Friday Morning Videos: Halloween Edition: KTVQ Billings, Montana - Joe Gehl & Maytag Repairman

In the spirit of Halloween, here is a news clip of late Maytag Man Gordon Jump appearing at a Halloween event in Billings, MT.



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Throwback Thursday: News Recap October 30, 2014

If you have been reading the W.L. May Blog but haven't checked us out on Facebook, Twitter or Google+, you may not be getting the whole story. We use all of those social media outlets to share news stories that relate to our industry as well as appliance tips we have found from other sources. Here is a recap of some of the top stories we have seen lately. It's been a HUGE week for news, so without further ado:

We start with some consumer friendly articles we feel would be great for sharing:

• Having trouble getting the stink out your workout clothes? Maybe these tips can help. LINK
• Food safety news outlined some common problems that should be addressed if they are happening in YOUR kitchen. LINK
• Do you wash your towels often enough? This article says probably not! LINK
• Do you avoid microwave cooking because the food doesn't turn out the way you want it to? These tips might help. LINK
• Yahoo! Homes offered their tips for cleaning a dryer. LINK

Next, we look at the manufacturers and how they have been in the news recently:

• Whirlpool bought Italy's Indesit. We're not sure what, if any, effect this will have on North America. LINK
• Whirlpool made a big bid for China with the acquisition of Hefei Rongshida Sanyo Electric Co. LINK
• Electrolux talked about how acquiring GE will effect its Charlotte NC facilities. LINK

We found an article that might be of interest to those of you who love all thing appliances:

• BBC asked viewers to send in pictures based on a theme. The theme was laundry. They got some great shots. LINK
• Who needs a combination tablet computer/induction cooktop? An Electrolux designer thinks someone does. LINK
• Images of using the refrigerator's ice dispenser to dispense candy went viral on the Internet. LINK

Sometimes, the links we post are related to technology, business or happenings on the internet:

• Detergent companies have felt a squeeze as high efficiency washing machines have enjoyed sales success. LINK
• Lake Appliance in Orangevale, CA appeared as the Business Spotlight Member before the Orangevale Chamber of Commerce. LINK
• Facebook is rolled out a new chat feature. LINK

We close with few fun stories:

• A clown, a washing machine, the devil and some scared kids. LINK
• Can you tell the difference between these appliance sounds and Trent Reznor's industrial music? LINK

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W.L. May Company Holiday Toy Drive

October 27th – December 12th

Donate New Un-Wrapped Toys* and bring a smile to a child this holiday season.

*Sorry, we cannot accept toys with religious or weapon related themes. ie: no guns, knives, swords, projectiles, crosses, nativity sets, or menorahs. Thank you for your understanding.

Your gifts support these local hospitals:

Seattle Children's Hospital (Seattle)

St. Luke's Childrens's Hospital (Boise)

UC Davis Children's Hospital (Sacramento)

Randall Children's Hospital (Portland)

Please mail or drop off toys @ your local W. L. May Location:

 Portland Branch

 835 E. Burnside

 Portland OR 97214

 503.231.7000

 Seattle Branch

 9801 Aurora Ave.N.

 Seattle WA 97103

 206.545.4500

 Sacramento Branch

 3314 Orange Grove Ave.

 North Highlands CA 95660

 916.679.2470

 Boise Branch

 11692 W. Executive Dr. 

 Boise ID 83713

 208.345.7411

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Kelly's Korner - Things that go bump in the night

Hey, All,

Tis the week for all the ghoulies and ghosties to be slinking through the neighborhoods in search of tricks or treats - but what if what is bumping in the middle of the night is your appliances?

Creative Commons license on image.

First, get up and see where it's coming from (if you can unglue yourself from under the covers).  If it's not spewing water or spurting flames - go back to bed.  It will hold until you have to get up.  If it's spewing water, turn the machine off and unplug it and get the water cleaned up.  As long as there is no more water coming out of it, you're good till morning and you can call your favorite tech.

If it is spewing flames, don't call on Saint George, call 911 and get everyone out of the house!  Without endangering yourself and others, if you can put it out with an extinguisher, fine, but still call the fire department - flames may be hiding in walls and other places and they will make sure everything is safe.  It is not wise to have your washer, dryer or dishwasher running while no one is home - that's when the little goblins decide to wreak havoc.

