installitmyself.com

Floods!

2011-10-13T01:29:00.000-07:00

Hi Ted
Thank you for the lightning quick response! We really appreciate your impeccable customer service. Recent flood damage ruined the previous carpet tiles we'd bought from you, so the speedy delivery will go a long way towards helping us return our basement to normal!

thanks again,
Adam

Will the Legato Carpet Stay Put?

2011-08-02T03:18:00.000-07:00

Great,
Thank you Ted.
The only other thing that concerns me, is how well the tiles stay down on a cement basement floor. I am worried about the vacuum cleaner pulling them up or people's shoes catching the edges and flipping them up. I realize that because you sell them, you're obligated to push the good points, but I just don't see the tiles staying down very well. Perhaps I am just skeptical, but do they really stay anchored that well to the cement floor? Even over long periods of time (years of wear?)
Because the tiles are actually more expensive than wall to wall carpeting, I want to make sure they look good and do their job should I decide to go this route. I like the fact that should they get wet, I can just remove a small area and replace, so the tiles seem like a good option in theory. I just worry about how they will stay down compared to glue down squares.
Thanks,
~Eric~

Hi Eric!

I don't blame you for being cautious. I've been selling and installing Milliken carpet for about twenty years and I haven't had any issues with the carpet coming up during vacuuming or even extraction cleaning. In fact the TractionBack adhesive is not intended to "stick" the carpet to the floor. It is intended primarily for keeping the carpet from shifting laterally. Milliken makes an extremely stable carpet tile and it's natural tendency is to remain firm on the floor. I hope this helps. Thanks again for your interest!

ted

Do it Thyself!

2011-05-18T03:13:00.000-07:00

Ted,

We like the carpet and I was able to install it quickly and without problem. I did order too much so I have almost two whole boxes left which I will keep for replacement or for another smaller use. I found that installation resulted in very little waste.

Attached are several photes. The room was kind of an open basement rec. room which I enclosed and coverted to more of a bed room with several built in cabinets, a new window, and ceramic tile.

Regards.

Phil

Man Cave!

2011-05-17T02:10:00.001-07:00

The carpet laying was the easiest part! In the before picture, the brown on the floor is flood mud – took me 5 days to get it clean enough to work with – was like scraping off chewed up tootsie rolls. I think the stairs turned out great, and you are right about the edging helping with traction. I used carpet tape over uneven areas and heavily on the stairs. We’ve had some tiles become loose at the edges, and some were “tackier” than others – but a little tape here and there and no worries!

Now my dad has a new man cave that is much improved over the 60’s basement that was there (even before the flood).

Thanks again for all of your help – you were awesome to work with!

Denise

That's Progress!

2011-05-17T02:09:00.003-07:00

Thanks, Ted. We take delivery tomorrow (Wed., 3/23) at our driveway. Already figured out where we'll be storing the cartons around the house. We can provide photos as our projects progress; it will take a bit of time. I'm retired, but my husband is working full time. We'll be starting with his office in the next week or two. What takes the most effort, as you probably know, is not just pulling out the old carpeting/padding, but removing the tack strips and all those danged staples--aarrgh!

Thanks again for all your help.
Best wishes,
Phyllis & Mike

Hi, Ted,
We're down to our last room of carpet replacement. We've been satisfied with everything, but my husband is thinking of redoing the L-shaped hallway. He feels it's too much of a patchwork quilt job. You mentioned something about pictures of our project. I don't know how much capacity you have in your e-mail, so I'll just send 2-3 photos at a time. Hope this works.
Take care,
Phyllis

Hi Ted!

Lot of work getting the rooms read and later getting things back in place; we're pretty proud of ourselves!

Take care,
Phyllis

Are You Game?

2011-03-17T05:46:00.000-07:00

The Legato Fuse Texture Avocado and Texture Deep Olive work great together for this Ultimate Game Room.

No Heavy Lifting

2011-03-17T04:27:00.000-07:00

Ted,

I remembered you wanted some photos of the project so I have attached some. This project was approached a bit differently since there was a large amount of heavy office furniture and computer equipment that could not be removed from the room, so everything was shuffled around as the new carpet was laid out. The old carpet was cut away in 1-2 foot strips.

The first three photos shows how I determined starting positions, the carpet needed placed so that it would end with a sufficiently large enough piece on the odd shaped wall edge the corner and the 2 carpet termination strips. Any square placed on a carpet strips needs to be at least 8-10 inches or it won’t stay down nicely.

