Geoff Osmond

Let me preface this post by stating that I love my job.  There, now I can get some stuff off my chest especially since  the only traffic to my site comes from yours truly. 
One of my clients was furious yesterday over an issue that arguably was out of my hands.  He wanted me to accommodate his requests and I was in no position to do so.  I sent him an email to let him know that there was nothing I could do.  Soon I found myself sitting at my desk on pins and needles waiting to hear the phone ring with an angry voice on the other end.  It never happened.  About 2 am, my daughter Paityn was crying her eyes out and so I decided to get up and check my email.  Sure enough, there was a nasty email waiting for me.  My client had some choice words for me about the way I do business.  This left me with such a sour taste in my mouth that I looked forward to the moment I could call him and speak my mind.  When I got to work I was still fuming but a co-worker suggested that we golf nine holes.  I agreed and we were off.  I figured this would give me time to collect my thoughts.  
There is something amazing about golfing.  It is definitely a euphoric experience.  I was calm and collected the whole time and I played my best golf game this year.  I even got my first birdie of the year on a par 3. 
After our game, I came back to the office with a different aura about me.  I was now in a position to handle the customer service issue.  As I spoke with my client, I took full responsibility for the problem and tried to offer solutions.  After he realized I was being apologetic and that I was taking all the blame, he was very cordial and responsive.  We came to an agreement and solved the issue. 
Below are some things to know if you find yourself in a customer service dispute:

1. Try to avoid conflict with a client in the first place.  If I was more on the ball this never would have been an issue.
2. If you are angry while resolving a customer service issue, you will fail!
3. In most cases a client doesn’t need an immediate response to a concern.  Go golfing with a co-worker.  Your mind will be more clear (if you don’t suck at golf) and you’ll be ready tackle the issue.  You may even shoot your best game.
4. Put all the blame on your shoulders, unless a lot of money is at stake.  In this case, pass it onto someone else in the office.  You’ll find that your client’s wall will come down and will want to work things out with you. 

Geoff currently is the Advertising Director for Lumin Publishing where he oversees the ad sales for two national award winning magazines – Connect magazine,  a regional business publication, and Community magazine, a lifestyle publication sent out to Zions Bank upper-level account holders.   

Before working at Lumin Publishing, he worked with Alliance Marketing managing one of their sales offices in San Diego.  

He graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science and Health and a minor in Sociology.  

Geoff was born and raised in Utah. He married Joy Fowler in 2005 and currently lives in the Daybreak community.   

I’ll admit it; I have been in as many embarrassing situations as the next guy.  My experiences range from the discovery of a large ”bat in the cave” moment after a date with a very attractive women.  The entire evening I couldn’t figure out why she kept looking away and sighing awkwardly.  Now I know.  She never returned any of my calls after that.  Another is the huge problem amongst the male population dealing with zippers.  However, the worst situation happened at a young age in Jr. High.  I was lucky enough to have a piece of toilet paper attach itself to my Converse all-stars walking down the 9th grade hall as a 7th grader.  It was only like three feet long, not too bad. 
 So, yesterday an associate and I had to pick up some license plates at a dealership that shall be kept anonymous.  As we approached the front desk I noticed two females running the show.  Now, this dealership likes to have a ritzy feel to them so you wouldn’t find these two females at Hot Dog on a Stick.  Got it?  Anyway, I noticed that the female helping me was a bit scantily clad.  I told her my name as she approached a safe behind the desk where they store the licenses for pick up.  Suddenly she stopped as if she had an epiphany of which club to hit for the evening and if she didn’t jot down the idea at that moment her life would never be the same. 
Now, what came out of her mouth after that shocked me.  She commanded all the boys in the room to turn around for fear that her cash and prizes would be exposed.  Um, is something not right here?  Do I as a customer have to be forced into an awkward situation because she couldn’t function?   Is there a problem if a girl dresses this way?  No.  I believe that a moral issue is a personal one.  What I have a problem with is when a moral issue somehow transfers into a work related issue.  If you can’t do all aspects of a job without telling your customers to turn around, you probably should think about switching up your attire.  Am I wrong here?  Would it be okay to sell a client on a product and then show up to a meeting in gym shorts and sneakers?  It’s not right.  Let me know what you think. 
 

My boss is a genius!!  Let me tell you why I love my job and why I will never seek employment elsewhere.  First, I must tell you that I work for a startup company with very little positive cash flow, infrequent paychecks, no group health insurance plan, and the possibility of closing up shop some day in the future. So, why am I working here?  The other day, an associate and I were in a discussion to seek an answer for that exact question.  At that very moment, I had an epiphany and blurted out an analogy that explains this phenomenon perfectly.  My boss was like a drug lord offering a taste of a drug that I have never experienced before.  He knew that corporate America’s children’s aspirin was no match for his addictive monster.   In the beginning things were good but as time went on he knew he needed increase our dose until we couldn’t live life without it.  Now, I am a drug addict and love it.    I will never be able to work for a large company providing great health insurance, and job security. I love making my own hours, driving my company car (mini cooper) at outrageous speeds, playing foosball at any moment, golfing for lunch, and many other aspects.  But, the best part of my job is the people I get to work with on a daily basis.  So, I don’t work for the man, I work for a genius.  Oh did I mention that I love my job?    