It's always a good ideal to have your appliance repair company come do regular maintainence on your appliances and with the holidays coming up it's best to get it done as soon as possible to avoid the holiday rush - yes, there is a holiday rush with appliance repair!  Either those goblins choose the worst time to invade or there are alot of procrastinators out there that have to wait till the last minute to fix their appliances for the holidays.

Have a spook-tacular week!

Monday Motivation

Seems like Americans just want it to be Halloween all year. The holiday just keeps getting more popular.-Amity Shlaes

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Portland RSTI- A message from Bradley

Today we would like to feature a message from Bradley to all of our customers:

W.L. May Co. is committed to providing superior customer service and, above all else, the utmost level of integrity in everything we do. More than any other distributor, we realize if our customers are not successful, than neither are we. In order to help insure the success of the appliance service industry, we are pleased to once again be sponsoring an educational opportunity not to be missed. There is no better opportunity for you to receive both technical and business training for such an economical investment. For $199, you can receive 2 days of technical training on Bosch, Electrolux, Samsung, and Whirlpool, and also business classes that will help you garner great info. Only 1 new idea can lead to a substantial increase to your revenue.

In addition to the technical and business training, you will receive 5 hot meals over the 2 days, and an industry round table where a wealth of ideas are shared. Last, and certainly not least, you  get your 1^st year’s membership to United Servicers Association, if you currently are not a member. As a member of USA, you have access to an extensive library of service manuals, technical bulletins, and a wealth of other info. Also, you have access to a chat line that is utilized by servicers for advice on a variety of topics, from diagnosis help, business questions, as well as advice on what products are best for the enhancement of their business.

It truly is an investment you can’t afford not to make in yourself or your business. The United Servicer Association website has all the pertinent information. But to summarize, here it is:

November 6^th and 7^th

Monarch Hotel

12566 SE 93^rd Ave

Portland, OR 97015

503.652.1515

Thanks for taking this opportunity to improve your service and your business. Let's make this a sell out!

-Bradley Cantor

Editors Note: Watch your email for a very special offer concerning the Portland RSTI.

Thursday Tweets: Getting Ready for Thanksgiving (It's Not Too Early)

While looking through our Twitter feed we found these kitchen tweets to share with you.

In other posts, I have pointed out how Thanksgiving is a busy time for an appliance parts store and for the repair people we serve. People with broken appliances can get particularly anxious about getting repairs done before the holiday. We open our look into Twitter with a sentiment a home owner with a broken kitchen appliance might relate to...

Wish I was full of thanksgiving dinner instead of stress and anxiety
— Olivia Mendes (@livvymendes) October 22, 2014

Some people can get so worked up about holiday preparations that strange thoughts enter their mind...

Had a dream that I made Thanksgiving dinner in an EasyBake Oven and then was eaten by a tanning bed. Normal.
— Denise! (@Stellacopter) October 21, 2014

To save some time, a portion of the holiday cooking can be done with a microwave. This tweeter plans on shaving a few seconds off of the cooking time...

Life is too short to cover stuff in the microwave
— Owl City (@owlcity) October 22, 2014

From the sidelines I know that plan won't save time, because any time you save by not covering your food, you are likely to spend later cleaning up the mess...

Life is too short to scrape crusty exploded spaghetti-os off the inside of the microwave
— Owl City (@owlcity) October 22, 2014

Really though, carelessness in the kitchen can lead to bigger problems than a mess to clean up...

Watching a show about house fires when suddenly I smelled burning. Realized I left my eggs on the stovetop. Homemade smellevision!
— Torrance Coombs (@torrancecoombs) September 28, 2014

A Safe-T element on the range might have prevented THAT burnt dish, but since they don't make Safe-T elements for ovens, you really still need to be paying attention in the kitchen...

Completely forgot I had a cake in the oven, and found it smoking and totally black a few hours later! 😣
— HeyoTheo (@HeyoTheo) October 22, 2014

No really, just pay attention...