The 4th and 5th photos show the finished difficult side of the room. By using careful placement combined with the use of weighted bins to prevent some sliding it is possible to place the squares tight so that the separation line is nearly invisible.

The last photo shows the finished opposite side of the room after placing most of the equipment and furniture back.

Thanks,
Dave

Checkered Paths

2011-02-04T03:01:00.000-08:00

Hi Ted,

I completed the basement this past Friday. Yes, I installed it all by myself. Turned out really nice. I am glad I chose the colors "shaving cream" and "first cup".

I took some before and after pics for you to post on your blog or whatever you choose. Hopefully, this will help the next potential customer get a visual as to how they can transfer their drab basement into something that is very eye catching. My husband noted that the basement looks bigger with the carpet checkerboard square design.

As you can see, this room in the basement is very long and narrow. I will send the other pics in another email because I have too many.

In a few months, I will need to order probably 4 more boxes of the same colors as we decided that we should just extend the carpet out to the hallway (which is the door you see in the middle going out). Hopefully, you will be able to offer me a good deal on another 4 boxes. Right now, we have already gone over what I was anticipating to spend on the flooring.

Hope this helps.

Anna

Work in Progress!

2011-01-15T03:34:00.000-08:00

Milliken Embrace #904 First Cup

Ted,

I'm sending you some photos of my work in progress. The baseboards aren't on yet and I'm not sure when I'll get to that but will send you final pics when I'm done...probably this spring. I'm just so excited at how this is coming along and can't believe what a difference the carpet has made. It definitely is a bit warmer in that area of the basement and I think that is because the floor is covered now. My husband is pretty impressed with my handy work too. He would not even know where to begin!

I will keep you posted on my progress and will be getting you the dimensions of the other areas in the basement.

Thanks again!

Karen

The Finished Project!

2011-01-13T03:31:00.000-08:00

Milliken Embrace #914 Antico

Ted,

Just wanted to let you know that we installed our carpet tiles and are absolutely thrilled with them. They were so simple to put down, and even the really technical cuts were easy. I am attaching some pictures for you. This is our walkout basement and our two boys want to live down there now. Thanks again for everything!

Phil and Melissa

Design Ideas!

2010-11-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a video for you to see a few design ideas.

Installation Video!

2010-11-27T04:52:00.000-08:00

This video may help with your installation.

That little mouse

2010-08-13T02:43:00.001-07:00

Even though I could move my cursor with my mouse, the computer simply wouldn't respond. After troubleshooting my computer for what seemed like forever, I did the most obvious thing...changed the mouse batteries. Back to normal and only a bit frustrated...with myself. Sometimes the most obvious is the best solution.

Perspective

2010-07-26T03:16:00.001-07:00

After tasting that bad candy bar, being put on hold with terrible music, feeling a rough edge on a tool that shouldn't be there, I often wonder whether the owner of the company has ever experienced his/her own product or service. If personally experienced, I think things would change pretty dramatically...and fast!

It's a matter of perspective. I think it sometimes takes a whack in the head to realize what you thought was great, might only be from your point of view. I experienced my own installitmyself service recently and suddenly realized that I hadn't put myself in my customers' shoes. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't memorable either. A great reminder to take the time to make my observations as a customer rather than an owner. I will do just that.

DIY

2010-06-21T02:27:00.000-07:00

Why DIY?

Another great interview by Bob Edwards. Bob interviewed DIYourselfer, Mark Fraenfelder on last weeks show . I have lots to say on the topics that were discussed. Take a listen to the show and I'll be back with some comments of my own.

Customer Project Pictures

2010-06-16T10:18:00.000-07:00

Cut and Paste

2010-06-16T08:14:00.001-07:00

After some serious Columbo work, I figured it out...and realized the importance of that final edit.

I was so excited to be placing orders using my IPad and was so busy patting myself on the back, that I forgot to take one last look before clicking Send. I had thoughtfully figured out a way to use Evernote and the cut and paste feature on the IPad, but I didn't realize

as I moved in and out of the Mail program that the address would change to the latest received email address.

