Just Look Carefully

Just Looking!?!  Imagine if dating started this way.  Or what if the first time you met your doctor, he asked you, "What brings you in today?" and you respond, "Just Looking!?!".  Maybe your hair stylist, your waitress, your mechanic, or your banker get the Just Looking!?!  Why is it this phrase only applies to direct sales?  If you are there for a reason, why use it at all? 

Let's look at the first example, dating.  When you meet someone for the first time, be it a blind date (cold call), a set up with some one's "friend" (a referral), or someone you meet at a singles hangout (prospecting), isn't this really a sales opportunity?  Both parties are on their best behavior and seem to avoid the risky topics.  Both seem to want to establish a common ground to see if this relationship can continue.  Both may be looking to close the deal; I won't stereo type here as both sides are equally to blame.  Some times the phrase Just looking!?!, seems appropriate, yet it is never used. 

What if this..

...ended like this?

What a great brush off.  Imagine the guys from A Night at the Roxbury asking to buy you a drink.  JUST LOOKING!?!  Problem solved.  No further conversation needed.  Wouldn't Michael Douglas have been a whole lot better off if he had told Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction, JUST LOOKING!?!  Then the poor, defenseless rabbit would still be alive too.  You are welcome PETA.  Surely Just Looking!?!, when wielded carefully is a powerful weapon and phrase.

They look like they are done looking, don't they?

Although, consider your weapons and phrases carefully.  When used inappropriately Just Looking!?! can cause more damage than good.  Consider Will Smith in Hitch.  His career, in the movie, and the movie itself would never have happened.  Poor Kevin James (Albert Brennaman) and Amber Valletta (Allegra Cole) could never live happily ever after.  Just think, no Romeo and Juliet, no Meet the Parents, no Titanic, no How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, no 50 First Dates,...  Hollywood itself may not even exist!!  How would we all live?

Just Looking!?!  Think carefully the next time you wield this phrase.  If the power of those two words can topple an empire like Hollywood, imagine what it could do to our consumer industry.  May I suggest, "I am Just Looking!?! for someone to help me with ________________."  I promise to be the first one to stop using the phrase unless I am writing.  Until this happens, I will have to keep Just Looking!?! myself.

Don't let it happen.  You have the power for change.

Too Smart Car

Both dressed in black yet one has more
horsepower and brains.  Yup, the car.

Technology.  Is there such a thing as a "Smart" car?  I don't mean the brand Smart; I mean a car like K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider.  A car that can acutally think for itself.  Because let's face it, some of us are like David Hasselhoff; we need someone else to do the thinking. 

I continue to be amazed at the technology involved in today's cars like vehicles that don't need a key to be locked, unlocked, or started.  How convienient.  If I lost my keys in the car, I would be set forever.  Now all I would have to do is keep track of the car.  Maybe we should add to that feature the "Where the hell did I park?" assist. 

Another amazing little piece of technology, Active Park Assist.  Vehicles equipped with this can acutally steer themselves into a parking space.  There is a little input needed from the driver (shifting of the transmission) which the car tells you when and what gear to put it in. You must also push the brake pedal; no help here.  You are on your own, but the car will pick out its own spot and then perfectly parallel park itself.  And, it will perform this feat on the driver side or the passenger side.  Where was this when I was taking my driver's license test? 

It kind of makes the Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with cross traffic alert seem old school.  Insert sarcastic tone here, "All this system can do is keep an eye on your blind spot to alert you if someone is driving in it, and let you know from which side a potential accident is coming from when you are backing out of a parking stall."  It's actually a very helpful system to keep you out of accidents, but would definitely be cooler if the voice of Kitt were alerting you. 

How about Adaptive Cruise Control and Collision Warning with Brake Support?  A system that will detect traffic in front of you and help maintain your set following distance by reducing the speed of your vehicle because rarely will someone pull in front of you and actually go faster than you.  If it just so happens that this person slows rapidly--think emergency stop--the system alerts you with bright red LED's and precharges the brakes, readying the vehicle for a quick stop.  This can be especially useful for those of us that like to use our hands to express our true feelings to "that driver" and temporarily forget that we are traveling at a high rate of speed because we are so focused on telling "that driver" that he is number one.  Or two if you are using both hands which is not recommended. 

Another available option is Lane Keeping System.  Really?  REALLY?  A system that will alert you to your non-attentive driving by first warning you of a possible lane departure with steering wheel vibrations; think rumble strips, or like my son likes to call them, road farts.  If you can't take the hint, this system can actually apply steering force to help direct the car back to the center of the lane.  And if you just refuse to listen, this system can also ask you to pull over and shows an icon of a cup of coffee indicating that you need to take a break from driving to revive yourself. 

All of these features are very cool and available on many of the new Ford and Lincoln vehicles.  I have only touched on a few of them as there are so many, and by now I may have lost some of you as I can only be entertaining in short bursts.  Is the possibility of each of us having our own smart ass, British accent, watch your back, turbo boost over stuff, coolest ever car right around the corner?  Maybe.  For now I would just be happy to have a car, that when approached by a customer, would tell them, "JUST LOOKING!?!"

Just Looking!?! for a better driver and co-star.