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Blockbuster CEO 'Confused by Fascination' With Netflix

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Re: Blockbuster CEO 'Confused by Fascination' With Netflix

#21

Post by ericb »

cmos wrote: post #14

wow. He should be fired. Immediately. Just saying those comments should be career suicide. His PR person is probably freaking out. Why would the board of directors just wait around for a clueless leader to drive them into the ground? They lost the battle. Time for an aggressive plan B to stay in business. Attempts to sell consumer electronics in blockbuster stores are pathetic and have failed over and over again. Fir…

I like your approach. Jordans Furniture uses the "shoppertainment" strategy very effectively--I think this could work for blockbuster, too.

Re: Blockbuster CEO 'Confused by Fascination' With Netflix

#22

Post by akd »

cujo wrote: post #16
jrockway wrote: post #2

"I've been frankly confused by this fascination that everybody has with Netflix," Keyes told Rafat Ali, in an interview with PaidContent.org. Translation: "I am not qualified for my job. I know nothing about my industry, or what my customers want. I get a nice paycheck though." I'm frankly confused as to why a CEO would think that being confused about his competition would bring him more business.

I'm a bit confused by it too. What does Netflix have/do that BB doesn't?

price

Re: Blockbuster CEO 'Confused by Fascination' With Netflix

#25

Post by weegee »

I've been with Netflix since 2004, and tried Blockbuster Online a couple of times but always went with Netflix. The reason? Better selection, better website, better customer service. I thought the in-store renting deal with Blockbuster would be a plus, since there is a store within 5 minutes walk from my home, but while in the store, I asked myself, "what the hell am I doing here??"

Re: Blockbuster CEO 'Confused by Fascination' With Netflix

#26

Post by dmix »

cdr wrote: post #7
jrockway wrote: post #2

"I've been frankly confused by this fascination that everybody has with Netflix," Keyes told Rafat Ali, in an interview with PaidContent.org. Translation: "I am not qualified for my job. I know nothing about my industry, or what my customers want. I get a nice paycheck though." I'm frankly confused as to why a CEO would think that being confused about his competition would bring him more business.

He might know what his customers want, but the problem is his customers are becoming Netflix customers. The market has changed, but his target customer hasn't.

That is exactly how disruptive technologies take over big markets. While they are developing a great service, the big company is still completely focused on the ways of their old customers.

Re: Blockbuster CEO 'Confused by Fascination' With Netflix

#27

Post by [deleted] »

prakash wrote: post #19
cmos wrote: post #14

wow. He should be fired. Immediately. Just saying those comments should be career suicide. His PR person is probably freaking out. Why would the board of directors just wait around for a clueless leader to drive them into the ground? They lost the battle. Time for an aggressive plan B to stay in business. Attempts to sell consumer electronics in blockbuster stores are pathetic and have failed over and over again. Fir…

Why would the board of directors just wait around for a clueless leader to drive them into the ground? Typically, CEO's hire their board and gives them lots of options to essentially align with the CEO. Once I wrote this, out of curiosity, I checked who's on the board of Blockbuster. Interestingly, a one Carl Icahn is on the board. ( http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/companyOfficers?symbol... ) Also, the CEO made…

[deleted]

Re: Blockbuster CEO 'Confused by Fascination' With Netflix

#28

Post by icey »

cujo wrote: post #16
jrockway wrote: post #2

"I've been frankly confused by this fascination that everybody has with Netflix," Keyes told Rafat Ali, in an interview with PaidContent.org. Translation: "I am not qualified for my job. I know nothing about my industry, or what my customers want. I get a nice paycheck though." I'm frankly confused as to why a CEO would think that being confused about his competition would bring him more business.

I'm a bit confused by it too. What does Netflix have/do that BB doesn't?

Amazing customer service

Re: Blockbuster CEO 'Confused by Fascination' With Netflix

#30

Post by byrneseyeview »

stcredzero wrote: post #23

The lesson: if the market confuses you, you are out of touch with it!

There are plenty of times when being confused and 'out of touch' is better than pretending to know what's going on when people are being irrational. This is probably not the case with Blockbuster, but they don't have the resources to emulate Netflix. Their best bet is to hold on to a gradually declining customer base, and eventually liquidate.
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