Too great to ignore!

I thought I would spend more time on Yahoo and the media landscape, but this was too good to pass up!

http://politsk.blogspot.com/2008/09/sarah_13.html

Enjoy!

But you NEED our eFax service!

This is a real example of how difficult it is to cancel any account when using an automated "live chat" feature on a site: Why should it take me this many "chances" to cancel an account I don't want anymore?

Welcome to chat.

{Robin}

i want to cancel my account

The session has been accepted.

{- Bruce B.}

Hello, Robin. Welcome to j2 Global online support. I am Bruce, your online Live Support Representative.

{- Bruce B.}

I am sorry to hear that you have decided to cancel the account. May I please have the fax number and PIN associated with account?

{Robin}

hi bruce sure 19083638511 pin 1915

{Robin}

did you get that?

{- Bruce B.}

Yes, Kindly give me a moment.

{- Bruce B.}

Thank you for providing your information. Please give me a moment while I go through your records. In the meantime, please type the number corresponding to your reason for cancellation: 1) Moving to another provider 2) Bought a fax machine 3) Business or role changed 4) Short term project completed 5) Financial reasons 6) Problems with faxing or billing 7) Dissatisfied with quality of service 8) Too costly

{Robin}

4

{- Bruce B.}

Robin, I understand that currently you do not need the service. In the current situation, we will waive off the monthly fee for two months. This way you will be able to keep your account, which will enable you to send and receive faxes. You will also be able to use all of our services and re-evaluate it for your faxing needs. During this period, you will not be charged any monthly fee. Usage charges are applicable for sending faxes if any. We are suggesting this so that you can give it a second thought, as you will not be paying $16.95 for the next 2 billing cycles.

{- Bruce B.}

Your eFax account will be credited with $33.90 so that you may utilize our services without being billed our monthly fee for the next two billing cycles.

{- Bruce B.}

As you will not be charged the monthly fee for the next two months, you could keep the account till then. If you still feel that you do not have any use for our services by the end of the two months credit period, please feel free to contact us anytime.

{- Bruce B.}

Would this be fine with you?

{Robin}

no, please just cancel it. thank you

{- Bruce B.}

Robin, we completely understand your wish to discontinue, however since you have already paid for the month, you can retain this number at least till the end of the two months credit offer, as you will not be charged any monthly fee for the next 2 billing cycles. In case of any contingency, it may come in handy. If at all you find that you need our services during this period, then you will still have the account.

{- Bruce B.}

As a goodwill gesture, for our further association, we would also provide you with an additional gift balance of $10.00 with which you can send up to 100 additional fax pages for free (per page per minute within US & Canada).

{- Bruce B.}

At the end of the 2 months credit period, you can get back to us without any further obligation to stay with us. We are available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Please feel free to contact us at any time.

{- Bruce B.}

You can reevaluate your faxing needs during this period.

{Robin}

i don't need the account, and will not remember to recontact you. please cancel the account as of today. thank you.

{- Bruce B.}

Fine, in this case what I will do is, I will set your account to close automatically at the end of 2 months credit period which ends on 11/22/2008.

{- Bruce B.}

You will not be charged any monthly fee after this date. If you wish to continue after the credit period, you just need to contact us or e-mail us at help@mail.efax.com before the date mentioned so that you can continue with the same account after the credit period. And you can surely be assured that you will not be charged any monthly fee till the end of the two months credit period. Only the usage charges for sending faxes are applicable ia any.

{- Bruce B.}

Since your account will be canceled automatically at the end of the two months credit period, it will not be required for you to get back to us for cancelation of your account.

{- Bruce B.}

Would that be fine with you?

{Robin}

no, because i don't want the account active to send or receive faxes. If it stays open, then in your new plan, i get charged per page. I do not expect, nor will accept any faxes to this number.

{- Bruce B.}

Okay, I understand and respect your decision for cancellation. I will cancel your account with us immediately.

{- Bruce B.}

I'm sorry that you are leaving eFax. At eFax, we are continuously improving our products and services. Please do consider us if your faxing needs should change in the future.

{- Bruce B.}

Is there anything else you would like to have assistance with?

{Robin}

no thank you

{- Bruce B.}

You are most welcome.

{- Bruce B.}

It was my pleasure assisting you.

What goes up

Must also go down . . .AOL is stating that due to a "few cancellations" that they expect to miss this quarters earnings. That is too bad! They have been on a major hiring spree, and hopefully, Platform A will continue to carry the company on its back . . as long as Ad.com keeps working.

Yahoo is rumored to be talking layoffs. . .not that we listen to rumors, but with the recent departure of SVP of North American Sales, we thinks this could be the truth!

Microsoft has its own issues, but none of them are as bad as the others!

Another Yahoo Out, and a new MSFT Person in!

That's right folks! David Karnstedt, SVP of North American Sales is out at Yahoo, replaced by former MSN Head of Sales Joanne Bradford. She left the company in March, 2008.

