Service That Customers Truly Want and Need

I received an email today from a marketing organization that began with the question: “What if the next time a customer came through your door, they could interact with a hologram speaking their own language. Your company would look pretty innovative and well, just straight up cool.”

If you’re anything like me, you’ve had your fill of speaking to robotic phone operators or pushing fifteen buttons on your phone to get routed to someone who has any chance of actually helping you with your question or challenge. Don’t get me wrong, I love new and innovative technology. But, only if it really helps me do things faster, easier, or better. Continue reading

Triathlon Strategy

cyclingI am currently training to compete in my first sprint triathlon race. Well, compete may be an exaggeration, and there won’t be much sprinting. But I do hope to cross the finish line before the sun sets.

If you are unfamiliar with the sport, a sprint triathlon is a race with three components. Participants swim about one-half mile in a lake, then ride a bike about 12 miles along a marked road course, and finally run 3.1 miles to reach the finish line.

To an athlete, this race sounds like a fun challenge. To an engineer, it is a fascinating multi-objective optimization problem.  Continue reading