Another Year Gone Bye

Well it has been an eventful year, We had the fire and the minor success of getting the yard and Garage back in order. We took relationships to the brink and brought them back again. Truly a year full of UP’s and Down’s And this year we leave it on a bright note. A Blue moon starts or new decade and that is special.
We have Made friends and left some behind. We have been re-organized and shook up the dust in all areas.
We can look back and see where we have been and where we are about to go as a company and as a team.
I want to thank the powers that be, for all they have done to make this year better than the last in the company
I wish to thank my wife for everything, you are why I am here and why I keep doing what I do the best.
I promise that this blog will be more success orientated soon. We need to hear of more success and how to turn a sour customer into a happy one and keep them that way.

Happy Birthday ParentLink

A lot can happen in 20 years,
Happy Birthday ParentLink!
20 Years ago I today I was promoted from an auto detailer to lubrication mechanic, a move that changed the course of my life.
My childeren were 4 and 6, I weighed 135 lbs.
While I worked at Morris Motors my wife, Dianna worked at The Utah State Hospital. Our rent was $225.00 amonth I made 6.75 an hour, life was good then and now.
here is what else happened.

1989 In Technology the 486 series of microprocessor is released by Intel opening the way for the next generation of much more powerful PC's and Microsoft releases it's Office Suite including Spreadsheet, Word Processor, Database and Presentation Software which today still dominates in office applications. Following Massive protests against the Berlin Wall bringing about the collapse of The Berlin Wall and the East German Government both are dismantled which leads after many years to the reunification of East and West Germany. In China Pro democracy protestors clash with Chinese Security Forces in Tiananmen Square and the pictures of a man taking on a tank are seen on TV news throughout the world.
Parlant Technology makes its first sale.
　
Cost Of Living 1989
How Much things cost in 1989
Yearly Inflation Rate U.S.A. 4.83%
Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average 2753
Interest Rates Year End Federal Reserve 10.50%
Average Cost of new house $120,000.00
Average Income per year $27,450.00
Average Monthly Rent $420.00
Average Price for new car $15,3500.00
1 gallon of gas 97 cents
US Postage Stamp 25 cents

In the News

The Phillips 66 Chemical Complex in Houston, Texas has a series of explosions and fires killing 23 employees.
Serial killer Ted Bundy is executed in Florida's electric chair
In Alaska's Prince William Sound the Exxon Valdez spills 240,000 barrels (11 million gallons) of oil after running aground
Leona Helmsley the billionaire hotel operator is convicted on Tax Fraud Charges ( Hooray!)
The Loma Prieta earthquake, measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale, strikes San Francisco Bay Area in California, killing 63
Technology
Parlant Technology rates #1 in sales of School to Home communications
　
The first of 24 satellites of the Global Positioning System is placed into orbit
　
Nintendo begin selling the Game Boy in Japan
　
Voyager II passes the planet Neptune and its moon Triton and sends pictures back to earth.
　
The 486 series of microprocessor introduced by Intel.
　
Scientists pronounce 1989 as the warmest on record possibly a sign of the greenhouse effect
　
Florida and Virginia allow use of DNA genetic fingerprinting evidence as admissible
　
First release of Microsoft Office. which was a bundle of Microsoft's office applications, such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel , Dependent on the Version you purchased would depend on which applications were included

Popular Culture 1989
The first episodes of the Simpsons are shown

Popular Films

Batman
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Lethal Weapon 2
Twins
Back to the Future Part II
Ghostbusters II
The Little Mermaid
Driving Miss Daisy
Parenthood
Dead Poets Society
Licence to Kill
Honey, I Shrunk The Kids
My Left Foot
When Harry Met Sally. Popular Musicians

Popular Musicians

Duran Duran
Paul McCartney
Phil Collins
Prince
Madonna
Erasure
The Bangles

Major World Political Leaders 1989

Australia Prime Minister Bob Hawke
Brazil President José Sarney
Canada Prime Minister Brian Mulroney
China Chairman of the People's Republic of China Yang Shangkun
France President François Mitterrand
Germany Chancellor Helmut Kohl
India Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi Till 2 December
India Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh From 2 December
Italy Prime Minister Ciriaco de Mita Till 22 July
Italy Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti From 22 July
Japan Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita Till 3 June
Japan Prime Minister Sosuke Uno From 3 June
Japan Prime Minister Sosuke Uno Till 10 August
Japan Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu From 10 August
Mexico President Carlos Salinas de Gortari
Russia / Soviet Union
General Secretary of the CPSU Mikhail Gorbachev
South Africa State President Pieter Willem Botha Till 15 August
South Africa State President Frederik Willem de Klerk From 20 September
United States President Ronald Reagan Till January 20,
United States President George H. W. Bush From January 20,
United Kingdom Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
　
　

Thanksgiving 2009

From the WIKI:
Thanksgiving Day is a harvest festival. Traditionally, it is a time to give thanks for the harvest and express gratitude in general. It is a holiday celebrated primarily in Canada and the United States. While perhaps religious in origin, Thanksgiving is now primarily identified as a secular holiday.
The date and location of the first Thanksgiving celebration is a topic of modest contention. The traditional "first Thanksgiving" is the celebration that occurred at the site of Plymouth Plantation, in 1621. The Plymouth celebration occurred early in the history of what would become one of the original thirteen colonies that became the United States. The celebration became an important part of the American myth by the 1800s.[citation needed] This Thanksgiving, modeled after celebrations that were commonplace in contemporary Europe, is generally regarded as America's first. Elementary school teacher Robyn Gioia has argued that the earliest attested "thanksgiving" celebration in what is now the United States was celebrated by the Spanish on September 8, 1565 in what is now Saint Augustine, Florida.[1][2] Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. Thanksgiving dinner is held on this day, usually as a gathering of family members and friends.
Celebrating Thanksgiving is a mixed bag, I am thankful for my wife, life, family, friends and colleagues
For the Job I have and the home it helps to provide.
I know things are not always the way you wish them to be and things do go wrong and though it may sound weird for this too I am thankful. That said, I must explain. When the things in my life go the way they have these little blessings in disguise have a way of making things right in the end. If you are lucky (and, I am) then things wind up better than ever. I am truly thankful!
This day is (to me) not so much as a day of "Thanks and Praise" to a higher authority but a day of reflection for me, taking stock of how things went (so far) this year and what is to come of it. My hopes are risen my resolve to do better renewed, I have a great meal and I have a more positive outlook on a full stomach and triptophan overdose. Give thanks and Praise!!
!
Festivus is soon upon us! But that is yet another day.

The Rules of Failure ( a little Humor)

We all know we have goals and rules to follow.
and soon be trained on what not to do
here are some more (place toung in cheek)

George Santanya said, "Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." If we continue in practicing the failure rules something much worse could happen. The rules are:
Resist learning anything new that could lead to more responsibility–
Don’t share what you know with others–
Be a jerk!–
Always look out for Number One–
It’s all about the money–
Promise things you have no intention of doing–
It’s always someone else’s fault–
Truth is in the mind of the beholder–
Do the least that’s necessary for success–
The customer is someone you have to put up with–

I have done all of these at one time or another and have learned much along the way.
Please do remember these rules are so true and if avoided then success is at hand

Tilting Towards Windmills!

"The Quixotes of this Age fight with the Wind-mills of their owne Heads."
John Cleveland

Just then they came in sight of thirty or forty windmills that rise from that plain. And no sooner did Don Quixote see them that he said to his squire, "Fortune is guiding our affairs better than we ourselves could have wished. Do you see over yonder, friend Sancho, and thirty or forty hulking giants? I intend to do battle with them and slay them. With their spoils we shall begin to be rich for this is a righteous war and the removal of so foul a brood from off the face of the earth is a service God will bless."

"What giants?" asked Sancho Panza.

"Those you see over there," replied his master, "with their long arms. Some of them have arms well nigh two leagues in length."