So, after wondering why the orders (that I was absolutely certain that I sent) weren't received and having friends say, "I'm not sure you meant to send this order to me," it was time for a little self-examination. There are a lot of reasons not to take that last look; anxious, excited, relieved, in a hurry...a new reminder that will stay with me for a while.

fluidité

2010-06-11T01:53:00.001-07:00

I'm attempting to, with some success, make my work more fluid. Eliminating handwritten notes, lost files, written lists. Sometimes I think my work (life) process seems to consist of just forgetting and procrastination. Forgetting, by not recording my thoughts as they occur and, procrastination, by rewriting, re-filing, reorganizing or re-anything as if that will get the job done. I suppose the "re" does at least serve as a gentle reminder of what's to be done and maybe even moves me a bit closer to my destination. Though, I often think of Merlin Mann's (43 Folders) advice about only looking at your emails once or else consider it a terrible waste of time.

I metaphorically talk about the ease of starting a company newsletter, and it's inevitable failure. It always seems to start with a plenty of enthusiasm..."How about if we do weekly interviews with the Actuarial Department! Hey, I'll take pictures of the cafeteria food! Customer comments galore! It'll be swell!" Realistically, new habits are often easy to initiate, but so hard to maintain.

Then Apple came along and showed us how easy it is to change habits if you make it simple and intuitive; IPods, IPhones, and now the IPad. They intentionally avoid written instructions. A four year old picks up my IPad and shows me his pictures. Simple and intuitive... seems a bit profound. It's complicated to make things so simple.

All Blogged Down

2010-06-02T02:26:00.000-07:00

Yes, I got a little sidetracked again. It seems that my blog is the first thing to go. So, I'm back, determined to figure out a way to create the story of my online business in manageable bits. With my new IPad and Evernote, I'm discovering and developing new ways to work...much more fluid. I'll let you know how I can incorporate my online sales story seamlessly into my day. See you again soon!

Expectations

2010-04-27T03:30:00.000-07:00

Hi Charles,

Finally! Your carpet tile is scheduled to be delivered tomorrow, Wednesday, April 28th. Your main tracking number is listed below, if you want to track your order on FedEx.com.

I'm so sorry for the inconvenience we have caused by both the delays and lack of information about your Legato Carpet order. I humbly apologize. Per our conversation, I am issuing a $25.00 credit to your card. I hope that this will adequately cover any additional finance charges for the extended delivery time. If not, just give me a call.

ted

Tracking no.: 5544801799999

ted helm
615-207-2006
toll free 877-222-7230
installitmyself@mac.com
installitmyself.com

Yes, Carpet Spirituality.

2010-04-15T05:12:00.001-07:00

It's not my intention to show my brother's blog entry as if it's my own. I could give you a link to Jelly's blog, but his comments this morning struck such a chord with me, I wanted to make sure it would be easy for you to read. It especially resonates with me as I am working so hard to try to differentiate "Order Processing" from "Customer Service" with the Milliken Order Processing Department.

Numanistic = community/artisan/spiritual/love

Three for three this week with Give Pizza A Chance, the artisan pizza cart around the corner on Stark, and if I follow my pace, this will be my second week in a row with pizza from there for lunch, every day.

The Spinach Deep Dish. The whole wheat crust is made daily, and it has this fantastic buttery/crispy bottom, while the top is chewy and soft, with the ingredients flipped in order, cheese on the bottom and sauce on the top, Chicago style. I'm honestly breathing more deeply just thinking about it.

The Greek is new, and it's nice. A sicilian-style crust, and simple, with greek olives, artichokes, tomatoes, some sort of heavenly olive oil. Sigh.

Today I was sitting there eating my slice, and some guy must've heard my soft moaning and said to me, "That Greek is pretty good, isn't it." He was a huge guy with a shaved head, thick studs in both ears, giant lambchop sideburns. "John is out of control," he said, shaking his head, referring to the guy who runs the cart.

You and John old friends?

"Actually, John's family and mine lived together as part of a numanistic faith community."

I think he said "numanistic"? Though when I looked it up afterwards, I couldn't find much other than this, on a blog called Numanistic Experience.

I asked my fellow Greek pizza fan to explain. "We're an intentional community. We live in consideration of our impact on the world and each other. Instead of trying to make yourself invisible, which is sort of the normal way to live in a community these days, we try to put ourselvesout there, in support of each other," he said. "It's not easy."

"We don't live there anymore. My wife and I are finishing eight months in Bangladesh doing development work, and in June, we'll be moving into a house in a regular neighborhood. But we'll try to take some of that community mindset with us."

He left me thinking about the overlap between those values and the delicious pizza. Once I told Aaron that I believe 'Artisan' to be the model that points the way forward for business. "Artisan is just another way to say- " I started to say, "Spiritual," Aaron finished.

