Tuesday, May 5, 2009

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”

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

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.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

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.

Monday, March 23, 2009

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

Friday, March 13, 2009

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!

Thursday, March 5, 2009

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!

Monday, February 23, 2009

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!