Zeroed Out: The Black Friday Boycott

Something different happened this Black Friday. A grassroots movement called "We Ain't Buying it" that started on TikTok urged people to buy nothing through Black Friday into Cyber Monday as a form of protest. The message was simple. If big corporations are not going to listen to us, respect our needs, or deliver real value, then we will speak the only language they always understand. Money. Or in this case, the absence of it.

And the impact was visible. Stores that once saw lines wrapped around the building were unusually quiet. Walmart. Target. Big-box giants that built their empire on foot traffic and frenzy felt a very different kind of pressure this year. Meanwhile, fully online players like Amazon still captured demand. The shift was not just where people bought. It was why many chose not to.

The drop in foot traffic, especially the nearly 4% to 8.6% slide, shows that the traditional “Black Friday stampede” model appears to be losing momentum. For the first time in years, big stores like Walmart and Target heard cricketts and not heavy foot steps in a stampede.

The fact that online sales jumped 9.1% at the same time signals that the consumer shift wasn’t about not spending, it was about intent, comfort, and control. There's no more dangling the carrot to lure us away from our warm and inviting Thanksgiving dinner tables and into long, cold lines in the streets for the "deals."

In fact, this was not about deals.

It was about dignity.

Here is the deeper signal companies need to hear. We are no longer captive consumers. We have options. We have choices. And we should expect respect, commitment, and delivery. We should not be held over a barrel to buy what we need from companies that stopped caring how it feels to need it. Companies need to meet us where we are, not the other way around.

So let me ask you. Were you like me, exhibiting restraint and just enjoyomg intimate times with family? Or did you still sneak out to grab some amazing deal in store, online, or otherwise?

What's your opinion on how consumer spend does/doesn't influence company behavior? Tell me all about it, or better yet, let's brainstorm to fix some of these non-customer centric behaviors!

Wisdom in Words

“The things that matter most must never be at the mercy of the things that matter least.” -Stephen R. Covey

TIP of the Week

Intentionally saying No so you're saying Yes

Saying NO often can mean you're left with No Options....but saying no to the right things, can mean you're say yes to what matters.

Practice one intentional “no” this week.

One purchase you delay. One meeting you decline. One obligation you rethink. Your “no” is where your power begins.

Learning Corner

What the 2026 HDI Service Management Survey is really telling us

HDI just released a first look at its 2026 State of Service Management survey, and it quietly confirms what many of us feel every day on the ground.

First, the talent crunch is real. 63% of organizations say they are understaffed, and 77% say the shortage is most severe at the customer support level. Even more telling, 75% say hiring skilled service professionals is challenging, not because people lack technical ability, but because the blend of technical skill, communication, empathy, and commitment is increasingly rare.

AI is moving fast, but cautiously. Only 7% of organizations consider themselves advanced in using AI for service management. Most are still in early stages and using it for chatbots, knowledge retrieval, and ticket routing. The message was clear: AI is meant to assist humans, not replace them, but the fear of job displacement is still very real inside organizations

Data is another quiet warning sign. 62% of organizations admit they are inefficient at using customer interaction data to improve performance, and 10% say much of that data is simply wasted. Which means we are collecting information, but not always turning it into insight

And finally, the biggest strategic shift: IT is no longer just a service provider, it is becoming a service broker. 40% of organizations now see IT as a strategic integrator of business value, and 52% are actively extending IT service management beyond IT into HR, Security, Facilities, and Customer Service, with measurable gains in productivity, employee satisfaction, and customer satisfaction

The single most important priority for 2026 according to the survey?

Simplifying the customer journey and responsible AI integration are now tied at the top.

That is not a technology story.

That is a human experience story.

If you'd like access to this presentation, reach out to me and I'll share it!

In case you missed this last week, I shared this from the SMW event in Orlando!

Summaries of 3 Amazing Keynotes

Click for a summary

Inspiration Corner

Family traditions that truly count

Thanksgiving is absolutely my favorite holiday. It has all the good stuff. The food prep. The fun decor. The flowers. The family. What is not to love? So I always cringe when I hear people complain about how intense and depleting it is. All the things they complain about are the very things I enjoy the most.

