TO: High-Level Business Executives
FROM: The Executive Whisper
Bruce Springsteen, known to anyone over 35 as “The Boss,” has been called the greatest show in rock ’n’ roll.
With only slight apologies to U2 and the Stones in their prime, that assessment is correct.
Incredibly, he turns 60 this year.
What does this have to do with business? In an age where customer service is the new marketing, Springsteen has understood this for 25+ years.
Go to one of his shows – in other words, engage with the Springsteen brand – and you leave a life-long fan and tell everyone you know.
Springsteen’s current tour promoting his CD/Album – whatever the category is called now – Working on a Dream tour has earned rave reviews.
Shawn Courchesne of the Hartford Courant proclaims, “It just got better and better… perfect, simply perfect.” Rolling Stone Online proclaimed of a rehearsal concert, “Springsteen seemed to offer a renewed sense of purpose and optimism onstage, rejuvenating and uniting a people in danger of losing their faith.”
“He’s the best there is,” exclaimed Melissa Baron of SF Weekly, “Springsteen played so hard that sweat dripped off his whole body.”
Ricardo Baca of The Denver Post wrote, “Springsteen is a better showman today than in 1984,” while Mike Ragogna said in the Huffington Post, “If you haven’t been to one of Springsteen’s shows in a while, you need to catch this tour.”
Meanwhile Sarah Rodman of the Boston Globe writes, “Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band don’t have to play for two hours and 40 minutes. Nor, when they play, is it a requirement that Springsteen fall to his knees, shimmy and shake, attack his guitar like he’s still discovering new sounds it can make, or take audience requests that he and his band don’t know how to play… Springsteen and his band did all of that and more.”
Martin Cizmar of The Phoenix New Times had never seen Springsteen live. “I’m not from Jersey, I didn’t grow up with The Boss and I’d never seen him play before,” Cizmar admits, “but I will say that nearly everything you’ve heard or read about a Springsteen show is true. The fans are rabid, the set marathon, Springsteen a first-rate showman.”
All businesses should fall to their knees, shimmy and shake while delivering customer service that produces raving fans like this – in the press, no less!