I'm the definition of stupid. I literally just sat my hand down on a hot burner cuz I wanted to know why it said "hot cooktop".. DUH LINDSAY
— ℓιи∂ѕαу тυяиєя (@lindzzzz_) October 14, 2014

Your not stupid, Lindsay, just careless. Like this tweeter...

Just tried to microwave something, realized too late I set it for 1 hour instead of 1 minute. I have lost the intelligence high road.
— Jason Pinter (@jasonpinter) October 22, 2014

If you are careful, and pay attention, the odds are you will succeed in creating a great holiday meal for your guests. Some of them will thank you like this...

All I'm doing after thanksgiving dinner is sleeping and watching football
— Guardian (@MIDNITEsMADNESS) October 22, 2014

If you have a dishwasher you will probably think to yourself...

I guess ill never understand putting dirty dishes in the sink before you go to bed. Especially when the dishwasher is not even a foot away
— Connor Halliday (@c_halliday12) October 15, 2014

Of course if your dishwasher is out of order, then you might be thinking something more like this...

The dishwasher broke so I just had to wash an entire load of dishes by hand like some kind of normal person from the 1950's.
— Sammy Rhodes (@sammyrhodes) October 19, 2014

After over 20 years of watching people get anxious as they scramble to get things fixed in the kitchen at the last minute, let me offer some free advice. You can head off some potential holiday frustrations by getting any appliances that need servicing fixed NOW! Don't wait until the last minute. That way you can enjoy your Thanksgiving with one less thing to cause you stress and anxiety.

Post Script

This post was meant as a fun reminder to get your appliances repairs started sooner rather than later. If YOUR appliances are working great, we don't want this blog post to be a total waste of your time so here are a few tips for using your microwave, as well as one thing you definitely should NOT try at home...

Put your wet sponge in the microwave for 2 minutes to kill 99% of the bacteria. pic.twitter.com/bXclpKnEuY
— Organize Your Life (@OrganizeHacks4U) October 22, 2014

Microwave the lemon or lime before slicing on high for 20-30 seconds to get the most juice pic.twitter.com/sK2WbokvVK
— COOK IT YOURSELF (@CIY_Food) October 22, 2014

CD in a Microwave http://t.co/ClviAIQlAM
— How it's Made (@TheWeirdWorld) October 19, 2014

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Wednesday W.L.May Profile: Kelly Mondor

This is the part of the blog where we share a little about ourselves. Today we would like to introduce you to one of the people that help provide you with our famously fast and accurate customer service.

Name? 
Kelly Mondor

Job Title? 
Account Manager (only because Superwoman is not an actual job title and I have the t-shirt to prove it!)

Where did you grow up? 
Did I?  I was raised in Tillamook, Oregon.

How long have you been with W.L. May? 
13 years and counting

What did you do prior to joining W.L. May? 
Lots o’things – made jerky, carhop at Dairy Queen, fast food manager, pizza joint owner, inside sales for a walk-in cooler/freezer manufacturer, apple sorter, office manager for land surveyor.

What do you enjoy doing when you're not at work? 
Crocheting, reading, working on my yard, watching TV

To what do you credit your success? 
Great role models here at WL May and a mind that holds trivial knowledge really well.

What do you like about working at W.L. May? 
The people I work with – both co-workers and clients.  The ever changing facets of appliances – it’s never boring.  And finding the answers to the questions that are put to me daily.

Can you share one piece of advice for others in our industry? 
Keep an open mind and always keep learning.

Can you share something most people do not know about you?
Not really – pretty much an open book as my clients and friends can attest to.

For more from education and entertainment from W.L. May Company click...HERE

Kelly's Korner - Pest Control

Hey, All,

Mice and rats - shudder! - are often the main reason I get calls for hoses for washers and dishwashers and insulation and wiring for stoves.  The little buggers are thirsty and will chew through all kinds of stuff to get to water or to find a nice warm place to raise their young.

If you live in a rural area where rodents are prevelant (and you can get them in the city, too!), this may be a particular problem. Their front teeth grow continually and plastic, pvc pipe and rubber is perfect for them to help wear them down.  And if your area has been short on rain, or areas where they normally get water from are dried up, then they can kill two birds by chewing on your hoses and getting to the water in your hoses and pipes.  They can also get in the insulation in your stoves and make nests and chew on electrical wires - such a nice warm place to raise babies but the smell - ugh!!!