For over fifteen years now, I have hosted my family, including my parents, my siblings, and all of their families. My home is not a mansion, but it is just right for this kind of gathering. Just enough table space. Just enough chairs. Just enough place settings. What excites me most, though, are the recipes I have grown to perfect over time. The turkey that needs to be brined twenty four hours in advance with a homemade blend of all the best ingredients. The lasagna that has everyone salivating before it even hits the table. The mashed and sweet potatoes. The artisan salad. The garlic rolls. And do not even get me started on dessert.

I love this holiday because it carries the most heart. It even beats Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day for me. It gathers the old and the young and somehow offers a treat for everyone. I work backward from that day, planning the menu in advance, picking up ingredients across two shopping runs, pulling out all the best china, which now lives in everyday rotation instead of being off limits. The specialty drinks. The mini flower arrangements. The tablecloths with matching cloth napkins.

In a world obsessed with convenience, people stack paper plates and disposable silver looking forks and knives. There is rarely anything precious in sight. Easy has replaced intentional. But not for me. I choose to make the fuss. I choose the deep cleaning before the guests arrive. I choose to plan every detail. And you know what? It always becomes a masterpiece of some sort. So much so that everyone is taking photos of the table and the settings to post somewhere before they even sit down to eat. And that is fine by me.

I am usually the one whipping out my camera to take a quick video of everyone enjoying the beautifully carved turkey, the bickering over who gets to dig into the lasagna first, and how long it takes for the pickles to make it around the table. And the fine china goes straight into the dishwasher afterward. I am not overly precious about preserving things perfectly. That is where convenience finally earns its place, after the care has already been poured in.

This year was uniquely special. I watched my elderly parents quietly savor their dishes, taking their time with every bite while the rest of us buzzed around them. I tried to memorize the moments. They are truly precious. And they are so worth every hour dedicated to planning and executing the whole beautiful ordeal.

What's something you do that's special about this or another holiday? How do you capture the memories or extend them? Tell me about it!

Missed previous newsletters? No worries, here are the last 10!

Vol 63 2025-11-25 Disney's Diss and Delighting in the Gold

Vol 62 2025-11-18 From Zombies to Baklava

Vol 61 2025-11-11 Arm thyself...save your (and others') day!

Vol 60 2025-11-04 Zero Moment- When commitment crosses the Line

Vol 59 2025-10-28 Go Live or Go Bust

Vol 58 2025-10-21 The Delta of Disconnection

Vol 57 2025-10-14 Home is where the heart is

Vol 56 2025-10-07 The Day Debbie Downer became the Hero

Vol 55 2025-09-30 Hero to Zero on a Rooftop

Vol 54 2025-09-23 Into the Fire- A Lesson in Servant Leadership

My Story in 2 Minutes

ADVISORY SERVICES

By the way, Norvana is here to help you and other companies who want to curate an excellent customer experience, with each and every moment of truth. Whether it is designing different experience channels (portals, chatbot, email, phone) or ironing out wrinkles in the processes, we're there for you. And most of all, we're there for the PEOPLE part, with skills assessments, mentoring /coaching, and organizational change management for you along that long journey on CX.

Click case studies to learn of successful CX implementations delivered.

Click testimonials to hear how customers experienced this journey.

Let's chat! Book a call/meeting with Nora and explore the possibilities!

Request Meeting with Nora

COACHING

Whether you're on a corporate or individual journey of transformation, let us help you get there with grace! Norvana offers practical leadership coaching to help you get clarity and consistency in your approach to growth. Work with Nora on developing your personal strategy, with her by your side as an accountability partner!

SPEAKING

Need more inspiration? Hire Nora to deliver an awesome keynote or motivational speech to your group or corporate team. Nora knows how to simplify the most complex concepts and delivers ideas in ways that resonate with your audience.

More about Norvana

Norvana LLC. | Contact Us: Nora@Noraosman.com | 917-399-4474