Let's see what this does to the organization. This doesn't really come as a shock to anyone, and I have a feeling the MSLO's very own Wenda Harris Millard is rolling on the floor by now. Karnstedt walked into her job when she left.

Their going down, down, down, down, down

You know, Bruce always says it best.

While I understand that Yahoo is doing a lot of really good work (and i mean, REALLY good work) they still struggle to gain the respect of the street, and I have no choice but to blame their PR department.

Why? Well, they haven't really handled the press around Microsoft very well, and more importantly, they allowed Yahoo to rush to respond to the initial offer. Then, they allowed the media to treat Jerry Yang as a circus clown. Then, to make matters worse, they allowed it to happen AGAIN. Yep, after they got MSFT back to the table, they allowed Roy and Jerry to be the faces of the response. And again, they were villified.

Now, I agree it is time, and has been for awhile, for Jerry to step down. I will even go as far to say PLEASE bring Dan Rosensweig back. He was the energy of that organization! BRING HIM BACK. Get Yahoo's stock out of the toilet! Microsoft can now swoop and offer 25% less than their original offer, and the board will be FORCED to take it.

Stop the bleeding . . .please

Summer is OVER, and I am BACK!

So, I took a couple of weeks and did the nontechnology thing. Well, that isn't really true.

I stopped using it at home, and only went online during work hours. Since I no longer was working past 7 pm, my days were jammed and I didn't have time to be here, with all one of you (hi Ryan!)

Ok, so, now I am back, and ready to refocus on the content here.

Being exposed to so many things during one day makes it difficult to decide what to write about. I am definitely going to stick to trends of the day, and may keep it 100% focused, but will all that is going on in the world of politics and elections, well . . .i can't make any promises!

Visit back, at least once a week, as there will be more content here.

It's been awhile

and still i don't find it as bad as I thought that I haven't been here.

Things are very busy in the blogosphere at the moment, and I have lost site of what is important. Having a log of my thought available for all to see. . . .

more to come as I make this more of a priority.

The unBELIEVABLE cost of Doing Yahoo Business

Well, TechCrunch is reporting that there may be another Yahoo mass exodus upon us at the critical "Management" level within the company.

http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/07/08/yahoo-three-weeks-away-from-next-mass-exodus/#comments

Why? Well, it seems that there is an immense Vesting period due in early August, just following the Shareholder meeting, and with the numbers potentially reaching "100" we find it to be quite disturbing.

What does this mean? A LOT of value goes out to the people that have kept this bird flying for the past two years.

Yahoogleaolsoft

What the heck?

Yang is having a VERY difficult time getting any deal done, and with just weeks away from the meeting on August 1st, Microsoft knows it.

I say that depending on Q2 results, Yahoo may go for as little as $28.

http://valleywag.com/5022880/why-cant-time-warner-save-yahoo-the-google-deal

Breaking up is hard to do . . if you do it!

Well, the WSJ is reporting today that Microsoft has reached out to several other media companies (read conglomerates) to discuss going after all of Yahoo, so Microsoft can get their much desired search business.

A lot that needs to happen, but I guess, well, Microsoft is still a little upset about the prom.

When is a circle not a circle?

When it is a square, and that is Jerry Yang.

Interesting article from ars technica talking about how badly Yang wants a Microsoft deal. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080629-jerry-yang-is-out-of-choices-and-he-wants-microsoft.html

No surprise here. Insiders say it is downright creepy inside the hallways at Yahoo! People are departing "what seems like every few hours, and you can actually feel a shift in power."

We shall see what happens. We shall see.

New Social Agencies. . .no, just Search modified!

With the Yahoo/Google partnership, many search agencies seem to realize that they may not has as much to do. So, what to do instead? Well, focus on Social Media!

Yesterday, GroupM announced a new Social Media arm, fueled out of Outrider, until now, a predominantly search focused agency: http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/e3i2da171c37e1d75e234cdcc9d4f7f5b66

They are not alone. Reprise Media, 360i, iCrossing and others have also gone down the path.

Why?

Engagement. These shops specialize in getting people to take action, and in social media, that means engagement. Will be interesting to see how this shakes out.

The Giant who Cried Wolf!

After all the back and forth over the past several months, even I am tired of the whole Microsoft/Yahoo courtship. Let's review:

Yahoo is the Treasurer of Student Council, and is working hard to keep her position.
Google, of course, is the Class President, Prom King, Homecoming Court, you name it.
Microsoft comes along, tried to woo the Y! Cause she is pretty, just not pretty enough.
Yahoo says "maybe" but I could do better (Microsoft is a bit geeky)
Yahoo plays hard to get, Microsoft pays for dinner (again) and asks for another date.
Yahoo thinks "but Google MIGHT ask me for next Friday" VERY Marcia Brady!
Microsoft balks, Yahoo weeps, and then gets her mom and day screaming at her "But you HAVE to go to the Prom." You are pretty, but don't try to be something you are not!
Yahoo tries to entice Microsoft back to her house. Microsoft declines. He is over it.
Yahoo says "I'll show you!" and Asks Google to the prom. Google has heard about Yahoo! And accepts, sort of. "Says I will drive you, but I can't promise to dance with you at all."
Yahoo agrees, and when she gets there, immediately goes to Microsoft to gloat.