What to do?  Cats, while some are good mousers, can't get into walls where they hide.  Ferrets (they are not rodents and mice and rats are naturally prey for them) can get into the walls and hidey-holes but unless you have them trained well, they might get outside then you will have a merry chase getting them back.

Creative Commons license on image.

You can also resort to traps and/or poison bait, or hire a pest control company to come take care of the problem.  I've baited traps with peanut butter and that works way better than cheese (won a $20 bet on that once!).  Store bought poisons will work but then you have the issue of carcasses decomposing in your walls (my stomach just turned - bleck!).  Or call your local pest control company.  But be really careful using these especially if you have pets and small children.

Pest control companies will come and assess your pest problem.  Not only rodents but ants, spiders, termites and other creepy crawlies.  They usually put you on a service contract and come out periodically to check traps, spray for what is active at that time, and for general check up.  You will probably get the best bang for your buck here, not to mention the peace of mind of having all your pest problems taken care of.

Face it, they ain't called "pests" for nothing - and where you may see one or two, there could be colonies hiding in your walls or crawl spaces.  Getting on the problem now will definately save you bucks later!

Have a great week (if you can after this post - eeuuwww!!!)

Monday Motivation

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. ~ Mark Twain

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Halloween Costume Ideas

The arrival of fall means Halloween is coming soon. Here at W.L. May this is a big holiday. We all let our hair down one last time before we begin the rush that is the holiday season. We traditionally celebrate by having a costume contest and a lunch. If you have a similar event that would like your participation you may need to come up with a costume.

Over the years, as you might imagine, appliance parts have been used for costume pieces several times that I can recall. Years ago, a couple of amazingly good storm trooper costumes were fashioned from washing machine and dryer parts. Sadly, I have no pictures of that costume to share with you.

Shannon from our accounting department had  a great Electric range costume last year. If you have several old parts, a big box and a can of spray paint, this would be a an relatively easy and quite flashy costume. Here is Shannon modeling her creation:

A few years ago one of our warehouse guys showed that dead appliance parts can make for an excellent robot costume. Here is a shot of that outfit for your consideration and inspiration.

Appliance parts salvaged from repair jobs can be assembled into an easy, yet impressive costumes. Just remember that if you are inspired to make a kids costume, that the child has enough mobility and that their vision isn't obstructed by the costume. Also be very careful about jagged edges. Some sheet metal parts can give you a nasty cut. Safety first! Have a fun Halloween!

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Throwback Thursday: News Recap October 16, 2014

If you have been reading the W.L. May Blog but haven't checked us out on Facebook, Twitter or Google+, you may not be getting the whole story. We use all of those social media outlets to share news stories that relate to our industry as well as appliance tips we have found from other sources. Here is a recap of some of the top stories we have seen lately. It's been a little slow on the news front lately, without further ado:

We start with some consumer friendly articles we feel would be great for sharing:

• Do you want to spruce up your laundry room? Huffington Post has some ideas for you. LINK
• An infographic and article that suggest how to best load a refrigerator with food. LINK
• With sweater season is approaching rapidly, here is a refresher on how handle laundering your sweaters. LINK

Next, we look at the manufacturers and how they have been in the news recently:

• Whirlpool is rolled out a new ad campaign. LINK

We found an article that might be of interest to those of you who love all thing appliances:

• Have a ever wanted to take your refrigerator for a drive? Well you can. Ok-So it's not REALLY a refrigerator. Still, it's kind of cool. LINK
• USA Today looked at the old front load versus top load washer debate. LINK

We close with few fun stories:

• A reporter finds an old washing machine still working and reflects on what it is about old things that we love. LINK
• Dirty laundry just keeps on coming, and let's not even think about the dishwasher. LINK

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Getting Your Appliance Repair Business Ready For Winter

Now Is The Time To Get Ready For Winter

It is half way through October. Halloween will be here before you know it. Then the mad rush to Thanksgiving will give way to the business of the holiday season. In the world of appliance repairs the holidays are a busy time as all of that delicious holiday baking starts to happen and range repair get more needed, Also washers and dryers are working overtime adjusting to the bulkier clothes of winter with extra wear and tear on those laundry appliances.