"Take care, sir," cried Sancho. "Those over there are not giants but windmills. Those things that seem to be their arms are sails which, when they are whirled around by the wind, turn the millstone."
Cervantes' Don Quixote

In this “automated world” There are some things that have to be done by hand. I like things that are hand crafted not matter if it is new or old as I know it has that Human touch. With all of its beauty and “Craftsmanship” there are things, flaws and imperfections that make it that way.
Take a task I must run each day. I understand that it is supposed to be scheduled and run automatically but things being what they are, I must do this one myself.
If I can I run it from home (on my way out the door) and off to work I go! Some times this cannot be done and is the first thing I do each day.
The Customer, Jorge (not his name) sends an e-mail upset that the “temporary fix just does not work and we are not doing anything about it!” HAHAHA! I am the fix for now (can I go home since I do not work?)
I work! I am getting e-mails now after I run the task, saying it doesn’t work and I send Jorge the e-mail telling him to check the process.
Oh how I want to send this instead.
Hey how is it you , you missed me running this thing? Go look it is there! So calls us and be rude again, I really like it when you attempt to have each of us feel small and cheap. But being a professional I don’t
Dealing with rudeness is difficult at best. But once something goes wrong or not done right on time (Stuff happens) This, they do not want to hear.
I had a Death in my family not too long ago. I missed some time from work and a project I was working on was left to sit for 3 days. I was the owner of the ticket and management would not allow the job to someone else.
I got back to work and contacted my customer (a man much like Jorge) and explained the situation. He did not acknowledge why I was not right on the task, just that the task was not completed. This taught me not to go fishing for empathy and makes for akwardness when haveing to dispence some when needed.
We get calls from clients that have the same situation and Empathy flows like water. We train on it we practice it. We do our level best to identify with our customer so they feel better about the product and us as technicians ( note that I did not say individuals).
We do it because it is the Human thing to do! It helps to alleviate stress on the caller’s part. Helps them learn to look at a situation before calling it a problem. We feel better in the process.
Then there is Jorge! We all have one. That one customer devoid of empathy, or any concept of understanding.
The problem is "The Quixotes of this Age fight with the Wind-mills of their owne Heads." By Hollering at technology Created by Humans yelling at machines doing things for Humans that get yelled at by humans for being Humans.
I love irony!

Company Loyalty or Self-Reliance?

I pondered company loyalty and came across this letter and thought it very fitting. I am very proud of the company I work for we do lots of good things for our customers, My job is not taxing and I work with a group of fine professionals. To that end I owe more gratitude to my position than loyalty, I save loyalty to my friends, family and faith.


Loyalty isn’t a good term for describing the relationship between an employee and an employer in an industrial organization. When did your company ask you to take a loyalty oath? When did your company pledge loyalty to you? I think you’re confusing terms. Integrity, honesty, and compassion are noble attributes that you and your employer have every right to expect, but not loyalty.

My dictionary defines loyalty as “being faithful in allegiance to one’s lawful sovereign or government; faithful to a private person to whom fidelity is due; faithful to a cause, ideal or custom.” Your company or any other company is neither sovereign nor government. Nor is it a person, a cause, an ideal, or a custom.

You and I go to work each day, and we are expected to put out our best efforts and use our talents to their fullest. Perhaps we are even expected to serve above and beyond the call of duty (or at least beyond what we feel our current pay justifies!). In turn, we expect a fair wage, or at least an agreed wage. That is where loyalty begins and ends; we give our service, and the company pays us for it.

When any employee works through a whole weekend to repair a machine so the factory can open on Monday, this is not an act of loyalty to a company. When an individual or group works arduous hours to prepare a persuasive presentation to a prospect, this is not an act of loyalty to an employer. When a lawyer works nights to complete a brief, it is again not an act of loyalty to a firm. Rather, these are acts of loyalty to ourselves, to us as individuals who are making the sacrifices.

People work hard and extend themselves because they expect something in return. They expect to be paid for their efforts and eventually to receive a promotion, a bonus, or even just a pat on the back.

I would not be disloyal to my employer if I failed to do my best; I would be disloyal to myself. And if a company retained an employee in spite of mediocre performance just because he or she has 20 years' service, supposedly out of loyalty, it would actually be disloyal to other employees and the stockholders.

Remember when you and I worked with Ed What’s-His-Name, who had been with the company 10 years longer than we had and was earning ten percent more than we were? You and I wondered why we weren’t all paid the same salary since we were doing the same work. We questioned the fairness of a seniority system that resulted in Ed’s higher rate of pay. We never did resolve that question of fairness, but you and I both ended up with better jobs than Ed. So in the long run, what good did Ed’s loyalty do him?

Loyalty to or from a company isn’t something to give or expect. Loyalty is an act each person gives or shows to himself or herself. When an employee says he or she has been loyal to a company, I hear this: "I haven’t changed jobs or sought another job. I have (without being asked) devoted my time to this organization.”

"Loyal" employees want to avoid the pain in cutbacks, but was this deal in the original hiring agreement? Did the company ever promise that "X" years of service would ensure a job until retirement?

A while back, The Wall Street Journal reported that a 12-year veteran with a soft-drink company was leaving to become executive vice-president of a competing company. Was Mr. X disloyal for leaving his company for a better job? Was I disloyal to our employer when I left 10 years ago? Were you loyal because you stayed on for another 10 years? Would someone who stayed there 40 years have been twice as loyal as you, who were there 20?

If we must be loyal to our employers, then any new company must be composed of employees who were disloyal to their last employers. After all, they left that job to work for the new company.

I've had several employers, and I would like to think I gave to each above and beyond the call of duty. But I was acting out of loyalty to myself. I was striving for advancement, for rewards, and for the security that comes only from being valuable to my employer. I’ve left companies to take new jobs that offered advancement in responsibility and money—but not out of an act of disloyalty to my employer. It was an act of loyalty to myself, to my cause, to my ideals.

None of this is to say that long service shouldn’t be recognized or protected. But companies must be explicit in saying that long service will be recognized or protected, and not have it as an assumed policy—an assumption made by employees. From my vantage point, compassion and understanding usually aren’t a part of the human resources development program. (The term human, in industry, does not imply humane.)
Remember that what you owe to your employer is honesty, integrity, and hard work.


Source: http://www.winstonbrill.com/bril001/html/article_index/articles/151-200/article175_body.html
From: What Price Company Loyalty?
by Harvey Gittler

Mr. Gittler, of Oberlin, Ohio, is a retired manufacturing executive who writes and lectures on management issues.
Permissions pending

Meanwhile back at the woodshed…He got his comeuppins…

I was taken back the other day when a client called my boss and reported that I was short with her and she felt I was talking down to her. Now I am one to call a spade a spade (only if it is a card) and a shovel a shovel. Needless to say this has prompted me to re-think some practices and how to develop, a more sincere and empathetic approach to callers. I am adding improved customer satisfaction to my anual goals and hope I can get the "Right Feedback" from this and other clients. I have been keen to point out problems with calls and take little notice of my own ( even my ego gets in the way) I am not that great negative feed back) and really take it to heart when someone becomes upset over the way things are. I am Blunt, honest and straight forward in dealing with customers. I want the same from anyone I deal with, but I should go easy on BLUNT. So what have I learned? That feedback is good, Opinion matters (see my previous posts!)
My point is that collecting customer feedback isn’t just about finding out what your customers are unhappy about–instead, it’s about gaining a better understanding of what your customers want, need and care about most in order to create more and lasting value for them.

And, if you do happen to receive some negative comments along the way, don’t take them personally. Instead, view that feedback as an opportunity to improve. As Bill Gates, chairman and founder of Microsoft, once said, “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning”. And he’s right. Talking to your customers and listening to their feedback is the only means through which you can gain clarity about what’s most important to them. Plus, if you listen closely, it may even show you where and how to gain a competitive advantage and retain that customer and more.

Thanks to http://blog.allegiance.com/ for a few words and inspiration.

You are Fired (the last act of a customer)

A note before you read this, I have tried to show in this blog what it takes to treat a customer correctly. This is the end result when you do not.


