Category: Engagement

Antidote

I’m very grateful to the mystery guest shopper bloggers who recently provided us with Vodamoan and PC Whirled. Tales of bad service abound and it’s worth giving them the light of day. These stories are not uncommon and can galvanise us into demanding better service when we see that we’re not alone. And it doesn’t always have to be like that…

First Pharmacy

Recently I’ve had to make a few visits to my local chemist First Pharmacy, to get some painkillers for some relief from a particularly angry shoulder muscle. Everything is now under control and I’m waiting for some time with the physio, but for over a week the situation worsened, hence the need to make a few trips.

So what?

On each visit I was served promptly (I had to queue briefly a couple of times), and on my third trip Valarie served me again. While I was waiting for my prescription to be sorted out, I noticed the staff were all talking with each other and their customers while they worked. There was a sense of humour in the air and at one point Valarie made a joke about being bullied at work to one of her colleagues, and they all fell about laughing. ‘I don’t normally hear laughter as a by-product of bullying’ I said, and Valarie replied:

‘We like to have fun in our work. It helps us do our jobs well and it seems to put a smile on the faces of our customers, we think that’s important too’.

I don’t think I’ve heard the employee and customer experience so well summed up in a long time. I left the shop with Valarie’s words bouncing around inside my head ten days ago and I can recall them with crystal clarity.

I’d love to tell you that First Pharmacy are some mega global brand and that their employee and customer connected ethos goes worldwide. They are not. Yet.

photo c/o Dvortygirl

 

Not So Little Anymore

It’s Sunday, I’m at the desk doing paperwork and all that jazz. I’m quite glad to be sitting down because my legs are killing me after a fantastically exhausting and muddy mountain bike ride yesterday. Here’s some of what I’m up to today:

Drafting some marketing stuff for an event I’ve been asked to speak at

Kicking around a few ideas for a marketing meeting with a new client next week

Redrafting speaker biog stuff for more events I’ve been asked to speak at

Arranging to pay more taxes than I’ve paid before

Researching some ideas for a bunch of workshops coming up with another new client

Answering blog comments and realising that my blog has had more hits in January and February 2012 combined than in the first six months of last year

And it strikes me – this tiny little business that was started in the Summer of 2009, it’s not so little anymore. I’m embarking on new projects with associates – they are too big and diverse for me to handle on my own. And I’m seeing connections and opportunities developing from previous good work, to an extent I’ve not seen before.

Thanks to everyone I’ve learned from so far and everyone I will learn from. If I can do anything to help your little idea get a little bigger, call me. I’d love to help – I guess I should call it the What Goes Around principle.

What are you feeling thankful about today?

 

 

No Comment

The dictionary defines arrogant thusly:

ar·ro·gant/ Adjective:
Having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one’s own importance or abilities.

The word derives from the Latin ‘ab’ meaning away, and ‘rogare’ meaning to question. Turning away from questioning, believing you have all the answers.

Blogs have a few vital signs, the number of visits they attract being one of them. And you can track other stuff too. Top posts, referrers, search terms, blah blah blah.

And then there’s comments. For me – this is often where the best learning is to be found. A writer sparks different thoughts and ideas in other folks’ heads and a debate occurs. In the best examples, we all learn new stuff, we all get another point of view. At the worst we might learn some new swears, and perhaps that’s not so bad?

So why do some folks (yeah OK a cheap shot but an example nonetheless) keep the contribute/share/reply/learn door closed? Closing a blog to comments kinda defeats the point of writing them, for me at least. I see a closed blog as more of a newsletter, a pronouncement or broadcast. ‘I’ve got something to tell you – take it or leave it cos I don’t give a toss what you think’.

Courtesy of @speccywoo I found this by @lruettimann. I agree with Laurie on the value of conversation, though for balance I should say that guinea pigs could take cats any day.

So I have two questions for ya.

1) Should a blog stay open for nourishment/discussion/points of view/wackos?

2) Who would win in a guinea pig v cat fight?

photo c/o greenpeanut