Are you ready for winter? Your appliance parts stock at this time of year should definitely include a bit more in the way of range parts at this time of the year. Bake and broil elements, surface burners or elements, common switches and igniters all have a place in the mix. It's all about avoiding return trips, which can eat into your profits like your weird uncle can tear into a holiday turkey. If you need some help figuring out what to stock, talk to your W.L. May Company representative. Many of these items even have special pricing at this time of year.

When you think about what you might need on hand to address a busy range season, don't forget things like surface element drip pans or refrigerator water filters. Sure, both of those things are available from a lot of sources, Some of those sources might be less than you can reasonably charge. HOWEVER, by having those items on hand when on site doing repairs can prove to be very convenient to the consumer. Even if you are not the least expensive option, the convenience of of you being there with those accessories can easily lead to a add on sales and a larger invoice-and you are providing your customer with a worthwhile value added service.

If you take a look at your stock and determine you have enough on hand, there are other ways to get ready for winter. Think about your service vehicle. Don't let vehicle problems get in the way of providing service. Do you have or need winter tires? What about anti-freeze? Windshield wiper blades? When was the last time your vehicle had a tune up? These things should be a part of a regular maintenance schedule for your business, but if not, now is the time to think about these things.

Lastly, don't forget to look at your winter clothes, If your winter wear is looking a little shabby, it might be time for a new jacket or work boots. You'll never get a second chance to make that first impression, and customers DO notice.

What have I forgotten? If you have any suggestions for how YOU would winterize an appliance business, tell us about in the comments for this post. Thanks for considering W.L. May Company for you repair parts needs. We are looking forward to helping you make this the best winter yet!

For more education and entertainment from W.L. May Company click...HERE

Kelly's Korner - How to Find a Good Appliance Repair Company

Hey, All,

So you go to put a load of clothes in your washer, load up the clothes, add detergent and turn it on and NOTHING!!  Or you go to pull a pint of ice cream out of the freezer and everything is melted or defrosted.  What do you do?

Do you try to fix it yourself?  Call Mr Fixit next door?  Or call a professional appliance repair company?  If you are sure of your repair abilities and/or of your personal Mr Fixit, then fine, but what do you do if it's beyond your abilities?  Yellow pages?  Google?

Your best sources would be friends and neighbors - check to see who they use. They will give you an honest opinion on the experiences they've had.  Angie's List is another.  If you use Google, Yahoo, or the Yellow Pages, it is buyer beware!  Do some thorough checking on a company before you call them.  It is probably a good idea to do this in a non-emergency situation so you are not panicked when an appliance does break down.

Creative Commons license on image.

Some questions to have answered are:

• Do they take debit/credit cards?
• Ask questions about their charging system - do they charge a service call no matter what?  What is the total amount of the repair going to be?
• If they have to come back to finish the repair, is that going to be an additional charge?
• How long have they been in business?
• Are they insured in case something gets broken or damaged?
• What is their guarantee on parts and labor?
• Ask for references
• What kind of training have the techs had - are they factory authorized to work on your appliances?

I did a previous blog about questions that a servicer needs to ask, so take a quick look at that and have all the information ready when you call - it saves a lot of time on both ends.  Also, make sure that the area that the tech is going to be working in is clean and cleared out - he more than likely will have to move the appliance out to work on it.

Having a good appliance repair company on call is a great idea - not only will they come out for the emergencies but will recommended preventative maintenance calls and products to help your machines run better - cleaners, filters, etc.

Have a great week!

Happy Columbus Day

By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination-Christopher Columbus

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Laundry and Truancy: More In Common Than You Might Think

Whirlpool announced a new ad campaign this week that features images of families doing small caring acts for each other, usually involving appliances. The message that they are trying to spread is that the little things we do every day to make a house a home are acts of caring that ultimately lead to making the world a better place.

It's a positive message that we certainly can't dispute here at W.L.May. It is the small acts of caring that we provide to our clients that we hope will lead them to success in business. It is our sincere hope that the caring gets paid forward making our clients customers lives a little better too.