Dear Cynthia Hardy Young et al., Re: Policy US280231363
This letter is to inform you of my intention not to renew my policy with you. This decision is based on the abysmal performance of your company relating to a fire I had at my residence on January 28, 2009 Claim # Z1075870. Some of the things which have frustrated me include the use of incompetent third parties for damage assessment and investigation, which aggravated an already-stressful experience. The hassle of the inefficient claim process took huge quantities of time away from my work and family. The process was further complicated by the fact that I had to contact the adjuster, Chris Nakano numerous times to get the information I needed to create the inventory that the Crawford Company should have handled from start to finish. Furthermore, after the Field Claims Adjuster for Crawford cleared my damaged building for demolition, the restoration company took half of my inventory to the dump. Mr. Brattos (the Adjuster) had already taken a haphazard inventory, but he had issues that forced his removal from the company (with prejudice). This resulted in a loss of documentation regarding my inventory and an inadequate reimbursement for my personal property. Finally, after the dismissal of Mr. Brattos I was forced to waste more time calling supervisors to get Mr. Nakano to contact me. Even when he did, his attitude and deportment were less than professional. Finally, these events have tarnished my child’s name, sullying the reputation of a 7-year old who was wrongly blamed for this disaster. This travesty of a claim process has managed to lose both you and your parent company a customer.
Your third-party Fire Inspector informed me on-site that he could not determine the cause of the fire, but after his investigation was complete, he blamed my 7-year-old son. This conclusion seems unjust and arbitrary, as it was not based on facts uncovered in his investigation, but rather on his assumptions.
I have never had the misfortune to be treated in this manner by any other company. Fires are stressful enough without being mislead about my insurance coverage by a company that touts how fast and fair they are. It is my opinion that a complete review of the performance of the Claims and Property Reimbursement Departments in the California Office should take place, and that corrections with personnel be “fast and fair.”
I work in the communications field and have been in the customer service industry for over 40 years. Your complete lack of compassion and disregard for the feelings of your customers is a disgrace. Should any of my subordinates act in a similar fashion they would have been summarily dismissed!
This experience has cost me possessions and memories that according to the policy were not covered. For the items that were covered, the estimated replacement costs of brand-name items were priced using generic items of lesser quality from lesser stores to diminish the payout, which should have been the full replacement cost. The exclusion of a personal property item, my Father’s 1972 Chevrolet El Camino that had not been on the road for over 5 years (pending the completion of restoration) was extremely upsetting. The replacement of the 8-person hot tub from a specialty vendor with one from Home Depot at less than half of the prices we quoted from web investigation is another significant example of this nefarious practice.
As a customer of your company, I have been made to feel that if I pay my premium and don’t say a word, then I am the perfect customer. However, the moment something happens that requires action from you, I become merely an expense to be minimized or ignored if possible. I have been treated with disdain and contempt because now you have to do something for the paychecks you get from the silent ones. As of today, it has taken almost eight months to recover from this, and almost all of the reimbursements for my destroyed possessions (those that were actually counted) have gone to the rebuilding of the garage. 10% of the value of the home is not reasonable to rebuild a large stand-alone structure from the ground up. Consequently, I was forced to put 20,000 of the 39,000 I had been given for the replacement of destroyed items into the rebuild.
Now I have chosen a new company with a better service record and higher coverage, although at over twice the amount it cost to have your service. I guess the old adage is true “You do get what you pay for,“ although I would argue that in the case of your company, I did not even receive that. My experience has been chronicled and posted for all to see along with this termination letter. To that end I hope that no one has to go through the hell you have assisted in putting me and my family through.
We as customers have the right to be treated with compassion and respect. You as a company have not succeeded in this. You as a company will find this is not the way to treat your customers. I hope more follow me in discontinuing policies with you to the point where you have to ask for a bailout. This company should take pride in its service and reputation, but in my eyes and those of my family and friends, you are a shabby, untrustworthy, unscrupulous, slack-jawed group of con artists who think that the bottom line is profit, when the bottom line should in fact be the people you serve.

Before and after (what the fire left us)

Well folks it is all but over. The pictures here are the extent of the damage caused by the fire and the result of a (for the most part) good contractor, a bad insurance company and a much too long wait for completion.
The fire-started 01/28/2009 the garage and Patio were completed 07/20/2009 almost 7 months to the day. Needless to say I am relieved to see it done. So on to the pictures.

At Long Last

We last held a barbecue at our house just after Labor Day 2008. This weekend with all the same guests (save one) we held the first barbecue this year. The patio is finished and the whole event seemed surreal in a way. We have been under much stress and the relief was quite refreshing. Life is slowly getting back to normal the stuff we lost is being replaced (at a much slower pace) and the new grill is fantastic!.
Although it was just Hamburgers and hot dogs it felt as we had just had a picnic last week..
I am angry still at the insurance company and that is a resentment I think I can hold on to for awhile.
I wish to thank My Brother In Law for all of his help in getting the yard in shape and Isaac for the help in the garage. To my wife this is just a start and we have much to do still but we will get it all taken care of in short order.
Expect the before and after pictures as soon as we have the doors in place nd the final inspection completed.
Imagine, 8 months from fire to feast, 13 guests, 20 Hamburgers 16 Hot Dogs, Homemade salads and deserts. Lots of pop and mostly Laughter and the love of friends and Family. This is what summers are all about.
It’s Been a long time coming!

a play on banned buzzwords

We need some face time with the lexicon of the industry with some banned buzzwords that have been pushing the envelope of productivity. Because on the ground there are a lot of Parking lot issues about kicking the tires of post-mortem, process driven, eager beavers standing on the platform, picking the pockets of resistance. The next steps are to take a quick hit and pull the trigger so we can bury this one outside the box while taking a Helicopter view of lessons learned by using banned buzzwords.
The other day I was taking a thought shower and dropped the soap while trying to Throw it against the wall and see if it sticks I slipped and fell Under the bus which was moving forward on the ground floor in the third sector with a ten thousand foot view of wordsmithing wishlist of water cooler Solutions that make up this blog.
Yes I am trying to be transparent and uber seamless in utilizing the words I am not supposed to use in this songsheet of tools that socialize the issues of what we are not supposed to use in meaningful dialog.
They say it is mission critical that I transfer knowledge upon you due to my out of the loop mindset and vast experience in the jobjar! The real deal here is the game plan we have because it’s that time of year again to facilitate our competencies build up the bottom line of our community of learners so we can enhance the environment of blue sky thinking thus becoming the best of breed when it comes to empowering the core values of this department.

The best practice here is not to get caught in the eddies or with them while crosscutting and drilling down to that simple plan of brining the bells and whistles to the cost cutting of the consumer-centric that is our customer.
The game changer here is to have a heads up on the high level expectations of our off the shelf clientele
Leveraging our experience with multi-tasking . put the best foot forward on the path to success lest we get caught in the perfect storm of slippage into the synergistic talking points that get far too streamlined into top down warm and fuzzy feelings toward sustainable world –class and tested for soundness technical support.
There I have used them all ,the list of words and phrases some visionary in Marketing has told us not to use. These words are spewed out in some surreal songsheet of conversation with the client, as we do not know what the hell we are saying. Using this blog as a temperature gauge of our written communications with each other and the end user as well our fellow cohorts will keep us in the forefront of lasting ownership of the situation and solution of the client needs. So at the end of business we are on the same page as the other departments without confusing the other guys with a bunch of nonsense!

When the rubber hits the road the competition will be pushed off the platform, on the ground floor running under the bus because we just dropped the dime on them!

