'Mahony & Roger Overall touch on what's happening in Ukraine. Quickly, the conversation shifts to Manchester United - and what happens when a company loses its CEO & loses its identity. They riff off Lisa Fallon's article in The Irish Times - this become a football chat. "Do you not have your mission statement written down?" "She's talking about the brand", says Paul - as the coffee arrives. Chelsea comes into it. The fall & rise of Alex Ferguson. Barcelona FC. Pep Guardiola too. Paul reveals that he's been supporting Spurs. "You can't change the brand of your business in the short term ... " and so the conversation goes for about 25 minutes.

Seated upon a purple velvet throne and squeaky desk chair, we arrive without friction at a minimalist conclusion.

Roger Overall & Paul O'Mahony grapple with "Should you ignore current issues (like what's happening in Ukraine) when communicating about your business?" What advice would you give to a Newsletter editor - or a CEO before they go lto be interviewed about the business on TV or Radio program? If you were the CEO, would you refer to an current event which is huge in the consciousness of its customers, shareholders & wider community? Roger & Paul talk about business communications in the face of terrible events elsewhere and locally. We struggle through and come to a conclusion.