One of the spots in the campaign throws a few statistics at the viewer. One that particularly caught me attention was a claim that "Not having clean clothes is a leading cause of truancy rates." When I see a claim like that in an ad, even if it comes from trusted source, I like to investigate further.

Whirlpool pointed out an issue that educators have been aware of for a while. It turns out that one of the number one listed causes of truancy is indeed a lack of clean clothes. Kids would rather skip school than be embarrassed by showing up to class in dirty dungarees.

In Los Angeles, school children at the 75th Street Elementary School have some relief. a few years ago, the school's principal organized community members and collected donations to purchase a washer and dryer to be used on campus to help with student laundry needs.

It is a step. Issues such as truancy, especially in low income neighborhoods such as the 75th Street Elementary School's, are a big challenge and a lot comes into play. Still, wearing clean clothes can only help to increase the kids self esteem and confidence which should lead to less truancy and more learning. That's just good for the community.

Here is the ad from Whirlpool that mentioned the statistic that inspired this post.



Is laundry equipment a good investment for a school? Is Whirlpool on the right track with these ads? We'd love to know your opinion, let us know what you think in the comments section of this blog.

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The RCA-Whirlpool Miracle Kitchen

Here is a film of the RCA-Miracle kitchen. I can't imagine how much this would cost to install and how much work it would be to set it up. I also can't imagine how busy this would likely leave the servicer as all those lifting motors, relays, and switch would eventually start to fail. Some of these ideas are still floating around today in the creation of the Internet Of Things.



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Kelly's Korner - Repurposed Refrigerators

Hey, All,

I came across an old photo of my grandfather, Ole, the other day and it brought back to mind his wonderful smoked salmon.  Grandpa was an avid fisherman - salmon, sturgeon, crappie, perch, trout - he caught it all, but my all time favorite was his smoked salmon.

Gram would brine the fish then he would would put it in the smoker.  His smoker was a REALLY old refrigerator (all metal) that he had taken all the parts out of and used the compressor area for his fire and he had holes drilled through the bottom for to smoke to come through to the fish above on the racks.  He only used alder wood and to this day I cannot smell alder smoke and not think of that.  His smoked salmon was our candy and I miss it and my grandparents so much.

Creative Commons license on image.

But I have seen refrigerators repurposed for all kinds of different things - keg-orators, worm farms, root cellars, incubation boxes  - I suppose the possiblilites are endless, but there are a few things to keep in mind.

The coolant used needs to be disposed of properly - contact your local waste management company for information.  You may need to have a professional do this.

Make it safe!  And empty refrigerator/freezer is a great place to hide for a child but if they can't get out it could have tragic consequences.  If you are not going to use it right away either take the door off or chain it shut.  It will keep the kids out and safe.  Even if you are using it, you can add a padlock or chain to keep people out (especially if you have goodies in it).

If you are going to use it as a smoker, new refrigerators that have plastic liners aren't going to work - they may melt or give off toxic fumes and taint your meat.

Do a little research and question asking before you use that old refrigerator for another purpose but have fun with what you come up with!

Have a great week!

Monday Motivation

Don’t let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning. ~ Robert Kiyosaki

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Time Flies

Throwback Thursday: News Recap October 2, 2014

If you have been reading the W.L. May Blog but haven't checked us out on Facebook, Twitter or Google+, you may not be getting the whole story. We use all of those social media outlets to share news stories that relate to our industry as well as appliance tips we have found from other sources. Here is a recap of some of the top stories we have seen lately. A lot has been happening so without further ado:

We start with some consumer friendly articles we feel would be great for sharing:

• Christian Science Monitor considered the pro's and con's of various types of laundry equipment. LINK
• Do you know how your refrigerator works? Eat Drink Better explained. LINK
• Is it cheaper to go the laundrymat or to buy a washer and dryer? According to The Simple Dollar, that depends...LINK
• I'm sure most of you are aware that Whirlpool makes appliances under the Whirlpool, Maytag and Kitchenaid brands. Did you know about these other brands they market under? LINK
• Say what you will about the government. At least they gave us this handy formula for calculating appliance energy use. LINK
• The Spectrum offered laundry tips for those who might need them. LINK
• Huff Post Home explained what really happens to leftover food in your dishwasher? LINK