Under pressure (The cost of being a customer)

Some time ago I was approached with a demonstration for my nephew. This was his new job and he is selling fire alarm systems for homes. This is pretty good stuff I might add.
The demonstration was filled with newsy stuff about the dynamics of a fire and all that happens in the 2 or 3 seconds you have to collect your thoughts and get to action getting out (best bet) or put it out which is not always your best bet.
We agreed we needed the system and promised to purchase one when the time was right.
Well 2 months later we had a fire and all the commotion that followed (see other posts), Then after long last the insurance paid off and we were in the process of getting the Garage rebuilt This is not complete as of yet but we are close.
So my Nephew calls us the other day and asked if we were ready to buy the system ($3,000 worth), “But Uncle you really need this after all you have already had a fire. (National average is one fire in a life time, typically) I am not typical.. by no means! Well I said I did promise to by one but all in good time. I want the house finished before I get this (a big choice was an a/c unit or this).Then the second call came in “But Uncle I have to have my work order in by the end of the week” I asked “ is your boss pushing you? “Sorta”. I told him I would call back.
In discussion with my wife she said we needed the system but we still need to finish the garage. I agreed and called him back “we want to wait about a month” . “But you promised!” I asked “Are they still bugging you?” Now it is the regional manager he replied.
Then came the text messages, the voice mails and only an hour had passed. “ Can we do the paper work and install it now? I can put the application through and you can pay later?” “That would be fine but Credit is something the fire helped to remove from me along with my tolerance for pushy salesmen!
A week passed after I exclaimed “Enough! I will buy when I am DAMN GOOD AND READY!! At a family picnic my nephew was there and the boss showed up. “Hey give him a break, I really didn’t like the way you yelled at him!” “Expletive deleted” Pat! ( This is a family site ya know) I will buy it when I am ready and I still have added expenses with the Garage as it is.” Well we will talk later he said. That reminded me of the little kid in the movies that shakes his fist and says I will get even!
I was at the Grand Fathers Day celebration and sure enough (you guessed it) he was there!
“OKAY!” I will fill out the paper work!, “Oh then you’re ready to install?
NO! Paperwork that’s all! Oh! he said with great disappointment.
“By the way I have to go to a friends house so I can pick Cherries for Grandpa, Want to come with me?”
“Sure”
Some Friend (dare I say Fiend) He takes me to Pats house to pick cherries. While ther the topic of the application came up. I said ok. Then before we left the car was filled with alarms and detectors and a free gift or three. The next day I was once again pressured to fill out the application. “Wait The Bank information is missing!” That’s Right I said (I never intended a credit application to be completed) “But I will get in deep trouble if it isn’t filled out the proper way!” This was his first solo sales gig.
My Nephew was very upset I was feeling pressure from him. His boss and my wife (family thing ya know?) I Exclaimed, “ALRIGHT, DAMN IT!” Her take this check and get out!
I am 3,000 dollars lighter and much relieved that if I have a fire that I have 2 or 3 seconds to get out or put the damn thing out and my homeowners insurance (who ever it will be with) (see posts) will be 25% less!
Ring a ding!
The Frustrating thing is that I succumbed to higher than normal pressure, I Bought the thing not to save my home or save money or protect my home (all the right reasons and was going to happen anyway) but to get them off my back! This was a bad customer move. Note to sales department: use leverage but not pressure.
Use the unfortunate event do not prey upon it and last but not least never do this with a family member.
My Nephew is happy, I am protected, Family is safe and I am a better customer for the experience!
Next week you should see my new Garage! I hope!

Hey, It's not my job!

This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it. Everybody was sure Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.
Source: www.comedy-zone.net

Who’s job is it? All of ours. When we need to get to the bottom of an issue, it is not abnormal to go to Client services or sales to get an answer and communicate the information you received back to the customer. I have led Sales to new clients or added services to a customers program. This is not unusual, as this is how teams work together. The 4 people in the above story remind me of places I have worked at in the past. Where everyone knew it wasn’t their job.

Fostering Good Customer Relations on the front line

Customer loyalty is built on customer relations. The front desk clerk, the counter clerk or even the security guards can make or break your business based on the impression they leave with customers. Whether you are in a service-oriented business, manufacturing, education or the health care field, your goal is to make that first impression lasting and gain loyalty from customers.

No matter what type of business you are in, the following are standard guidelines in handling customer relations:
1.Make the customer feel like royalty when attending to them. Pamper your customers. You must have well-oriented and well-trained customer relations personnel to assist them. Everyone in the selling area or in the place where customers are expected to move around must know their job. Keep your customer relations personnel updated on how to handle customers. This has proven to be an effective way of keep customers and get them to return. Make customers feel like they are part of the company, or a member of your corporate family. Value them.
2.Handle complaints properly. Each one of us has been customers of various establishments. We know that a customer is always right , and as companies we should stand by that principle. The basic steps in handling customer complaints are to listen, validate the complaint and act on it promptly. The key to handling customer complaint is to act quickly. It is said that one dissatisfied customer equates to hundreds of thousands of lost sales, since word of mouth travels. Protect the company from losing more because of one complaint.

The performance of the customer relations department plays an integral part in helping the company sell whatever product or service they are offering. Needless to say, customer relations should be a paramount concern, especially for your front line workers.
Source:
http://blog.allegiance.com
This tid bit comes with permission from
Chris Cottle
VP Marketing
Allegiance

It is Time for Exorcise! Phone Skills

This is from The “Customer Service Advantage”


A survet shows one in three customers are happy after hanging up.


It might be time to brush up on your phone skills.
Reason: Only 32% of customers had a positive experience when calling Customer Service recently, a Huffington Post survey found.

Build rapport, give the right answer:

Customers complained they either didn’t get the right answer or the person they talked to wasn’t friendly.
Both issues can be resolved with a little training.
For product or service training, ask the people who develop them to visit your area. Have the service pros make a list of questions they hear the most and ask the experts how they’d respond.

For soft skill training, ask your people to share their best rapport building statement. Compile a list and post it near everyone desk.

Source: Relationship Marketing Insights.

Post note we have funny quotes on the wall that we have made or heard, but how about adding the positive quotes we get and give to our clients. Does sales have any key lines of conversation that help build rapport and trust? How about Client services, They deal with upset people on a regular basis They could help with what works with smoothing feather after the disaster strikes!

Build a relation ship…Tips

From the “ Customer Service Advantage”

Four ways to Build relationships and loyalty in short spans of time:

In our business we are the first face of our services so we are responsible for maintaining the relationships the Client Service Managers have established.

Use your time well

Be a wizard at alternative solutions.
Use these four tips to build relationships and customer loyalty during short interactions:
Being creative often means you save customers time and/or money- they will stick around for that.
Brainstorm with co-workers in your department and outside for alternatives to situations that arise.

Listen then repeat

Customers are under pressure to cut costs, save money, do more, etc., in their lives and work.
They want/need a sounding board when they complain or explain their issue.
If you act as one and prove you heard them by repeating their story, they will take your advice and come back for more.

Deliver small acts of kindness
You don’t have to give away the store, but you can build goodwill by giving something useful from time to time. For instance we have a new feature that may help them down the road. If you briefly explain the new feature they will become interested in it and want to know more. Guide them to the customer portal for more information.

Give your best customers a voice

This is the time to make your best customers feel more even more valuable.
Ask them to post on the forum page to let others know how the system works for them and how they get the most out of the service. This feedback will be very valuable to improve customer service and help maintain a healthy relationship with the clients.

Source: “Soothing the Savaged Soul: Customer Love When Times are Tough” by Jeanne Bliss, The Customer Service Institute of America’s Customer Service Excellence, 02/09.

Do not grieve, it is logical - Spock

The man that inspired my quest for enlightenment has passed away.
When asked “What was your inspiration for the Character Kwai Chang Caine?” he replied with little emotion and lots of logic. "Spock" was his answer with his half smile.
This Brief biography is from the WIKIPEDIA

Born John Arthur Carradine
December 8, 1936
Hollywood, California
Died June 3, 2009 (aged 72)
Bangkok, Thailand
Occupation actor, producer, director
Years active 1963 - 2009

Early life

Carradine was born in Hollywood, California, the son of Ardanelle Abigail (née McCool) and noted American actor John Carradine.[4] He was the brother of Bruce Carradine and half-brother of Keith and Robert Carradine, as well as the uncle of Ever Carradine and Martha Plimpton. Carradine had Irish, English, Scottish, Welsh, German, Spanish, Italian, Ukrainian and Cherokee ancestry.[5] Carradine studied drama at San Francisco State University before working as an actor on stage as well as in television and cinema. He changed his given name to David after starting his career.


Career

Carradine was known for his roles as Kwai Chang Caine in the 1970s television series Kung Fu (as well as the sequels in the 1980s and 1990s), as well as 'Big' Bill Shelly in Martin Scorsese's Boxcar Bertha (1972), folksinger Woody Guthrie in Bound for Glory (1976), Abel Rosenberg in Ingmar Bergman's The Serpent's Egg (1977), and as Bill in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill, Vols. 1 & 2 (2003, 2004, respectively).

