Mike Klanac
CEO & Co-founder of GripeO: The Feedback App
Discussion
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Michael Klanac
@mjklanac · Web Chef at Four Kitchens
Hey everybody - I'm honored to be here and hope you have some good questions for me! My journey is one that's been heavily influenced by being a Father, the CEO of GripeO Social ReSolve, starting up, and living in two very amazing, but different areas (Buffalo, NY and Houston, TX).
I know that GripeO Social ReSolve tends to evoke emotion and opinions in Users and Businesses, and I won't shy away from sharing some of the core concepts we've come to believe passionately in over the last few years. I believe in the golden rule, hard work, balance, running and good scotch as a cure all, and always prioritizing happiness as true north. Thanks in advance for taking interest in my opinion, and I look forward to learning more about yours. Coffee is hot, Willie Nelson on in the background, fire away!
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Samantha Campanile
@samanthaaspen22
Hi Michael- My husband is involved in the start-up community as well, as his wife I can sometimes feel very frustrated in the amount of work that goes into building something, with little reward thus far. In your personal life, how do you deal with the work/life balance, stress, and furthermore what motivates you to keep pushing when things get tough?
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Michael Klanac
@mjklanac · Web Chef at Four Kitchens
@samanthaaspen22 I don't believe that people work without reward. Sometimes that reward isn't immediate (take going to school for example), and sometimes it isn't tangible (I've known several start up founders who seemed motivated by ego / title / press / power). The point is, there is a reward, and one should acknowledge and identify what it is, and keep it aligned with what keeps them happy. I'm able to manage work/life balance because I have a great support network around me in my in my family and friends. I take interest in their lives and aspirations, and they often return the favor in a wide array of different ways. Lastly, I love what I do. I have fun working, and it makes me happy. If I didn't, I couldn't work this hard.
Harry Stebbings
@harrystebbings · Podcast Host @ The Twenty Minute VC
@mjklanac thanks so much for joining us today. I am fascinated as the founder of a customer service platform, do you agree with the theory of @petershankman that because with regards to customer service people always expect such poor quality, all you have to do is offer one better than that, even if that is not such a significant improvement! What do you think?
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Michael Klanac
@mjklanac · Web Chef at Four Kitchens
@harrystebbings I do not. Certainly that approach, if applied, can show some results. As a leader and someone who's as concerned about core values and culture, striving for "just good enough" rubs me the wrong way. Additionally, I think "customer service" is a Business function that controls your brand as much or more than marketing. Massive Telecommunication conglomerates strive for "just good enough", and it only works because they're monopolies. If you don't have a monopoly, just good enough CAN'T be good enough for you if you want to get to the next level.
Erik Torenberg
@eriktorenberg · Former Product Hunt
Can you talk more about how being a father has changed you?
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Michael Klanac
@mjklanac · Web Chef at Four Kitchens
@eriktorenberg It so profoundly affects everything I do that it's really hard to put into words. For the purposes of today's AMA, and the Product Hunt audience, Fatherhood reminds me to be consistent. Every single day you're a Dad. You can't be a great Father most of the time, and have some bad days, and expect it not to affect your children. The same goes in the start up world, but with your highly respected peers and co-workers. Every single day they look for tone, someone to set the pace, the direction, and to instill confidence. The absence of any of those qualities for any significant period of time will create problems, and doubt. It also reminds that we're all people with emotions, and human connection is a fundamental component to all business relationships, be it customers, partners, or co-workers.
Andrew Ettinger
@andrewett · Product Marketing, Twitter (ex-PH)
Which social sphere have you guys gained the most customers through? I have to imagine Twitter is like shooting fish in a barrel.
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Michael Klanac
@mjklanac · Web Chef at Four Kitchens
@andrewmettinger To date, it has indeed been Twitter. Tons of content, simplicity, customer targets, free communication - it has it all. I realize it's not truly social, but Search has also been very friendly to us. Online Reviews are social in the sense that a person is sharing an experience. You often find out about those experience through Google searches, so playing nice in SEO has also been key.