Hm, that wasn't what I was going to say, but yes. Spiritual. Stumptown has certainly found the spirituality in coffee, and Apple has found the spirituality in computers, and you can taste the spirituality in John's pizza.

Love. That's what I was going to say. Artisan means loving something - whatever it is that you make or do - as much as it can be loved, and then loving people so much that you have to share it with them. It transforms everything: the process, the product, what sort of quality you demand, who you work with, your relationship with your customer/client, everything. Can't be faked. Can't be adopted strategically. People can tell.

There's job security in artisan. The only people who can compete with you is other artisans, and they're rooting for you. They like good competition.

Sometimes Temporary is Permanent

2010-04-01T05:10:00.000-07:00

Good morning,!

I'm sending this email as an apology for the inconvenience we may have caused by both the delays and lack of communication about your Legato Carpet order. I humbly apologize.

A major software change by the manufacturer has created a number of temporary glitches. Your order is extremely important to me and temporary becomes a permanent reflection on how installitmyself.com does business. I assure you that I will let you know the shipping status as quickly as possible. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions at all. Thanks for your patience.

ted

Let's play, "Wheel of Carpet Samples!"

2010-03-21T07:29:00.000-07:00

When I begin to take myself a little too seriously...Jimmy Fallon comes to the rescue. John Cleese occasionally adds a few carpet sample fun facts.

Beyond Listening

2010-03-12T03:08:00.000-08:00

There's a story to tell about the difference between hearing and listening...or is it the difference between listening and hearing. I know the difference, but I'm not always sure which is which. Did I "take the time to listen" or did I "actually hear what was said"? As I write the words, it seems that either could make the point.

For goodness sake, stop thinking about what you're going to say, clear your mind, think about what the person is telling you, let it register...breathe... don't react, if there's a train wreck behind the person talking, ignore it, allow it all in...the tone, the expression, the body language. I haven't perfected this skill, but I'm gaining on it. Listen..Hear? It's both and a whole lot more.

Important in customer service? Of course!

Here's a story.

worldometers - world statistics updated in real time

2010-02-26T03:21:00.000-08:00

I think there's a place for installitmyself.com statistics on the worldometer site, "Number of Square Yards Sold".

Samples

2010-02-22T02:57:00.000-08:00

The best way to know what you're getting...

Another glass of lemonade anyone?

2010-02-10T07:17:00.000-08:00

I was initially a bit discouraged when I received an email from Amazon yesterday. Amazon maintains extremely tough standards and you really have to earn your way to their first listing...but I have accomplished that. Exceeding those standards keeps you listed in front of other similar companies and even gets you the prized spot on Google Search Shopping results. I'll use a future Blog post to talk more about Amazon vendor standards; here's how yesterday went:

"We have received a claim under the A-to-z Guarantee program for the order 002-76-4475 because the item the buyer received was defective . The buyer's comments were "The tiles arrived with glue on the top of 2 tiles and 1 tiles had a impression on it. I contacted the company that made them and they said I needed to contact you. "

The customer had contacted the manufacturer instead of me; an easy mistake to make because Milliken's name and number are right on the box. I called the customer right away and told him that this was the first I had heard that he had received damaged tiles and that I would FedEx him replacements as well as a few extras right away. His frustration eased immediately and along with his five star rating, here are the comments he sent to Amazon.

"When I received my tiles today there were two damaged tiles. The product was shipped directly from Milliken, which were of no service. Installitmyself actually contacted me directly to resolves the problem and took care of Millikens mistake with double the replacement tiles Fed Ex that very same day. I would buy tiles for Installitmyself agian. Thanks for the great Customer Service."

I know...Pollyanna, would you care for another glass?

We're all in the Sales Business

2010-02-08T04:31:00.000-08:00

However random this blog entry might be, it's the culmination of several thoughts and recent experiences about how every single moment of interaction with our customer has the potential for greatness...or failure.

We are striving for impeccable service; which, rather than perfect service, translates simply to being constantly tuned in to what the customer is experiencing. And, yes, occasionally making mistakes and the ensuing apologies. But apologies, no matter the sincerity, are empty without accountability. Put more positively, it's all about continuous improvement. I spent my young business life engrossed in Dr. Edwards Deming's PDCA and quality circles. Like my old history classes, I have developed a genuine sense of appreciation for the quality process much later in my life.

Time to make some lemonade.