 2006 is gonna rock!!!

After a long three years in the “business ICU” known as the Miller Business Innovation Center, Lumin Publishing has ridden itself of the breathing apparatus that has helped sustain life up to this point.  Like it or not, you non-believers will soon be loyal customers and those of you that are loyal to us will soon find yourselves a part of the Lumin Cult.  

 How do I know this?  Allow me to explain, Connect Magazine has been named “best business publication west of the Mississippi” for the second year in a row and is a finalist for its third year.  We will find out if a few weeks if we make a three-peat.  I’ll keep you informed.  Connect is being read cover to cover by many high-powered individuals in Utah and their influence will help develop the Lumin Cult.  I think you catch my drift. 

I must admit, it is a nice feeling having a new desk in a new office.  It’s actually a cubicle but non the less I feel important.  I have a nice window view of the parking lot and occasionally gaze out the window and pick out the nicest and the worst looking cars in my view.  So far the worst car up to this point has been a Toyota Tercel.  I will keep you informed if anything changes.  Just one of the perks I enjoy.  

The year 2006 so far has been extraordinary for me.  I have already experienced replacing old, worn-down possessions with new, shiny and better ones.  I have a new office and said goodbye to the old one.  I recently was married and am enjoying spending time with my wonderful new wife Joy.  I was recently awarded a brand new Mini Cooper convertible by Lumin Publishing for reaching some sales goals and sold the old Mustang.  My wife and I are going to be moving into our new home this month and leave my parents basement we called home for the past eight months.  Yeah!!!  I have a brand new iPod that is attached to me at all times allowing me to trash my less than cool walkman.  I love new thing!!! 

These new things represent a new beginning for me and Lumin Publishing.  This year will be a breakthrough year for us as a company.  You just watch!!  If you are a non-believer, loyal customer, or a Lumin Cultee don’t be a stranger and let’s do some business.  Remember, “Magazines are a brands best friend” 

A client of mine contacted me this week interested in placing an ad in Connect Magazine.  He wanted to “test the water” and see if advertising in Connect would bring more business.  Is there something wrong with this approach to advertising?  Yes and no depending on who you ask.  An experienced marketing director knows that such an approach in most cases will add no new business thus creating a false perception that magazine advertising doesnt work.  On the flip side, A CEO, employee, or “make shift” marketing director with no advertising experience assume that a little advertising goes a long way and end up with a bad taste in their mouth.  So why doesnt it work?  Many businesses that advertise use what I refer to as “a call to action” ad.  They want you as a consumer to see the ad, and react.  Call to action ads work great on TV, radio, and the internet because businesses can get in front of the consumer and control their thought process just enough to sell something.  Magazines are very different.  Artwork for a magazine has to be ready in most cases one to two months before the magazine will be published. 

Magazines are great for branding purposes.  The branding I am refering to is similar in theory to the branding of an cow.  Once the cow is branded with red hot medal it will have a permanent scar.  Magazines help brand a company in your mind so you think of them without having to see some dumb “call to action” ad.  For example, when I think of fast food McDonalds comes to mind because they have done a great job of branding.  So, How do you brand your company?  I teach my clients that running three to six ads a year in a magazine is considered to be a respectable branding campaign.  This is not some scheme we came up with to bind you into a contract.  This is how magazine advertising works.  If you dont like it, dont advertise but please dont waste your time and money running one ad that probably wont do a thing.  My job is to educate my clients and help them to get the most out of their advertising dollars.  Please feel free to comment and let me know your thoughts.

You’re probably wondering why I have purchased geoffosmond.com and more importantly why I think you would be interested in reading what I have to say.  The truth is I’m not entirely sure.  I think I have some important things to say at times and thought this would be a fun way to discuss them.   

A lot of what I write will focus on aspects of advertising because that is what I do.  I have learned a lot since I started working for Lumin Publishing in September of 2004 and hope that this will be the first of many blogs to come. 

A few weeks ago I had the unfortunate experience of having my phone stolen.  To make a long story short, I found the person with the help of the police and retrieved my phone.  When I saw the person responsible I started to weigh the effects of justice and the act of mercy.  She was about thirteen years old and had a two year old son.   What would you have done?  Teach her a lesson through justice and end up punishing her parents, or show sympathy for her situation through mercy?  Well, I chose the latter and have often wondered if I made a mistake. 

 Let me know what you think.  I also am a firm believer in karma so hopefully I will win a lot of money somehow and she will end up in jail.