Microsoft asks her to dance.

And there they are. Who knows what will come of it, but honestly, they better either get it on, or move on. They are becoming the Prom Court Jesters.

And we're BACK

Yep, according to TechCrunch's Michael Arrington, he has confirmation that Search talks are back on with Y and M!

http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/24/sources-microsoft-and-yahoo-talks-back-on/

Now, in my opinion, when the stock gets to $20.01, make an offer. . . $32.99.

Long Time . . Same News

No movement on the Yahoo! Microsoft front (even though NEWS.com is saying there is another conversation happening).

What I want to know is. . . what is the biggest thing to happen to the web in the last 90 days from your perspective?

Give the good, the bad and the ugly.

Away for a day. . .

And not much actually happened! Well, that isn't exactly true!

Technorati announced its new blog network yesterday, to great response! In a matter of hours, over 300 individual blogs reached out to join! This is very good news, especially since the mid teir blogs (and smaller ones, like Technorobi!) are definitely limited to the types of relationships that they can have with the guys with the money! (Look out AdSense).

Not that any one thing could kill Google, but this is the start of something truly great!

Good morning media. ..

What will you bring me that is new and useful today? Everyday there are tons of new and innovative ways to use the internet to fine tune your experiences.

The current buzz is really tied to all things Widget. So, it bears to question . . how many widgets is too many?

Do people really use widgets? Please comment, would love to understand how you are using widgets in your daily experience.

Another day, another disaster

So, with the news out, it definitely seems that Yahoo has found itself all alone in the world. Well, that isn't exactly true, but it is more true that you can imagine.

First, it has lost its frienemy Microsoft. In fact, I am pretty sure that Yahoo thought they were enemies that they treated like friends, sort of . Microsoft was the more mature player, and realized that what their momma always told them still is true: "you don't have to be friends with everyone, but you need to try."

As for Icahn, he seems to be the biggest loser in this whole thing. Yahoo lost $3.1B in valuation yesterday following all that news, and well, what can you do Icahn? Try actually coming to the table with real ideas, not just a bunch of whining!

As for all my homies left at Y! hold your heads up high! It isn't your fault. You guys just work really hard on really good products, and the Others are the ones that mess it all up!

So too, goes the Micro . . . .

Microsoft and Yahoo merger conversations have completely fallen apart, according to the WSJ, featured here on Yahoo Finance! (how appropriate) http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/080612/markets_stocks_yahoo.html?.v=1

Yahoogle - Yahoo to pass the search over to Google?

TechCrunch is reporting that a new partnership between Google and Yahoo is being announced later this afternoon . . not confirmed by either party, this will definitely change what happens at Yahoo! http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/12/googleyahoo-announcement-at-130-this-afternoon/

On another note, part of the announcement includes the departure of a "Senior Management Player" again, no comment, but it is supposedly NOT Jeff Weiner, as already reported by the LATimes.

Do You Want Fries with That Shake?

Shake - up that is!

Another Yahoo (meaning person that works there, not just the company). This time the departure of Jeff Weiner, as reported by the LATimes: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2008/06/its-official-we.html

As the main guy leading the Yahoo strategy it will be interesting to see how this fares for Y!

Weiner moving on????

Well, this would be very interesting indeed. Valleywag is reporting that not one, but TWO VCs are interested in having a new "entrepreneur in residence" http://valleywag.com/

And the battle continues . .

It seems that there isn't much coming out of the whole Yahoo/Icahn/Microsoft thing . . .

One thing is for sure though . . .whatever the result, we can expect to hear about it for a very long time.

My World, My Time

So, I was thinking what I should be doing is paying more attention to the blogosphere, now that I work within it!

I am the Sr. Director of Sales for Technorati (get it) and obviously want to stay tight with the comings and goings of the blogosphere, and the social conversation as a whole.

There are a lot of things that I could talk about, but, for the most part, will spend my time providing my expertise on what is happening "out there."

Just so you don't think to yourself "who is this woman" I thought I would provide a glimpse of my time in media:

Spent 4 years working at Wireless for the Corporate User magazine
Spent the next 2 years at Network Magazine, and at a handful of internet start ups
Follow that with 5.5 years at CNET Networks (through MySimon acquisition)
6 months at Tribal Fusion (a blog entry all on its own)
A year at Yahoo! - Search was still fun then
Drop off at Technorati.

Stay tuned for the latest and greatest from my mind!