Customer Comments

2010-01-29T12:11:00.000-08:00

The reply to this email really put a smile on my face:

Fm: Ted
To: Marty

Hi Marty,

It looks like your carpet tile is scheduled to be delivered on Wednesday, January 27th. Your tracking information is listed below, if you want to track your order on FedEx.com.

I hope we are able to exceed you expectations and thanks for doing business with us. We welcome your comments (whatever they are) and your project photos. We will post them on our website without your contact information. It seems to be of great assistance to those thinking about installing Legato carpet. Thanks again!

ted

Tracking #: 5544801715

Ship To: MARTY

ted helm

615-207-2006

toll free 877-222-7230

installitmyself@mac.com

installitmyself.com

Fm:Marty
To: Ted

It was delivered in the am on wed and I had it installed by supper. It looks great. Thanks!

Ready to Jump!

2010-01-27T08:55:00.001-08:00

I'm at least gaining on my Google AdWords efforts and every so often I have a bit of a breakthrough. I still struggle with some of the basic issues, like copying adwords from one campaign to the next, understanding adgroups, etc. I'm probably a little spoiled by the intuitiveness of all things Apple...their products, their software, their insightful approach to learning. I want my company to be like that and I wish Google embraced it as well.

Actually, a lot of the fault is my own, but it's so much easier to blame someone else for my own shortcomings. Like the parachute student who says, "Just give me that parachute and let me off of this plane. I'll learn the rest along the way." I'm so anxious to get to the next step and probably not taking the time or concentrating like I should. That doesn't mean the Google's instructions aren't confusing, I just need to make sure I take the time to embrace the basics, no matter how they're presented.

This week I've started listening to a new podcast called PPC Rockstars (Yeh, I think the title's funny too). The host, David Szetela, is a great source of PayPerClick knowledge and his guests offer some sage advice and insights. I'm just ready to jump out of the plane and experience it all.

How Doctors Think

2010-01-24T02:56:00.001-08:00

What? How doctors think...who cares? What in the world does that have to do with carpet tile? And why did I bring this up today?

I start each morning with an excerpt from this book (more about that later) and it reminded me what an impact Dr. Groopman's book had on me. A professor at Harvard Medical School and a regular contributor to the New Yorker magazine, Dr. Jerome Groopman wrote this insightful book several years ago. I became aware of Dr. Groopman and his book by listening to a Terry Gross NPR Fresh Air Podcast interview with him and I immediately bought my audio copy. It is an intriguing and somewhat disconcerting view of the way doctors approach diagnosing patients. It's my intention to refer to the book and leave the reviews to others.

The lasting impression on me went well beyond the doctors and their diagnoses. I'm just as likely to look at my e-comerce symptoms and reach an incorrect conclusion. And most times, I don't even feel like I'm 'jumping' to a conclusion. I'm experienced, I'm thoughtful, but I need a periodic reminder to stop, take my time and carefully do the necessary objective analysis. What Doctors Think was even better the second time through.

The excerpt that is part of my morning routine:

From : How Doctors Think by Jerome Groopman, M.D.

A prayer by Rachel Stein (sp?)

Dear Lord, having been created in your image, I am full of unrealized potential,

The realization of which depends upon my acknowledgement of the potential,

My recognition of all of the gifts from you which I am endowed,

And my exploitation of the opportunities that lie before me.

Please Lord, help me rise to meet the challenge.

Let me use those gifts for the benefit of all people.

Dear Lord, for all that I am and all that I can be, I thank you.

2010-01-09T05:21:00.001-08:00

I thought I'd give Facebook Advertising a try.

Online Store for comfortable Legato Carpet Tile that you can install yourself, no messy adhesives, $84.15 per box, Free Shipping

Ted Helm likes this.

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Inching away

2010-01-06T03:34:00.000-08:00

I continue to try to improve the installitmyself website experience. I've been trying to integrate new items as I think of them...all with the idea of keeping the site genuine. This morning I changed my "tracking" letter to my customer to ask for their comments.

Hi Bob,

It looks like your carpet tile is scheduled to be delivered on Wednesday, January 6th. Your tracking information is listed below, if you want to track your order on FedEx.com.

ted

A Clearer Picture

2010-01-01T05:04:00.000-08:00

When I received this recent email, it reminded me how important it is that my customers have a crystal clear understanding of what they are purchasing.

