Mississippi Business Journal B-L-O-G

Third Congressional District candidate Charlie Ross landed another business-related endorsement yesterday. Here are the details from a campaign news release:

On Thursday, the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors - Mississippi (NAIFA-MS) formally endorsed Charlie Ross for his Third Congressional District campaign.

Charlie has already received the endorsements of the Homebuilders Association of Mississippi, the Mississippi Associated Builders and Contractors, the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association, and the Club for Growth.

“Are you serious?”

That question drives me crazy, and I heard it too many times a few Saturdays ago. Here’s the reply I wanted to give but never did: Would I be standing in the rain at 7 a.m. with a money bag and stack of parking passes asking for five bucks if I wasn’t serious?

In the rain. Seriously, would I?

How did I end up in that Saturday morning rain, you ask? Simple answer: for the children. In this case, the 10-Year-Old and her soccer team. A friend and I volunteered for parking duty at our daughters’ big tournament in Clinton earlier this month and we realized quickly that our fellow soccer moms and dads don’t like to pay to park.

Nevermind that it’s pretty standard — most big tournaments do it. Nevermind that it’s going to support a worthy nonprofit organization. Nevermind that you’ve already spent thousands of dollars so your kid can play competitive soccer around the South so what’s another five dollars anyway.

Just nevermind.

Drizzly litany

In addition to the “Are you serious?” attack, we also had:

• “Haven’t I already paid to play in this tournament?”

• “I’ve got three dollars.”

• “My daughter said I didn’t have to pay.”

• “You need to come to Monroe.”

• “I just don’t have it.”

Perspective, please

I’ll be honest with you, I wasn’t going to argue about five dollars, debate parking policies, or chase after anyone who breezed by us and our bright yellow passes. At some point that Saturday morning, I decided to just be nice and take the sneers, barbed comments and incredulous stares.

Along the way, I talked to some really nice folks, gave directions, laughed about the weather, and did my best at providing a positive customer service experience for those parents and players, friends and fans.

Feel free to scoff, but as many an observer has pointed out, lamenting the sorry state of customer service is our new national pastime. Taking advantage of a face-to-face service opportunity, even as a volunteer, can be an eye-opening experience for those of us who aren’t on the frontlines with customers and clients every day.

So, for two hours I tried to answer questions, make change quickly and leave ‘em with: “Have a great tournament!” Did any of that make a difference? Did our tournament customers appreciate the effort? Who knows, but my parking lot partner and I did our part.

I learned two lessons from the experience: One, my mother is right — being nice matters and makes a difference. And two, give the best customer service you can at whatever it is, whatever you do, and you’re guaranteed a solid return on the investment.

Contact MBJ editor Jim Laird at jim.laird@msbusiness.com or (601) 364-1018. Read his blog at mbjblog.wordpress.com.

Keep this traffic alert from MDOT in mind when you’re out and about today:

The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) would like to announce the following traffic alert to motorists traveling on I-55 southbound in Hinds County.

Motorists traveling on I-55 southbound near Northside Drive on Thursday should be aware of lane closures in the area. Crews will be working in the area from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Please watch out for crews working in the area.

Another Mississippi twist to the intensifying battle between the Obama and Clinton campaigns, straight from the Obama Press Office:

JACKSON, MS – Today, Former Governor Ray Mabus called on the Clinton campaign to apologize for remarks made by Joel Ferguson, the Co-Chairman of the Clinton Campaign in Michigan for calling delegates in red states “second-class.” Ferguson said, “Superdelegates are not second-class delegates. The real second-class delegates are the delegates that are picked in red-state caucuses that are never going to vote Democratic.”

Mabus said, “Today, a Clinton campaign surrogate took it to another level and said flat out the Democrats in Red States are second-class citizens. This is a step too far. Senator Clinton’s surrogates are telling Democrats in almost half the states in the country that they don’t matter, and that they are second class. Senator Clinton needs to immediately denounce these comments and tell her campaign surrogates to stop taking cheap pot-shots at committed Democrats across the country.”

Wednesday, February 20 is Realtor Day at the Capitol in Jackson. The Mississippi Association of Realtors event is “designed to bring awareness to legislative issues important to homeowners, homebuyers and real estate professionals,” according to the organization. Here are additional details from the MAR press release:

“These REALTORS are taking a proactive role in guiding legislation that will impact the Mississippi real estate market,” said Angela Cain, CEO of the Mississippi Association of REALTORS, the state’s largest business trade association representing 6,500 REALTORS active in all phases of real estate brokerage.

After meeting with individual legislators on key 2008 legislative issues, the real estate professionals will then hear speeches from 3rd District Congressional candidates over lunch at the Mississippi Association of REALTORS headquarters in Flowood. Charlie Ross, David Landrum, John Rounsaville and Greg Harper are slated to appear in the noon to 1:30 p.m. timeframe.

We have an opening in our Jackson newsroom:

The Mississippi Business Journal is searching for a talented, tech-savvy and detail-oriented team player to join our growing editorial department as staff researcher-reporter. This position manages our weekly editorial focus lists, as well as our annual Book of Lists edition, and also reports and writes for the MBJ and special publications, both in print and online. Candidates must possess a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and one year of full-time newspaper experience. Database management experience is a plus. An affiliate of Dolan Media Company, the Mississippi Business Journal offers a competitive salary and benefits package. Please send résumé and examples of your work to editor Jim Laird, 5120 Galaxie Drive, Jackson, MS 39206-4308 or jim.laird@msbusiness.com.

The Coast is making great progress in the post-Katrina recovery process, and another piece is settling into place. Wal-Mart announced today that is building a new store in Pass Christian. Here are the details from the press release:

BENTONVILLE, AR, February 15, 2008– As part of a long-stated commitment to Pass Christian, MS, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. today announced its’ intent to rebuild a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Pass Christian. The Pass Christian Wal-Mart was completely destroyed during Hurricane Katrina.

The proposed Supercenter would be approximately 150,000 square feet and is currently estimated to open in late summer of 2009.

Travis Childers, a Democratic candidate in the First Congressional District race, has hit the North Mississippi airwaves with a television commercial. According to his campaign, he’s the first Democrat to do so. Here are a few more details from today’s news release, including a YouTube link to the ad:

Childers’ campaign began airing an ad on Friday that tells the story of how he worked full-time jobs through high school and college to support his mother and sister after his father died when Childers was sixteen years old. The ad also touts Childers’ economic development credentials by helping attract more than 1,000 new jobs to North Mississippi.

The TV ad is available for viewing on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7oDTGclHp8

In our informal MBJ newsroom poll, it’s three thumbs down for the ad so far. The story has potential, but the execution is lacking.

Catch the Mississippi House of Representatives in action with Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s webcast that starts today.

“We are excited about the opportunity to be able to provide the citizens of Mississippi with access to the public policy activities of the Mississippi House of Representatives while they are in full session,” stated MPB executive director Marie Antoon.

MPB webcasts state Senate proceedings, too.

Charlie Ross has the backing of another industry group in his race for Congress:

On Wednesday, the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association formally endorsed Charlie Ross for his Third Congressional District campaign.

The mission of the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association is to unify, foster, promote, and protect the hospitality and food service industries. Currently, the association has 2,100 members.