While it is illegal to copy a patented product, “stealing” ideas and business practices really is the basis of progress. A company that we have studied very closely is Amazon. 

One of the things that I love about Amazon is how they handle returns. Recently I ordered an out of print marketing book that Amazon prints “on demand.” The book arrived with the correct cover and the last 40 pages were also correct, but most of the book was filled with variations of oatmeal menu plans. I had no idea that you could do so much with oatmeal. Computers are wonderful, but I guess mistakes happen even at Amazon.

I called Amazon. When I explained the problem a UPS return label was immediately e-mailed to me while I was still on the phone. And the service rep was able to tell me when a replacement book would arrive. 

Well, you guessed it. We called UPS to learn how that technology worked. UPS programmers worked with our software company to give us the same capability as Amazon. I really hope that you never need to return anything to Braxton-Bragg, but if you do, let me know if you like the new UPS/email return system. 

The practice of “stealing” ideas is so widespread that in business schools they don’t call it stealing — they call it benchmarking. One way that you can get new ideas and learn from others is by attending MIA seminars. Check out the MIA website for dates and locations at www.marble-institute.com.

If you are an MIA member you can take advantage of loads of benchmarking data and the seminars provide an opportunity to learn from others. Look for Bill Hickey or Steve Bussell at the seminar and say howdy.

Oh, yes; if you know of a business practice that either Braxton-Bragg or the Slippery Rock Gazette should “benchmark,” send me a confidential email to Publisher@slipperyrockgazette.net. I won’t tell a soul where I got the idea.

Have a good read.

– Rich Hassert