Mr Helm-

Happy New Year! Thank you for your help - your company has been great. The carpet tiles arrived Fed-Ex today. Unfortunately we have a problem. We finished our basement years ago in blue Milliken Legato tiles (pattern 5455002) and wanted to do the same this time in our office with red. However, what we have are not he same type of tiles. These have a different texture and knap. We liked the Legato so much because it was easy yet deep. So... what do we do about shipping them back, and how much credit do we get? Also, do you/Milliken offer anything comparable to what we bought back in 2002?

Thanks-

Here's how I answered:

First of all, Happy New Year. I'm sorry that your carpet wasn't what you expected. I'll be happy to see how we can find a remedy that you will be satisfied with. Your email prompted me to add some helpful language to our Policy page (below), so thanks for your comments.

I have a formal policy on returns, but frankly I'm most interested in having satisfied customers. Here's what I'd like to do, if you wouldn't mind. Milliken no longer offers the product that you purchased a few years ago. They do have a product called Embrace that is more comparable to the original Legato. I'll send you an Embrace sample in the red color that is closest to what you purchased. If you like it, we can exchange it; if you don't, you can return the product that you bought. We can work out the shipping details after you make a decision. There won't be any restocking charges.

I have a blog that discusses my e-commerce journey and I'd like to use some of your comments if you wouldn't mind. No personal information would be shared. Thanks for your patience. Feel free to call me if you'd like.
ted

Here's what I added to the top of "Our Policies" page:

"Returning extra carpet tile can be expensive. We strive to make sure that you receive exactly what you expect. This is not an easy task with online sales of any kind and is particularly difficult with fabrics, colors and products that you need to feel, touch and see before you make your purchasing decision. We've made a modest attempt to help you visualize the products with high resolution pictures and a video that explains the basic differences between the Legato product lines. To make matters a little more confusing, Milliken previously manufactured a product named Legato that is no longer available. The old Legato product had a different texture and a thicker attached pad. For these reasons, we encourage you to take advantage of our free sample offer. Even if it delays your project by a few days, we believe it will help you get exactly what you are looking for...and that's what we strive for." ted helm

I had already added videos to the detailed descriptions and high resolution images to installitmyself.com. and it only reminded me again about coming up with creative rather than defensive solutions. Clearly, I'm still not finished. The answer will include simple, effortless, fluid, intuitive, consise...sounds like an ipod.

Apple's Much Anticipated Tablet

2009-12-18T10:21:00.000-08:00

I find it remarkable that we can stay so connected wherever we are. A few days out of the office and I feel comfortable being able to do all but a few of my installitmyself.com duties... placing orders, checking inventory, arranging shipping, tracking orders, communicating with my customers...amazing.

Moving from my MacBook to my IPhone, I am able to do most tasks effortlessly. I largely credit Apple for my willingness to embrace the spirit of technology, but I'll save my Apple accolades for another day.

Today, let me dream about how nice it will be to do all of my out of the office business on my new Apple Tablet. I'm sure it will be as intuitive as all things Apple. It's easy to visualize and fun to consider. I also firmly believe the ITablet will give second life to journalism and extended life to lots of trees. Aahhh, can't wait.

Back to the Drawing Board

2009-12-14T04:57:00.000-08:00

I apparently don't have quite the comprehensive understanding of Google AdWords that I thought I did. A week or so ago, I generated significant website traffic and sales using two Google AdWord campaigns. So, naturally, I thought if I learned a little more through Google podcasts, watched a few Google videos, reviewed some of the online reference information, applied my vast new knowledge, and doubled my budget; my results would improve exponentially. They didn't.

Implementing Google AdWords and generating e-commerce traffic are full of nuance and it's important that I don't draw conclusions based on faulty generalizations. I understand this intuitively, but occasionally I need a gentle reminder. That's just what happened recently when I read Dan Ariely's book, Predictably Irrational. A enlightening book. A few reviews:

From The New York Times Book Review
"Obviously, this sly and lucid book is not about your grandfather’s dismal science…. Predictably Irrational is a far more revolutionary book than its unthreatening manner lets on. It’s a concise summary of why today’s social science increasingly treats the markets-know-best model as a fairy tale….he and his fellow social scientists want to replace the "rational economic man" model with one that more accurately describes the real laws that drive human choices."

From USA Today
"Surprisingly entertaining. . . . Easy to read. . . . Ariely’s book makes economics and the strange happenings of the human mind fun."

Back to my studies. It's clear that I need to to develop a more comprehensive understanding of Google AdWords. Buckle down and study...there are no shortcuts.