Other notable roles included the lead in Shane (the 1966 television series based upon the 1949 novel of the same name) and a gunslinger in Taggart, a 1964 western film based on a novel by Louis L'Amour. He also starred in the Broadway version of the play The Royal Hunt of the Sun in 1965. More recently, he portrayed Tempus, a powerful demon with the ability to manipulate time, on the hit television series Charmed, as well as Conrad in the television series Alias. Carradine twice played a supernatural being with the power to control time: "Tempus" on Charmed and "Clockwork" on Danny Phantom.

Carradine appeared in an episode of Lizzie McGuire, and also provided his voice for the King of the Hill episode, Returning Japanese, in which he voiced the character of Hank's Japanese half-brother. He provided the voice for Lo Pei, the ancient warrior who was responsible for Shendu's petrification in the animated series Jackie Chan Adventures.

Carradine was also known for producing and starring in several exercise videos teaching the martial arts of Tai chi and Qi Gong. Carradine actually had no knowledge of martial arts prior to starring in the series Kung Fu, but developed an interest in it after this experience and became an avid practitioner.

Carradine appeared as the host of Wild West Tech on the History Channel, taking over the duties from his brother Keith. He narrated the PBS anthropology series "Faces of Culture". In 2006, he became the spokesman for Yellowbook, a publisher of independent telephone directories in the United States. He was also the TV spokesperson for Lipton[6] ("This ain't no sippin' tea"), in a memorable commercial where he paid homage not only to Kung Fu, but also to the Three Stooges.

Carradine also appeared in the music video for "Minus You" by the southern California band Chapel of Thieves, which was co-directed by the YouTube personality Boh3m3. He also worked with the Jonas Brothers in their video Burnin' Up, playing a Kung Fu Master, and planned to work with Miley Cyrus. In 2009, he played a 100 year-old Chinese gangster in Crank: High Voltage.

Carradine signing autographs in Malmö, 2005

[edit]
Personal life

Carradine was married five times and had two daughters, Calista Miranda and Kansas.[1] On December 26, 2004, he married his wife Annie,[1] at the seaside Malibu home of his friend, Michael Madsen. His attorney and his wife’s longtime friend, Vicki Roberts, performed the ceremony.
Rest in Peace Kwai Chang Caine

Borrowed Buzzwords

I was given some News letters to look over about Customer service, I found some Material that we can play with. Now I know that you readers do not usually answer me back but I have a Challange
I got these Buzzwords from http://www.buzzwhack.com/inside/mostfun.htm
and my challange is to come up with some of your own. I want you to send me yours and If they are good I will post them here.
So here goes.
1. blamestorming: A group process where participants analyze a failed project and look for scapegoats other than themselves.

2. Death by Tweakage: When a product or project fails due to unnecessary tinkering or too many last-minute revisions.

3. BMWs: Bitchers, Moaners and Whiners.

4. clockroaches: Employees who spend most of their day watching the clock - instead of doing their jobs

5. plutoed: To be unceremoniously dumped or relegated to a lower position without an adequate reason or explanation.

6. prairie dogging: A modern office phenomenon. Occurs when workers simultaneously pop their heads up out of their cubicles to see what's going on.

7. carbon-based error: Error caused by a human, not a computer (which we assume would be a silicon-based error).

8. menoporsche: Male menopause. Symptoms include a sudden lack of energy, crankiness and the overpowering urge to buy a Porsche.

9. adminisphere: The upper levels of management where big, impractical, and counterproductive decisions are made.

10. deja poo: The feeling that you've stepped in this bull before.

11. bobbleheading: The mass nod of agreement by participants in a meeting to comments made by the boss even though most have no idea what he/she just said.

12. ringtone rage: The violent response by cube mates after hearing your annoying cell phone ringtone for the 15th time.

13. muffin top: The unsightly roll of flesh that spills over the waist of a pair of too-tight
The above are taken from
http://www.buzzwhack.com/inside/mostfun.htm

Garage Wars.. The Saga Continues!

We last left our hero battling the insurance company with nothing more than this blog and a sharp whit.
They caved in and sent a paltry sum for the items that burnt up and let me start with the contractor selection. We found the one we wanted and with all the paper work submitted I am Pleased to announce the demolition started this morning. I can’t wait to see what else will happen. There is much planning in the works and some cash to take care of it plus I squeezed a little more out of the evil dominion of the insurance company.
I know that there will be more excitement when they take their time to pay out but waiting is becoming commonplace with us. I don’t like being a pain in the ass but having all this customer service experience is paying off handsomely, you see I can be a good customer that rolls over when the cheats say so or be as stubborn as hell when I desire. I desire a lot. I demand a lot too. When you are met with someone like myself what do you do? If you have been following the story here I hope that you have learned a thing or two about the customer experience. How we treat them is as important as how we face their issue.
If you greet them with contempt they hate you from the first words and there is no recovery from that. If they become annoyed with the process (just not moving as fast as they like) and it is within your control to stick a fire under the department that is handling the issue do it and make a star out of yourself. We do this at home, so why not at work?
Whining won’t help! We have some clients that call in , they have an issue that requires special assistance, they get upset that it cannot be resolved over the phone and will have to wait (sound familiar?) you handle the call then dispatch the issue to where they will get the assistance they need. They in turn call the person responsible for the product and tell them “I don’t think they (us) are taking my problem seriously and the are blowing me off. The fact of the matter is you are doing exactly what you are supposed to do and everything that can be done is being done…just not right now. As they demand. I worry about these people! They can make life difficult, but the are at the same time making the problem more difficult for themselves by saying to their supervisor I don’t feel important enough. When they find out the solution is a whole system wide detail and involve more than their issue and would be best served in a complete solution (not a partial one) they have just placed egg on their faces and feel the fool. Now they really hate you for doing your job. I go home each day confident that I have done all I can do to please these people, that is all I can do. They go out of their way to make it harder to do what you do, in the long run have made them selves tired by making more work causing trouble for everyone involved. My recent experience is no exception, I am tired of the fighting but in order for my family to get what was ours back in good working order and as nice as it once was. I have to fight and yell to the windmills in order to accomplish what I need done. So have I walked in these customers shoes? Do I know their frustration? Can I be of better service to them? Yes!

was it 5 minutes ago? or 25 years ago?

Time is a funny thing, Time passes slowly for something’s while it whizzes by in another respect.
I am looking back at what amounts to about 5 minutes ago. I said I Do 25 years ago today. My wife and I have managed to raise 2 fine children and adopted a third, we talked the other night about our lives together and came up with where did the time go. We lived in the same apartment for 16 years and don’t remember most of it and yet we remember it all. We had plenty of good things happen to us and some bad. For the most part all has been well in our home and yes, Life is good.
I met my wife while helping a friend move to his new apartment, back home in Pomona. I knew what I wanted the moment I saw her. Her big smile and brown eyes captivated me from the beginning!
When I first spoke to her I asked are you from here? She said no just here living with my sister. “Well where are you from?” I am from Salem! She exclaimed with great pride. I asked the typical question Massachusetts or Oregon? Her reply was Utah… see? NO HORNS!. I was hooked!
Let me step back a few months before I met Dianna. I was traveling back to California from Wisconsin where I had spent the coldest winter of my life. 60 degrees below zero some days and more snow than I had ever seen in my life. As the bus passed through Utah I saw a sign for the Budget Fuel Stop in a place called Payson.
I remember this because I thought to my self “I wonder what kind of girl come from Payson? I would have to return one day to see!
After meeting Dianna and being inseparable for 3 months, She came home to visit with her grandmother who was ill. She and her sister came back only to leave again. I was heart broken that she did this. So a few months passed a failed relationship had come and gone (she wasn’t my Dianna) and I called her up. I pled my case this way “ I love you, I miss you! What are you going to do about it?”
She told me she was in love with me too. When asked should she come back to California? Or Me here to Utah or can we meet in the middle? The discussion was short! I came here. When the bus got off the freeway the first stop was the Budget Fuel Stop! I guess my passing thought paid off, as I know what kind of girl comes from Payson. The best kind!.
I have gone through many changes since then, I was an Appliance repair man, A guinea pig for a drug study an Auto mechanic and shop manager and now a computer technician. A Boyfriend, a father and Husband, Grandfather. The Jobs get better and so does life.
To my surprise I have lived most of my life here (longer than anywhere else) I have grown in so many ways and learned to love (most importantly) This sounds like a lot of living for 25 years but it’s only been about 5 minutes since I said “Hello”

Will it go Round in circles?

