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When Marijean asked me to write a post about Lance Armstrong, I was torn. He’s getting ready to admit to being a cheater and liar on Oprah this week. He has always been an inspiration to me, since I am a serious cyclist and have watched, and drawn motivation from, his amazing performances in the Tour de France for a long time.  It could be argued that Lance Armstrong single-handedly took cycling into the mainstream as a fitness activity in America, and for that I will remain forever grateful.

I can also argue that the good his Livestrong foundation has done for cancer patients around the globe is miraculous, both in terms of support and also in terms of inspiration. Lance’s cycling exploits made all that possible and for that many should also be grateful.

I can ALSO argue, although it’s a tougher one to make, that ALL pro cyclists are taking PEDs, so Lance was merely the best of the best. It’s certainly clear from all the activities of the UCI and USADA that many other cyclists were doping throughout their careers. As a cyclist, I really don’t CARE if they dope, because I know how much they are suffering regardless of how quickly they recover. It’s a brutal sport and I love watching, even if they are thickening their blood with EPO. I say let them all do it. Hell, let’s FORCE them to do it! Not really.

BUT.

What I DO care about is that these guys, and Lance in particular, are being total cowards about it. They lie, they obfuscate, they deny, and yet they benefit from the fruits of commercial success. Lance, in particular, has been particularly egregious and has profited particularly well from what now appears to be a totally fabricated story. His inspirational return to cycling after his cancer scare had weight PRECISELY because he claimed to be a clean rider after that. Total crap now. THAT hurts.

If they all stood up to the federations and worked WITH them to develop a solution, then we might be somewhere.  Refuse to ride any races until it’s resolved. The Tour folks would get to the table pretty fast if that happened. This culture of criminalizing what WE choose to put in our bodies must end.

But from a PR perspective, Armstrong’s activities and all that he has done to hide them violate every piece of advice we give our clients regarding transparency, accountability, clarity, and trust. He is now the shining example of how NOT to conduct business.

This ESPN video sums up a lot of what people are feeling, so I won’t try and recap it. But I personally am bummed because it’s just one more example of how our desire to be famous, rich, and powerful just ends in corrupt, morally empty, and amazingly narcissistic behavior. Our glorification of celebrity is destroying our culture of trust, cooperation, and sense of fair play. Guys like Lance just do whatever benefits them, no matter what damage it does to their sport or to other people. Sad.

How do you feel about it?

As digital marketers, we all have a lot invested in technological solutions. They might be content development tools, monitoring software, CRM, SEO optimizers, analytics, social media platforms, blogging tools–you name it. We spend a LOT of time and money perfecting and talking about them. An entire industry has sprung up teaching people how to “transform their business” using these tools. OK, maybe. But have we forgotten what it’s all for??

In the end, we want happy customers. The more, the better. The happier the better. Right?

So today’s story is about a local Charlottesville business, Blue Ridge Cyclery. They have been in business just under two years and are very much the new kid on the block in terms of bike shops. But in that short time, they have systematically unraveled the competitive advantage of every other shop in the area. They have landed all the best bike manufacturers. They have the busiest service department. They have become the source for the best rides. They have a great racing team. They have the nicest inventory. They have a great location. They are ubiquitous at all the cycling events locally. In short, they have won.

How have they done this so quickly? It’s simple–amazing customer service.

They take on problems other shops find too trivial or difficult. They deal with nasty warranty work. They provide an upbeat, can-do energy when you arrive. They do what they say they will do, often faster and for less than anywhere else. They are problem solvers, solutions providers, and enthusiasm generators. The result? Total loyalty, even if you feel guilty leaving your old shop. In short, they are the things you have to be FIRST if you want your marketing initiatives to work. They embody the promises we often make online to our customers, the ones we often fall way short in delivering. They don’t fall short often, and if they do, they make good.

So take a lesson, business people. Be what your customers hope (but often don’t believe) you’ll be. Deliver on your promises. Over-deliver, in fact. Exceed expectations. And be real! All the tools in the world won’t change the basic, simple fact that enchanting your customers in real life is job one.