Telecom Trends

If you have spent any time with me, you already know I am somewhat passionate about my coffee. We go to great lengths to serve above average coffee at The Canadian Telecom Summit. My brother says that my philosophy is that anything worth doing is worth doing to excess.

For that reason, I have been quite upset with the demise of my Starbucks espresso maker this morning. I would sit Shiva for it, but I have no coffee to serve at the shiva and so, what's the point?

The point is that Starbucks has amazing warranty support - unheard of since the days of Eaton's. It is a two year, unconditional guarantee. So, despite close to 2000 shots of coffee being brewed on this machine, it is going back this afternoon for a full refund.

This posting represents the second coffee oriented article in a blog dedicated to Telecom Trends. What is the relationship between coffee and moving bits, beyond the obvious cafeine as a major food group to all of us in the world of ICT? Both coffee and bits per second are commodities.

I think the telecom services industry can learn some lessons from successful coffee retailers. How do you differentiate yourself in a commodity business? How do you find your own profitable niche? How do you justify premium pricing when people can easily build their own?

I'm heading out for a coffee.

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Starbucks, Canadian Telecom Summit, Commodity, Mark Goldberg