Karma is fixed to the wheel of life some call it Biorhythm or the UP’s and downs of life. Dharma is revealed to us this way.
The Dharma is the truth as it actually is. Always changing, always re-inventing itself.
Good things happen and bad things happen not withstanding they are just things. How we react is where good and bad come from.
After my short sabbatical I returned to the business of the Fire and started getting bids on the rebuild. The costs are getting lower and lower and we now have a plan.
I haven’t heard from the adjuster in a while (remember he said we will communicate better?) So I e-mailed him a week after sending in my inventory asking if he got it. I called the very next day and left one of “those” voice mails, asking if he received the e-mail, and asked him to call. Three days later I called him again with a little more emotion and asked if he got the e-mail. Fifteen minutes later I got an e-mail indicating he did but I wasn’t supposed to do web research to get replacement costs. “We have a team that does that for you!” Then 3 days later he calls me almost angry that I did do the research. I explained replacement cost is relevant to the area you live in, and his company won’t cheat me.
The restoration company called they said the Adjuster indicated the payment for the work preformed on the house was in the mail 2 weeks ago. I asked about that (using direct quotes and names) he said it was approved on Friday last week. I asked so? Which is it? In the mail? Or in to be approved?
The tune suddenly changed. I like to call this guy on his Bovine Excrement. (Family site you know?)
I explained my Insurance Agent is now involved and that he will be calling and checking on the progress. This did not please the adjuster at all! (I am beginning to see a pattern here, aren’t you?) I really liked it when he said that wasn’t necessary. The roll of the “Insurance Agent” is to sell the policy and make sure the policy is executed to the benefit of all parties.
The agent is looking out for our best interest and will let us know when to contact the attorneys.
Still the bids come and still getting lower….
I Have been getting better at being the customer in order to get what I need done. I have to remember that I have to deliver to my customers as well. This is called walking in the customer’s shoes!
What we do in life is reflected in how life does us this is karma When we do just the basics in our work we are called sloppy, inept and we don’t communicate with the customer. This makes us look bad.
On the other hand when we do all the steps and follow through regardless of the outcome and pass this information to our coworkers or our clients we have done all we can do. This is called good customer service and will maintain customers for a long time.
My wife likes the saying what goes around comes around. Sounds like the wheel of life.

Stress, Therapy and Push Rods

As many of you may have noticed I have been away for a few days. With all the “Stuff” going on the Garage, The Bills and the pressures here at work all came to a head the other day. Someone blasted me for doing my job when the rules were never expressed over the task at hand (pleasing the customer and a parent) I placed someone on a do not call list. I do this all the time for clients and have never had a problem until this one. With that the camels back broke and I packed my desk, made a fool of my self then took 2 ½ days off to relieve the stress that had been building for too long.
I went home with my desk stuff and sacred my daughter (thought I got Fired) I explained in a shaky voice I am Burnt out! By that I meant 4 years of no vacation 4 hours of sleep at night Mounting pressure from all sides have done me in.
My truck hadn’t run well for a couple of weeks so I took that time to do major surgery on it. Long story short after 1 day of tearing it down and looking to the job of replacing head gaskets. I found a thrown rod. By this time (having enjoyed turning a wrench for a whole day) it was a simple four-dollar repair. I had set myself a goal of being done by 12 noon Wednesday. I was done at 11:15 am. My truck runs far better now, I didn’t think about work, I hardly noticed there was no garage behind me. Just my engine and busy hands.
After I started the truck, A stream of calm washed over me. The sun was brighter the breeze cooler and the stress just went away.
Contractors are coming by to give estimates on the garage (first one was 42,600) to rebuild. Better sounding numbers are ahead and I can’t wait to get this part of the story finished.
I work a lot, I do more than is required by my employers because I am built that way. I stay up late to attend to the needs of my family and help out as much as I can.. Makes for a long day and short amounts of sleep. I just had to take a few days off to collect myself and now I am back and better than ever.
My Friend and Mentor, Bill gave me a flier on how to cope with stress. Simple things like change your environment, take a walk do something like a hobby (rebuild the upper half of your engine) to get away from the situation for awhile. I should have read it before I got all stressed out, So a note to self: do not should yourself!
My thanks to my managers and those who have followed my train wreck so far for understanding. I hope nobody has to be driven to take a few days off. Keep something on the back burner to keep your sanity. I know I will. Take time if you need it or take time when you don’t. Just take the time to get away from the stresses we all face and let life happen for just a little while. All the important things will be there when you get back.

From Frankenstein to customers with smiles

One of the ways you can get a better reaction from an upset or unreasonable customer is to smile, When you smile it can and is translated over the phone. When I answer I always ask, “how are you today?” They in turn out of courtesy ask how are you? I replay in general “Just right” which is to say I am the best that I am no matter how I feel because the powers that be will me that way. I am always just right. This takes some back and gives the smile half a chance. When I then smile (sometimes explaining what I meant) they lighten up. I may have explained this before but it is worth repeating.
If we are all serious and not in a receptive mood they are less likely to open up with the details of a problem. If we treat them the way they want to treat us we will all be out of a job. They have the right to be upset. We have the duty to offset that feeling. I am pleased to announce most of the time it works.
With those who don’t react to the smile? I suggest reason, Tact and possibly a good laxative. Because if they are sour to you after all that? they are that way to everyone. We have only one chance to make the first impression. We have a lifetime to pay for a bad one. I HAVE PISSED OFF SOME OF THE BEST!
BUT, I have made welcome some of the hardest to please.
Can we make customers get better service? When they call and wait for a solution, do you really have the time to look at the issue? Weather you want to or not you should. If it will be long and protracted I would say let me look this over and call you right back to let you know what I found. If you work on their schedule they like that. Only the really Died in the wool Hardnose will insist on waiting for you to track a long protracted issue down (there are a few of those around but not many).
Can we build a better customer? Yes we can. By giving enough vent time, by being polite and giving alternatives when faced with how it can be done. Always be a point of authority (expert in your field)
But most of all listen. Most of the time they have a question the answer is within that question.
There is never a stupid question, They are not illiterate (some say that they are) I tell them we know they are not and just haven’t been informed of the nuances of the program yet. This is a big help to those who struggle.
Here is a checklist
Let the customer help you provide the best possible service
Teach them how to get it by letting them know when is the best time to call (Don’t make them rehash a problem until they get mad) and what to describe when the get that error.
If you smile they smile back and if you are polite they in turn will be too (a common courtesy) Treat them like you would your parents. This will make it a lot easier to get the work done.
Explain how we do things. (We do not have the best system of getting the work done but we are making adjustments all the time.) If they don’t understand how we get it done they become confused and frustrated at best and angry at the very worst. Once they understand that we have a method of getting things don and that those methods work. The better they will think of us and the process works for them too.

For more read Customers for life by Carl Sewll

And The Walls Came Tumbling Down…

Here is more on the experience of the customer and the Fire.
I received an IM from my wife yesterday asking if I was ok? Why do you ask I replied? They didn’t call you?
No, Who? The restoration People?
The back wall of my Garage caved in.