By the way, the idea of drawing incorrect conclusions prompted me to purchase another domain name from GoDaddy... www.correlationnotcausation.com. (It's my geek hobby).

Sidetracked

2009-12-10T08:50:00.000-08:00

Sidetracked again. It's taken me a little while to get back to writing here. It's been an interesting week or so. The time has flown by and included a productive trip to Milliken's LaGrange facility, a number of minor changes to the installimyself.com website using Volusion software, many rewarding customer experiences, and learning just how much I still need to understand about Google AdWords...and all things Google. This morning I downloaded a few Google related podcasts and I'm looking forward to listening to them this weekend. I've begun to organize some of the things I want to discuss in this blog using my NoteBook software , so with a little effort I'm on my way to chronicling my e-commerce journey.

96M86D7748MX

2009-12-01T03:54:00.000-08:00

For those familiar with my e-commerce site, installitmyself.com, the Legato products that we offer are manufactured by Milliken, one of the most respected and sophisticated manufacturing companies in the world. I am grateful for my longstanding relationship with Milliken and I plan to write more about this unique relationship.

Today, I'd like to share part of an email that I sent this morning to Steve Wenrick, my insightful Account Manager at Milliken. We are making some real progress shaping our e-commerce customers' experience with us.

Hi Steve,

I've been keeping you apprised of any shipping and fulfillment problems that I've experienced, with the hope of improving the process. As I mentioned yesterday, things have steadily improved over the last few months and I thought it would be nice to forward this email to you to show where we are. I think the art of listening by everyone involved has played a significant role and, frankly, I've had a lot to learn.

These are two orders that I placed yesterday morning. They were allocated and shipped on the same day and I received this tracking information early this morning. I'm able to forward the FedEx tracking numbers to my customers before they wake, so they get to become empowered and part of the process. They get to enjoy the waiting period for their new carpet, begin to make plans for installation, and envision how their new carpet will look in their home. That's not to mention how excited they will be with they actually see their stunning Legato Carpet Tile. Corny or not, I believe this is the total customer experience we want them to enjoy...memorable and defining. This is the kind of experience that will make us successful with our new e-commerce community. Thanks for your help in getting us there. ted

ted helm

615-207-2006

toll free 877-222-7230

installitmyself@mac.com

installitmyself.com

2009-11-25T06:03:00.000-08:00

Through a website audit by 1100 Broadwway, it was suggested that I have this blog listed on Technorati, a leading blog search engine. There's no question that credibility is one of the key success factors in doing business on the web, especially if you are trying to compete with the likes of Home Depot. There are lots of Wizards of Oz in Cyberworld and I look for every possible way to show my customers what is behind my curtain. The same thing that I want...a reliable source, one that I can trust. There goes that Golden Rule thing again.

Technorati has an interesting way to prove you are who you say you are. After first verifying through emails, they then give you a code to insert in your next blog posting which they can verify. I am who I am and that's all that I am.

I wasn't planning to write this morning, but this posted code looked pretty lonely.

QAUX8SK6FW8N

YouTubing.

2009-11-23T06:29:00.000-08:00

I learned how very little I know about Google AdWords. And it's such an important part of the e-commerce success formula.

This, despite my attempts at reading through all of the online help that Google offers. Since I'm a relative newcomer to Geekdom, the Google AdWords adventure became overwhelming over the last few months. It's not that there aren't adequate tutorials, articles, Wikipedia entries...it's that there is so much information available and it's become a bit overwhelming.

Frankly, I became a little spoiled by the Volusion training videos when setting up our installitmyself.com website. What an easy way to learn. So it occurred to me that there might be a few YouTube videos that would give me some Google AdWords insight. There are quite a few, most of them created by third party advertisers. After viewing just a few, it's clear that they will give me some of the insight that I'm looking for.

So I'm off YouTubing.

"This Old House" at 30

2009-11-18T05:00:00.000-08:00

At some point I'm going to write about the beginning of my e-commerce journey, but this morning I got side tracked with a variety of thoughts as I listened to another great "On Point with Tom Ashbrook Podcast". My first thoughts were nostalgic as Tom talked to master carpenter, Tom Abram, who has been with the "This Old House" from the onset. I remember being entranced as Tom and Bob Vila transformed houses step by step. They helped me understand the beauty of the potential in houses and in everything...a real gift. They also gave me the feeling of empowerment that I carry with me to this day; that I can do anything I want to do.

