What Western Marketers Can Learn From The East

Changi has some of the best airport internet I have ever used. And I have spent time in some 40 to 50 airports around the world, for hours at a time. Cool to see the place has got its network going.

After spending much of the past 6 years in SE Asia I learned a lesson both business and life-wise; accept what is. This has manifested along certain lines for me, and I have adopted with my blog and my online businesses.

1 thing I embrace from SE Asia; the customer is sometimes not a match, so sometimes you just have to apologize for any complaints made and then move on. This helps me devote virtually all of my attention and energy to rabid fans aka perfect customers, and virtually none to critics.

Since where your attention and energy goes, grows, I attract more awesome customers and less critics using this approach of apologizing and releasing non matches, versus bending over backwards like a contortionist, trying to make dissatisfied customers happy because I allow the fear of loss - both reputation-wise and customer-wise - to cloud my judgment.

I recall one incident when we flew SE Asia. Longer flight, so my wife ordered a veggie meal. When they brought her a meat meal, she noted how she ordered veggie. The stewardess apologized and said no veggie meals were on the plane. My wife became disappointed, and although she did not complain, the stewardess saw her frown. She said "I am sorry" then went on with her day.

This is life, folks. In SE Asia, culturally, an apology is what you are getting if there is a mix-up in many cases. Heart felt, and hey, I've no issues with it. Taking the same tact has helped me sleep well at night, and also helps me profit from a stress-free, peaceful, calm and confident space.

Cool read P.