Next, we look at the manufacturers and how they have been in the news recently:

• The CEO of Electrolux talked with Twice about the merger with GE. LINK
• The GE appliance division is still profitable, why would they want to sell? Bloomberg Business speculated. LINK
• Appliance columnist Joe Gagnon shared his views on Electrolux acquiring GE. LINK

We found an article that might be of interest to those of you who love all thing appliances:

• This article from Boing Boing was a little condescending, about an idea that has worked with other designs. Still, we loved the old-timey art. LINK
• A letter to Car Talk asks about using a dishwasher to clean car parts. Click and Clack thought that was a bad idea-We did too! LINK
• Gizmodo Australia looked at a 1930's refrigerator feature-a built in radio! LINK
• Hiding from the police? They'll find you if you try to hide in the oven. LINK
• Popular Mechanics responds to Boing Boing's criticism of their admittedly dated plans to build a refrigerator for the back of your station wagon. LINK

Sometimes, the links we post are related to technology, business or happenings on the internet:

• Here is an unexpected use for a dishwasher... testing robotics! LINK
• Would YOU pay 9000 dollars for an exclusive social media site? You can, you know...LINK
• A plea from the Guardian hoping for more technological innovation in the realm of home appliances. LINK
• The Daily Mail looked at the future of smart appliances. LINK

We close with a fun story:

• This article featured some unique observations about doing laundry. LINK

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Botto Bisto and Yelp

(Flickr User Jason K/CC)

What do you think about Yelp? You know Yelp, right? That is that website on the Internet that offers reviews of businesses. Yelp also sells advertising to businesses. Many business owners consider that to be a conflict of interest.

Allegations have been made that purchasing advertising on the site can cause higher ranked reviews to be shown more prominently, while less well ranked reviews will show up poorly. Yelp denies that suggestion and claims that placement of reviews on their site is determined by an algorithm that takes into account an number of features. Any bias implied by the purchase of advertising, Yelp contends, is strictly coincidental.

Some business owners have tried to address this perceived bias in court. Earlier this month, the Ninth Circuit Court dismissed two cases against the web site alleging such behavior saying that manipulation of reviews is within Yelp's rights. Other companies have asked Yelp to not list their businesses on the site. Yelp rarely complies with this request as they argue that their service is not directly threatening to business and it is their policy not to remove reviews.

One tactic that many businesses use is to encourage, or even "bribe" customers to leave good reviews on Yelp. Yelp does not approve of this practice, saying that it violates their Terms Of Service. They have even been known to sue businesses who pay customers to post positive reviews.

What is a business owner to do? You can provide the best service in the world, but your reputation could be tarnished by an algorithm, or worse, by strong armed sales tactics (at least that is what is alleged).

A restaurant in Richmond, California has decided to use some reverse psychology on Yelp and it's system of reviews. Botto Bistro intentionally placed their business in a low rent neighborhood because they believe their food is so good it can overcome it's environment. They did not really want Yelp to come along and scare off potential customers from even giving their food a chance. To try to prevent Yelp from placing poor reviews more prominently than good ones, the restaurant tried to play the game. They bought advertising on Yelp but were not happy with the results. That's when the reverse psychology came into play. 

Botto Bistro feels their web site's FAQ informed their customers about their restaurant better than Yelp. They began to actively encourage their customers to leave Yelp reviews. They are even gave a 25% discount to reviewers, as well as entering them into a drawing for a free cooking class. The catch? The "bribe" was only for one-star reviews on Yelp. As you can imagine, the maneuver has gotten a fair amount amount of press. They have gotten a lot of bad reviews and have made it their goal to be the worst rated restaurant in the Bay Area. According to their web site, they have achieved their goal. As a result they are no longer offering the  discount-sorry!

The owners of Botto Bistro provide an example of a small business thinking outside the box and grappling with the challenges tech has brought to business advertising. Does their plan seem like a good idea to you? Or does it come across as more of a temper tantrum by the owners? Let us know how you feel about their idea in the comments section for this post.

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