Russ Frushtick
@russfrushtick
@mjklanac How do you think the customer service industry will change over the next 10 years?
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Michael Klanac
@mjklanac · Web Chef at Four Kitchens
@russfrushtick If I had to wager a guess, I would expect that you'll continue to see Technology have a strong affect on how customer service is done. More specifically, I think you'll see continued customer frustration, technically referred to as "rage", as businesses stay focused on "selfish systems" intended to maximize efficiency and optimize resource planning in constantly evolving markets.
Not only is the fundamental focus wrong, multiple studies have shown that the cognitive dissonance between what consumers want and businesses provide is increasing, likely because pure customer service doesn't keep pace with the technical innovation we naturally adapt to. This leads me to a core concept of GripeO Social ReSolve. We are not just a tool set. We are a different "system" altogether, with a goal of consolidating a very fragmented model. To do this, we need to serve the needs of Consumers and Businesses. When they BOTH win, we do as well.
One other note - In 10 years optimization will likely be a blended, balanced model of computer intelligence and human interaction working closely together. Neither totally automated, nor totally human.
Lejla Bajgoric
@lejlahunts · Intern, Product Hunt
Michael, hi! Is the customer always right?! Whether yes or no, what implications does your answer have?
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Michael Klanac
@mjklanac · Web Chef at Four Kitchens
@lejlahunts Yes, the customer is always right. The customer is entitled to an opinion, to share that opinion, and even be frustrated. The business should create a culture where employees realize that they're the ones taking the customer on the date, and an additional level of respect is always required. That being said, disproportionate hostility should not be tolerated. The candor of feedback should be commensurate with the issue at hand, and if not, a business has the choice to politely "fire" that customer, and accept the consequences of that decision, which may not always be pretty.
Emily Hodgins
@ems_hodge · Community and Marketing, Product Hunt
Hi Mike, thanks for joining us today! What have been the biggest challenges to building GripeO? What advice would you give to other Founders just starting out?
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Michael Klanac
@mjklanac · Web Chef at Four Kitchens
@ems_hodge The biggest challenge has been tying Product Market fit together across all Business functions and activities. It's been, how do we build a pipeline of intelligence from our Customers, to our Architects, to our Developers, and then Market that solution. Its the consistency in Billing, in Social Media, in PR, in WHO we hire that understands that fit, and even fundraising in a way that aligns with and builds upon our initial successes. I've said this before, and it's scary, but it's true. Our whole system is held together by duct tape and hard work. We don't have the luxury of relying on money to fix problems, so I just try to keep the ship pointed in the right direction, with a finger in each leak until we can fix it for real.
Emily Hodgins
@ems_hodge · Community and Marketing, Product Hunt
What has been the most surprising thing about building your own business?
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Michael Klanac
@mjklanac · Web Chef at Four Kitchens
@ems_hodge Managing heavy stress. I genuinely and passionately care and have respect for GripeO Social ReSolve, the people that I work with, our Users, Customers, and those that support us. I process stress as a Father / CEO - meaning, I always, no matter what, keep my head and put one foot in the front of the other; but stress gets you one way or another (It Follows - great movie too!). It could be bad sleep, over-eating, being moody, or even short. I try to handle that by just being aware that it exists, continuing to work hard, and realizing that sometimes a slow walk around the block or in nature IS the best thing I could for all those people and things I care so genuinely about.
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Michael Klanac
@mjklanac · Web Chef at Four Kitchens
@paul_s_kemp Given the season, I've been enjoying LORE: http://www.lorepodcast.com/ on walks around the block.
For tech, I always appreciate talking and listening with you Paul on The App Guy Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podc... Something about how you always make it feel like a conversation over coffee instead of a Q and A sits really well with me. Kind of like an English, tech, Howard Stern!