As I listened, the demographics for the potential customers of installitmyself.com became more clear. Who would want to buy and install their own carpet? Sure, some groups are obvious; do-it-youselfers, handy women and men, cost conscious...maybe. I think the common denominator is more often one of self empowerment. I'm amazed at the post project response from my customers...a real satisfying sense of pride for having accomplished something special. For many it's more than just improving their living space.

Maybe Google can help me find more of you.

2009-11-14T04:35:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the guys at the Apple Store in Green Hills for introducing me to one of the best software additions that I've made in a long, long time, Textexpander by SmileOnMyMac.

To say that it saves keystrokes is an understatement; it recreates the wheel for me. Simply put, it's a seamless way to create simple shortcuts to input words, paragraphs, images, and more.

After a little frustration with the installation, I realized that they offered a great set of video tutorials that were easy and informative. What a great way to learn. Don McAllister from Screencastsonline did a great job of developing the tutorials. My six degrees of separation came from hearing Don on the Macbreak Weekly Podcast....beginning to sound way too Geeky.

What's become so clear to me is how important it is to be able to articulate your/my products online. See you in the movies.

2009-11-12T05:12:00.000-08:00

I've spent the last few days working on the mechanics of my website, learning a little more about google adwords and analytics, adding a link to this blog from the installitmyself.com site, taking care of new customers, reviewing a few new software recommendations from the insightful group at Macbreak Weekly Podcast , and listening to some interesting e-commerce thoughts from the eBiz:Ecommerce Podcast.

Nothing profound today. Just the understanding that I can be good at this. Thanks especially to my customers that have shared their installitmyself experience with me... and Jon Weindruch with wesults.com who has been so supportive.

2009-11-06T07:51:00.000-08:00

So much to learn, so little time.

This morning I took my own advice and got something done quickly, knowing full well it's far short of anything that remotely looks professional. It so clear to me that I am not adequately representing the products on our website and, despite the images and written descriptions, customers are having a hard time visualizing the products...until they receive their order. In addition to free samples, here's my first attempt at adding a bit of clarification. My first youtube video. Like most things, it wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be.

2009-11-05T04:06:00.000-08:00

Publish, even if it's one sentence. Maybe it really will become second nature.

Yesterday was the best day yet for installitmyself orders. Do you see me jumping up and down? Yep.

And this morning I received an email from Amazon saying that I passed their review. That means they'll allow me to stay and they will release the last month's payments. My sales now are pretty evenly divided between my website and Amazon. Great news and something I want to blog about later. It was a rigorous process and very satisfying to have made it through.

This morning's all about doing the paperwork to make those orders happen. I made a big mistake by circumventing my evolving process, in the interest of getting the orders in quickly. At least twice the work to go back and do it and more than twice as likely to make an error. Being anal retentive really isn't such a bad thing.

Still pondering two distinct e-commerce issues that seem to carry much more weight than in a regular business model; customer service and assuring that customers clearly understand what the product is. Not overwhelming to think about...more rich and rewarding. I could spend the morning on both of these, so I'll stop here for today.

2009-11-04T05:25:00.000-08:00

Wow.

I couldn't get back here yesterday. It was at least partly because my e-commerce activities have kept me hopping. Some great, some not so, some really not so...but clearly moving in a positive direction. I'm just determined to make an effort toward writing about my e-commerce journey.

Learning about returns, Amazon quirks, trying to surpass customer expectations. Lots more to say about it all. For now a quote I heard on a podcast yesterday.

"If you want to succeed, double your failure rate" Thomas Watson, IBM

Begin the beguine

2009-10-31T05:29:00.000-07:00

All right, this is my first entry in my effort to share my journey of creating my e-commerce site and maybe a few other thoughts along the way. My road to self absorption. Hope not. Today the whole endeavor seems a bit cliche to me, but I'm determined to start. My brother and daughter will both get a great laugh.

I'm a ardent podcast listener of a million different topics; Apple Scoop, NPR, PRI, Sound of Young America, Neurology, You Bet Your Garden, New Yorker Fiction, and every possible E-Commerce podcast. I'm amazed at how much I've learned and how excited I am to find new topics. Have you seen ITunes U? Incredible. (I'm trying really hard to not use any exclamation points) I didn't realize what an auditory guy I am. How I wish I could have used these podcasts when I was in school. It seems so fluid...it puts that stuff directly into my brain and makes me hungry for more.

It's a start. See you Monday.