Last week we got the go ahead to tear down the roof and start rebuilding, I was so pleased. I got the check from the insurance and passed it to the contractor The day before we started to demolish the garage.
My wife’s IM was just the start. I got home and found everything in my side yard, Grass torn up and a car on the lawn sheds and continence strewn all over. It looks worse now then the day after the fire!
The back wall was torn about half way down and the roof was gone. As they tried to calm me down they said we can rebuild with wood, or try to fix it but we need engineers to help out (more money to be spent) and determine the best possible route. Well al new brick would cost $9,000 plus Labor the wood and labor 19,000 Just what they gave me!
I have a Brick Mason in the family! He is out of work right now and is going over the situation.
I am finding out I am not the best of customers I really get upset when things go wrong and insist that it works out for everyone when it works.
Now I have to remember that when my customers call. I have to be in the restoration business. Resurrecting the spirit of my customer when it goes wrong so I can see where the actual issue lies.
Todd and Jim did exactly that. They let me vent for a moment, Punch their Dump Truck and then gave me the options for repair.
We do the same thing everyday with almost every call. We are good at being the provider. But how are we as customers ourselves? I find that knowing what to expect from a provider from the beginning has it’s advantages but also pitfalls as well. Setting expectations is a tricky business. Make them small goals, What do you hope to accomplish? How will we do it? And in the long run how much time will it take.
The Scenario was played out at a company meeting The story goes like this. I took my car to the shop and left it. I called each day to check “Oh it in the shop for Diagnostics” That went on for a few days. He went to the shop and found the car had not been moved.
He took the car and placed a few calls to other shops. And got this response from the one he chose."The appointment will be Wednesday and we will acess the car and report back to you! They did and the repair would cost this much and take this long. The part can be ordered today and will be in ,in a week.
You can still Use your call until then. He knew how much it was to cost, how long the job would take and didn’t need to rely on someone else for transportation.
This is how I ran my shop, before it was like the other one. There is a big difference in working towards
An objective and just passing the customer off.
I work hard at what I do, I work with my customers as a team. We have this symbiotic relationship. They need me as much as I need them. I need them to teach me how to be a better customer.

By the way my hand still hurts. Dump Trucks are Hard!

What do you do with a Drunken Sailor?

Well, As you might have guessed my foray into the world of Customer/victim has continued. The company that is handling the damage assessment and inventory called the other day and lit my fire (funny huh?) about the adjuster that came to my house. Seems he will no longer be working for them and has been “missing in Action” for some time now, With all of my paperwork. It turns out I am not the only one he was not answering on the phone for the last 3 weeks. His manager explained “he had (has) Issues” and will no longer represent the company.
FIRE STORM INSUES!
I called my insurance company (adjuster who called this company to do their bidding) and raved on! I blindsided the poor guy with insults (I do not feel bad) and exclaimed how poorly this has been handled from the start. I got better service from the red cross when they put us up for the night* (Note to Self: Make a donation and not only blood)
The adjuster said “I am not responsible for the actions taken by that company or their employees” Ah Ha!
I told them if I contract someone to investigate for me then I am responsible for anything they find and say to me as I am working for and representing them in this situation. By all means he is your responsibility after you hired him.
If one of my staff were to tell a customer a lie, delay a fix or otherwise sabotage a case they would be fired, I would catch hell for it, my manager would get in trouble and the company would fly someone out to that location to kiss some serious butt! Stuff rolls down hill! So there, you see you are responsible “you jerk”
So it went on like this for about half an hour then again with his manager.
I got lots of calls back promising they would do better (sound familiar)? Yes and I told them Losers always whine about doing better.
The company sent me the manager and a new adjuster just to take a look at an empty garage. How can we take the inventory Mr. Gilmore? Every thing is gone? Our conversation was short then we agreed that the list would have to stand on it’s own and they want this resolved as soon as” humanly possible” in essence they said:
GET ME OUTTA HERE!!!
A few days later a call came in from company 2s manager. “Well we will have your inventory list on Wednesday and be able to go over it with you and the insurance company as well” That didn’t last long. I was called by the insurance company and we went over the list (some thing were duplicated as the “other adjuster (no longer working adjuster) went over everything with me a week ago” then took my original list with him. They said go back over the list and resubmit!
Now the ball is in my court ….. again

Now you are asking what does this have to do with drunken sailors?
There is a lesson in here. I was upset and I made comments I cannot relate here. I blamed all the right people for things that should have been controlled by the supervising company. I am the customer and shouldn’t be in the position of making everybody get on the same page. But I did.
When a customer is upset we tend to pass them off, We do not hear the complaint over the complaining.
THEY ARE ONE AND THE SAME. To be blunt we have to fix the person then address the problem in that order. The two companies here did not communicate with me. They chose to let things pile up and it blew up in their faces. I think I have explained my first experience with the insurance company, so fast and thorough. Professional, all the way. The same players with the exception of company number two.
And let them know this had been no picnic. I also insulted their professionalism. I should know better (pride being what it is and all).
Do all you can for your client. Do all you can for the product and you will find the company will do all it can for you in return. Never let a customer be a bother or left feeling out of the loop.
I ranted and raved and carried on so I embarrassed myself. Drunk with anger I was the “Drunken Sailor”
Thinking back I was right and will exit the policy and be with another company next year. That is the best I can do.
A little wiser for the experience of being a customer with a really big hangover!

Red is Dead (*sniff)

It is with a heavy heart that I report that Big Red Beta test7” has gone to that big fishbowl in the sky.
What can I say about “O’le Red”? He was a giant among fish. He was an inspiration, to us all. He lived on various desks and was love by all that new him.
He leave behind the support department, and was preceded in death by countless goldfish and a few coi (from my pond)
No service is planned, as he will be sent to his watery resting-place in the men’s room.
Your comments are welcome and donations for a new Mascot can be made at the support department.
Red (sniff) you will be missed
Rest in Peace!

Hurry up and .....Wait!

They tell me in the military you hurry to get in a line (chow or otherwise) to wait. Wait for something , anything to happen. Just like the Military I am waiting. I got stinky with the insurance adjusters the other day and they called back. That was the last I heard. I left them several voice mails and called customer service ( Trish is still neat) and Then it hit me! I will make threats!
I called the adjuster who is supposed to help me with that inventory and told him “ I have left you a voice mail twice a day, everyday for the last 8 days. This will be the last one I leave or the next one will be from the corporate headquarters of the insurance company to your supervisor!”
Two minutes later my phone rang. It was him! His excuse was “My voice mail has been messed up since I got my new number.” I explained I left the messages on Both numbers and there is no excuse for this treatment.
An appointment was made for Saturday. We counted and counted and exchanged lists of items that we had and he had and we are going through the evaluation process. I asked several times when could I start getting the trash (all of everything) out of the Garage and start rebuilding? Oh you can move things and add to the list if you forgot something but because there might be a dispute nothing can be removed.
Now I not only have a burnt out garage, I have two rusting, burnt beyond repair and smelly cars in the driveway with more trash on top of them in the driveway. I’ll bet my neighbors just love me!
So now I wait! He is going out of town this week and “Will work on the list” (If I may inject here) From Disneyland??
No matter what we have started the process and hopefully it won’t be too long. I’m waiting for the city maintenance department to put up one of those clean up or face penalties signs! No matter I got mad and it paid off.
Sometimes it takes getting upset to get something accomplished and in this case it paid off. If the people I have been dealing with in this case worked for me they wouldn’t for very long. We have clients who go out of their way to complain about the smallest of things. Luckily we are there to take care of the issues right here and now or have a place to get done what we cannot.
I don’t like getting mad or being the object of someone else’s anger. I want a peaceful co-existence with everyone from the team to the customer to the wife and kids too. This is a way of life and sometime difficult to maintain. Balance is the key. If we maintain a balance between being supplier and customer, Balance getting and dispensing advise We can overcome the waiting and lesson the pressure we have stored up based on our wants over the wants of others.

Taking Stock

After the fire we started the long process of taking the inventory of things in our garage. Of course ther was the usual stuff like yard tools, camping equipment, the occasional antique from lives gone by and of course tools. We discovered we still have more junk than we really need.
This is part of the learning experience, Learning that you collect more than you give away is not good!

