So this week I have read about wireless data restrictions from both T-mobile and AT&T.

If your total data usage in any billing cycle is more than 1GB, your data throughput for the remainder of that cycle may be reduced to 50 kbps or less.

So the 2 carriers that offer awesome phones (AT&T with the iphone, and T-mobile with the new HTC google andriod phone) want to restrict their best internet using customers.

Here is the issue. Owning an iphone, or the new HTC google android phone makes you an automatic advocate & ambassador for the carrier. Any phone / gadget geek will always want to talk to these people. How sad will it be when these users continue to express their frustration with their carriers along with bragging about awesome hardware.

This has already been my experience. In talking with iphone owners (I am not one yet, and at this rate, likely wont be anytime soon), I always hear the same things. Awesome phone; horrible service, speed, call quality & customer service. Now the iphone user can add “restrictive internet use” to the list.

T-mobile and AT&T claim this restriction wont hurt most customers, only the heavy users. DUHHH The heavy users will be the best advocates. They also claim it’s to prevent abuse and burden on their networks. I say fix the networks.

So I ask: Why punish your best customers?

So often we are bombarded with run of the mill resumes. Generic, accountant style.
Seth godinonce asked, why even bother having a resume.

I often think that non creatives, like accountants, and HR stiffs need a typical resume. And I still expect a resume of sorts.

In a recent conversation with a friend and former subcontractor, Katrina B., we were brainstorming how to get her hired. I took one look at her resume, and was bored. It was like an accountant wrote it. You know, typical objective, skills listed out, education in bullet points, etc. Blah blah blah.

I know Katrina well, and I know she is a creative person, personality shines though in every conversation. So why do designers and creatives feel the need to play it safe on a resume?

So I say, be creative, have fun with the text. Make sure it still prints, but go with a unique size, break the corporate accounting mold, have fun, and loose that generic objective. We all know your objective is to get a fun job, that is awesome, has free cake on tuesdays, and nap time at noon.

What other tips do you have? I know there are a lot of creatives that read this blog, will you share some of your favorite resume tips, things that stand out?

And if you know anyone in the Denver, Colorado Springs, or Colorado Front Range area looking for a solid designer, check out Katrina’s stuff. I’m sure her new resume will be up soon.

We work very hard in our local community with both non profits, for profits, and even a lot of work for our chamber. The Chamber of Commerce is holding the annual awards banquet, and we think we deserve to be on the ballot.

If you honestly think we meet the criteria, will you nominate us? Anyone can nominate a local business, but only local business can vote. So even if you are not local to maricopa, you could help us get on the ballot. If not, thats cool too. We are pretty content with being the “behind the scenes rock stars” that we are around here.

Nominees should meet the following criteria:
• Excellent business reputation (internally & externally) and a leader in their field of business
• Demonstrates sound business practices & excellence in the area of customer service
• Involvement in community programs, activities or services

chamber award nomination/

so i really dislike redundancy. I avoid it at all costs. I am pretty sure my genius common sense could save companies thousands of dollars on postage and print production.

I often find myself getting solicitations from vendors we use. These solicitations are often very redundant.

Some examples:

From my Bank

Yesterday I received a letter from my bank telling me how eco friendly, and how great their new paperless statements are. I can save XX number of trees per year by going paperless. Now for the redundant & ironic part: I have been paperless with this bank for years. They are telling me to save paper, by sending me a letter.
How to fix it: Can’t they just simply look in their records of my account, and verify that I have already done this?

From Xerox

I purchased a xerox phaser color laser printer, direct from xerox 3 years ago. To this day, I still get mailings on a monthly basis advertising my same printer. Not a new one, the same exact model, and price. Prior to my purchase, I have never received anything from xerox. So by purchasing a xerox, I was added to a mailing list. A mailing list that clearly markets this single printer, as that is the only model I am ever seeing mailings for.
The fix: When customers sign up or purchase a product, sort a mailing list to make sure they only see new, bigger, better, faster products. Not the same product they own.

Qwest High speed internet

I guess I am now sounding redundant, as this is the same story as xerox & my bank. Cant someone cross refference a database of current subscribers with the mailing list? Is it really that hard to make sure you are not soliciting your high speed internet customers to purchase high speed internet?

So my point of the day, is stop being redundant. Save paper, postage, and customer irritation by spending some time in your mailing lists. Have a huge list, find a database admin expert to create a solution to better classify your list. Dont have your lists that sorted yet? start today with all new customers or leads. Over classify, over sort, you can merge lists on a case by case basis later as needed.