David Erasmus

This is the letter I wrote to them this morning, lets see what they say……..

Dear Clas Ohlson,

I went to your store for the first time the other day……Brilliant!

Its like an Ikea Metro thank you for bringing it to Kingston.

I have an apology to make, I came in with my Girlfriend looking for a few bits and bobs for my bedroom which she is helping me do up. I was carrying a BIG bag from Primark I put it down and found 2 silver dimmer switches, Perfect.

I then however accidentally with no spare hands available put the dimmer switches in my Primark bag so I could carry everything ( I stress I did this totally sub-conciously.) We then decided that we would go to TK Maxx to see if we could find cheaper picture frames and if not would come back and purchase the lovely frames from your store, we did not however come back.

That was that but later in the evening thinking about how I was looking forward to putting up my new Clas Ohlson dimmer switches (it’s sad I know) I thought to myself “we didn’t check out at Clas ……..but I am sure I have the simmer switches?” Low and behold when I checked my bag I had in fact accidentally nicked 2 dimmer switches from your store. I found it highly amusing as I think its the first physical good I have stolen since I was 5.

My dilemma continued, knowing that I should bring the switches back to the store but really wanting to put them up!!! I gave in they now look brilliant on my wall and I can set the mood lighting however I please and sometimes change it up and down just because I can. This is my apology for stealing from you.

I like Clas Ohlson and want more of your products that I want to pay for them. Please tell me where I can send the money for the dimmer switches, I would much prefer not to come into the shop again as its quite far for me and petrol is flipping expensive at the moment.

Thanks for reading this.

I look forward to hearing from you as to which bank account I can send the 20 odd pounds.

Thanks again

Dave

I will be releasing a short series of videos highlighting the current state of play of the Mobile Touch Web space. The growth and expansion is phenomenal and very exciting.

In the mean time this presentation from Taptu explains a little about the way stuff is moving in a very fun way, enjoy.

I am convinced that very soon we will see whole businesses will be managed purely on mobile devices.

Everything from Inventory management, time logging, content updates, CRM, customer service and payment processing.

This is likely to be most interesting in Africa where traditional infrastructure (cabled internet and phones) is non existent but 3G networks are extremely advanced.I was in Kenya on safari with not a building in sight and had FULL signal and 3G. I cant even flipping get that in Surrey!

There are some interesting players already in the space doing good work Toughstuffonline.org and frogtek.org to name a couple that are providing solutions to allow rural Africa to interface with the wider community in a low cost sustainable manner.

I suggest Android will be the platform due to its more open app framework (Java Based) and easy submission process.  Also within a couple of years we will see some very low cost smart phones due to age and cheaper spec models but still very powerful compared to what we are used to at the low end of the current market.

This will change everything for the rural business person, they will be able to directly communicate with anyone, anywhere, anytime in a meaningful and efficient way.

Very exciting.

I was walking to a meeting in Pimlico the other day and I saw this.

No selling points of “We are the best / cheapest / fastest plumbers in London just a Social Association with the Prince’s trust.

We are a lot more concerned than ever before about how nice a company is. These guys are harnessing the power of Social Association and it is something that will only increase, trying to make businesses look less greedy!

Askmustard.com is a business I am involved in creating at the moment to give young people involved in tough backgrounds a chance to set up their own community based businesses.

With this business we have attached the Mustard Partner element where we team up with established businesses in the area to deliver projects that require more specialized skill.

The key is it is a mutually beneficial relationship between Mustard and the partners.

Mustard provides sales leads and “social association” to the partner and the partner helps mustard provide a service they would otherwise have to turn down sales leads for.

Win Win – Its the best way.

There are so many free lunches offered!

Often by well meaning people trying to give someone a hand up but accidentally through their over keen desire to help giving them a hand out instead.

I am sure you have seen it, a youngster gets a dream opportunity handed to him on a plate and doesn’t bother turning up on his first day and it drives you potty trying to understand how that could happen!

In my experience the best relationships exist when both parties bring something to the table, both parties hurt and both parties benefit from the success of the relationship.

Anything else is charity and charity is definitely an overused and often ineffective vessel for change

Every Lunch you go to you pay a high price for even if it is free financially it still has a high “Opportunity cost.” Who else could you have been at lunch with? Where else could you have been.

Don’t make it too easy for people, they need to buy in, if they don’t then you have no idea what they will be like when it matters!