Well The restoration folks and I got together and put fire under the insurance company. Seems they and I have been leaving voice mails all week with no response. Todd The owner asked if there was any other numbers to call. I looked up another one a nice girl named Trish (customer services) ,Todd called her and was handed to her Boss. While on with the supervisor, my phone started ringing. It was the supervisor of the adjuster I was working with.
He began telling me the situation was not resolved then resolved but under investigation. (Confused? So am I!) He told me no matter what it was to be paid for. We on the other hand wanted to know when we could start (gets better) he said the inventory still needed to be done. I told him I couldn’t enter the Garage until they release it to us, his response? Go ahead and take out the cars as they won’t be covered (the other adjuster said one would and the El Camino would be settled otherwise) when he ws informed of this the tone changed, He quoted policy and I let him have it!
I have been with this insurance company 6 years and had one other claim (handled by Trish the customer service person) with the same adjuster Chris. Not a bad experience. But now my house is in shambles cars strewn all over and it’s just a mess.
Then when I was done with the supervisor, the real adjuster Chris called (it gets better, folks). His story was I still don’t know about the cars and I can’t find the third party adjuster but I spoke to him a few minutes ago (see?) and he will call you when he gets in the office! Kurt (third party adjuster) Never called!
Chris was to call me the next day (never called) and The supervisor never called to follow up despite their promises.
I had explained that I work for a communications firm dealing with schools and technical support, was a service advisor and mechanic for over 40 years and would not have been if I communicated as well as they do! He was pleading! “Give us a chance to improve” and that chance is about over. Today I will call Trish and get things done!
I told all of you that in order to be able to help a customer, Think like one. Put yourself in their shoes?
Do you see what happens when you don’t?
To be continued…

Richard Pryor was right Fire is inspirational !

Fire is an inspirational thing that’s what he said after his ordeal and I can attest to that statement with authority.
You may ask what does this have to do with service? Well I am about to give praise where praise is due.
6 Years ago I had a flood in my basement. A company was dispatched to do the clean up. The company wanted extra money to repair things in the rooms that should have been covered by the insurance and 2 months later still nothing was done. I called a plumber to have a separate issue taken care of and he recommended another restoration service.
I called Swan’s Carpet and restoration and within 15 minutes the owner was there and took care of the entire basement from soup to nuts. The level of service was excellent and the personality of the entire company reflected a sense of genuine compassion towards my family’s needs. They were quick and thorough. I called my insurance company with a question related to the problem (after it was fixed) and they fired me! By canceling my policy. I quickly got another company.
Two years ago I was called the basement was flooded again this time it was a faulty water heater. Swans was called before I called my agent. They put my kids in a hotel and repaired all that was needed with even more polish and style by adding a production manager. Jim Purcell is a fine addition to an already outstanding company. With humidity detectors and temperature sensors, they monitored my home from the office and the Internet.
Now comes the Fire in my Garage. I was wakened by a scream by my daughter when she came home from an appointment. I saw the fire and called 911 then my wife. When I got off the phone I turned around and there was Todd and Jim from Swans They saw the smoke from 8 blocks away and knew it was my house.

Guess who is going to fix my house again? Their level of dedication and knack for the personal touch is the high mark of quality.
These are the things we learn about people, the way we like to be treated is a direct reflection on how we do what we do on the help desk. The ways we help with alternative ways of performing a task or the little tips and tricks that make using the system easier. That makes our customers happy. I only hope we can have the dedication, personality, compassion and the experience to satisfy our customers as Swans has satisfied me.

Time!!!

Between work and home where does it go?

I have projects lots of them the El Camino that sits in my Garage at home the Camper we got 2 years ago a 7 year old, painting and Grandchildren to have tea parities with. I cook (sometimes) and clean up behind the kids.
I have more, This Blog, documentation, training and more at work. They gave me books to read and more stuff to do on top of the stuff I have to do plus FaceBook and linkedin. Life is busy!
In order to maintain a level of sanity I really need to organize!
I’m Not complaining (although I should) I just have to take one thing at a time. I’m no spring chicken. I work in dos mode most of the time any way. It could only do one thing at a time.
I have scaled back all projects to get the necessary things done, I take small amounts of time to write the Blog and to work with co-workers on the documentation and read when I am not on calls. But when that alarm goes off or the call comes in I drop everything to do what I love and that is assisting the customer.
After isn’t that why we are here?
The end goal of all of this is to assist our clients with the tools we already have (like this Blog) I am to share my experience with all of you so you can learn from my mistakes and become better help desk agents. You are getting better at this, so much so I am getting scared to leave. I might miss something.
Now I have a pen pal. I haven’t written! I haven’t written to my Brother in 3 years! What will I say? What can I say?
Want some tea?

Nice to see you come again and stay for awhile…PLEASE!!!

There is a funny thing about progress, you get to say “I’ve seen them come and I’ve seen them go” The good ones never stay long. As to say they find something better to do.
I am not a help desk manager I am a help desk mentor, The old guy that has done this forever and doesn’t want to do anything else! I get to watch others advance in the company and that is a good thing. I started here on the desk pretty much by my self and when I got some assistance they quickly moved to another department. Some to MIS some to Implementation others just out the door and now one to client services.
Proud of them, all. I still take the calls and train more people to take calls so maybe that is job security or prep work to have them go away.
I soon will have others to send down the road and a whole new room to do it with. Next year I get a whole new building to send them off in and maybe me off the 5th floor if I can’t keep a few with me. I have had one for over a year she likes what she does and that can be dangerous because that is how I feel about my job. Ms. L please don’t go away I beg of you I need routine I need the company to understand this is a most thankless position and can be a very lonely one (Look at the Maytag Repair Man or the Shell Answer man), They worked them selves out of a job)!
Congratulations to all who have slipped out of my grasp

Nice to see you come again and stay for awhile…PLEASE!!!

Congratulations to all who have slipped out of my grasp

There is a funny thing about progress, you get to say “I’ve seen them come and I’ve seen them go” The good ones never stay long. As to say they find something better to do.
I am not a help desk manager I am a help desk mentor, The old guy that has done this forever and doesn’t want to do anything else! I get to watch others advance in the company and that is a good thing. I started here on the desk pretty much by my self and when I got some assistance they quickly moved to another department. Some to MIS some to Implementation others just out the door and now one to client services.
Proud of them, all. I still take the calls and train more people to take calls so maybe that is job security or prep work to have them go away.
I soon will have others to send down the road and a whole new room to do it with. Next year I get a whole new building to send them off in and maybe me off the 5th floor if I can’t keep a few with me. I have had one for over a year she likes what she does and that can be dangerous because that is how I feel about my job. Ms. L please don’t go away I beg of you I need the routine I need the company! You must understand this is a most thankless position and can be a very lonely one (Look at the Maytag Repair Man or the Shell Answer man), They worked them selves out of a job)!
To Ms. G, and all that came and went before her Congratulations

New Year-New opportunities

So here I sit on New Years Eve, thinking of way to improve myself and help the team progress. Looking back over the year past I see a team that is starting to gel, we are doing documentation to assist the new members that are coming our way. I like forward thinking in the management we have (the rotation process) has all of us getting used to change in style and attitude. As the new manager is a business minded kind of manager the next more technical the styles are getting mixed together into one form with one goal.
That is pointed to the customer. When I was interviewed I explained to the department manager “when I am on the phone, there is only two people in the world” that would be the customer and me”. At first he had an idea of what I meant, then it was put into action.
I trained by reading a manual of the old product and practiced all weekend to learn the operation of the system. I was responsible for Windows based systems and had to learn Linux commands (still have lots to learn) in order to locate issues from a command line.
It reminded me of working with customers at another company (Good ‘old Windows 3.1 and Dos 6.22) I got to the phones and all I learned was a blank there were so many different configurations, systems and soft wares to understand. This took some time but I muddled through with help from the one (and only) second level tech. I learned a lot from Jeff, he is a valuable resource still.
On to the new year, we should be setting goals and setting our sights on making the customers happy, the team (s) are getting all the documentation ready for the customers portal and then hope like hell they read it, but if they don’t we are still there to help them out.
I have some customers I just love to talk to I show them the portal but still they call with the same questions and problems. It is nice to be needed in that way.
This year will give us new ways to help, new problems to overcome. The floor is ours and the second level will be down the hall but still close at hand. I hope they will remember to leave the doors open and let us learn together.
My goal last year was to get the teams to work with one another so we could all benefit from each other’s knowledge. To that end I think it went pretty well.
Happy new year!