Stunned into a mumbled mess.

I've been a "Manager" of people for a few years. On reflection a lot of people.



Some days it's like herding cats.  If you manage people you'll get what I mean.

Different people, different ages, different goals, different ambitions, different lifestyles.

Same work. Same outcome expectations. A high standard, high pressure to be 100% accurate, high knowledge base. All the time.

I've always  known what that they did and why, but I couldn't do it. I know what they need to know, I just couldn't do it or have the capacity to know it. But I knew what it was and they knew I knew.

Some days it was the worst of times, some days the best of times. Some days I came home exhausted. Some days I had to be encouraged into the car to go to work. Some days I did skipping lessons and we had ice-cream and marshmallow eating competitions. Some days.

Each and every one of the people I employed  or managed, I love as either a friend, colleague or in the way a parent sees a child, I've advised on things that you wouldn't believe, and I've saved more than one thing from going wrong, I hope.

I saw a lot of people either promoted up, or promoted out and into better external jobs,  and even when it went wrong,  good reasons why both parties understood why it wasn't ever going to work out.

But end of day i did it because I wanted to, I liked it and ultimately because I got paid a coin to do it.

I recently got assigned to a new business function that calls upon my skill set in a different way, and that meant leaving my office and reporting line in to a new office and new reports. 15 whole meters of distance.

It was for me both the best of times and worst of times. For I love each and everyone of my old team, as I mentioned  in many ways, but it released me from the "herding cats" inwards and "capacity" thinking into a more thinking and forward looking job.

It was and is a hard transition.

Today, Friday, about 7 weeks into the hand-over change, all of my earlier reports storm into my  office,  a mass show of force,  that caused a few comments, by all accounts among the other work-groups,  as they stomped from one end of the office to the other.

Wherin they gave me a "leaving card" and having had a collection a significant amount of money in beer tokens at an online beer store,

I cried. Proper tears cried.

To me they are people, friends, colleagues, family and my children. No one will ever take advantage of them if I have my say, and I hope they knew that they always, without reservation, had my backing, support, admiration,  and trust, to be the best they could be, with what they had in front of them, and that if it had could have been better they would have had it better.

Hey wait...... this is another of those "look at me" posts "how good am I" things  " you can do it" posts......

Not at all. I was paid to do a job, and I did it the way that sometimes worked out, sometimes went all a bit pear shaped. I passed through in an upward direction some very successful people in our organisation.  I moved along some people in to alternative careers :-) and I let a few people go.

I hope that each and everyone of them got a little something out of it, I know I did.

So to ( in no order) Corey, Mark, Jess, Linda, Medge, Natalia, and Rachel who today made an old man very happy,

And it would be remiss of me  not to mention  current people still in the organisation who I've in someway had a "management" thing with;  Jenny, Josh, Ritchie, Vanessa, Dave K, Dave H, Elena, Derek,  Charlene, Vasa, and Tepa, all of who have great futures and careers in front of them, and past participle people who've made a big thing in the "outside" world", particularly Joe (take me to Huntly), other Dave, Troy, Kirtsi, Laura and Troy  a really big thank you.

Without you it's a just a thing. With you it's an experience. It's been emotional.

And with that it's... to the beer store...

The one with the online shopping

I'm trying to convince myself that I'm not an online shopper.

But truth is I'm never comfortable with the online shopping thing. Sure I've done it.

Locally we have Trademe, which is like eBay buy for New Zealanders.

I've brought from Amazon in the UK, a phone case for the daughter, that was about NZ$14.00.

I brought some vinyl music from http://www.wowhd.co.nz The Elbow Definitive Vinyl, a couple of hundred NZ$, nights of angst!

Recently I brought shoes from http://www.shoes4u.co.nz This was a real interesting experience and driven by the fact that my current  excercise (walking) shoes have after just under 200kms are showing wear and tear, and if nothing else is important it's looking good and having the good shoes on the feet.

I prefer Nike Free. I've been a big fan of them since forever. Having seen some in a sale recently at NZ$150 I was kind of tempted, they are around that price too in the Nike Outlet place.  So I had a google, and found two sites, and chose the Shoes4U one, for the simple reason that they took a credit card transaction, and not a paypal thing.

So I ordered a pair, all up in US$ 77.95 including the shipping. That was Thursday 31st January. Get home Monday and there is a card from the couriers saying go pick up a package. Which we thought was some university documents, because clearly something from Hong Kong isn't going to get to Auckland in 4 days?

And the credit card hadn't been debited yet.

Wrong. There they were. Delivered. The Credit card got debited that day, But that's the first time the things have arrived before the card has been charged.

The Shoes4u.co.nz website is maddeningly difficult to navigate to log-on, check the shipment, give feedback and all that but they have a benchmark in service.

So here I sit a bit of this and a bit of that. I feel like I scored a real bargain, shoes for under NZ$100 saving me at least $50 in the colour I want to, not the run-out colours maybe in your style or not.

I also feel that I've let the local shops down too, it doesn't feel right that you can the same shoes freighted in, and even if you add the GST part they work out NZ$35 dollars cheaper than on sale. They retail normally around $190-$200.

I'm all for buy local where I can, and where it makes sense.  I understand how the local retailers find the online shopping opportunities a real threat to them.

As it turns out I'm a bit of an online shopper and my purchases from overseas appear to be increasing, for someone that like to swap money for immediate possession of goods the online purchase always provides days of fret and worry. And one day I'll get an import bill of some kind where they ping me for tax or something, Inevitable really. I've no doubt that you could get totally carried away and spend heaps of money buying all sorts of things, but I'd steer clear of laptops and tablets for now, because I'm not prepared to gamble money on things that may break, as opposed to shoes, for instance. And my purchases might never get above the $100, because like gambling that might be all I'm prepared to lose in one transaction.

Grrr, Vodafone people.

Angry much ?

We changed our Telecom account to a Vodafone account. Which was easy as. Fill in a form, flash your ID, and voila like magic you have your number on a different carrier. When I did this the wonderfully helpful assistant really was helpful and everything happened like it was supposed to.

One of the reasons to change was costs, when the said phone was mainly a text device for mother and children. All on the same network now, all lovely jubly.

The 'plan' was to get with the network and then transfer to the appropriate plan a couple of months later. Which it turns out would be a pre-pay plan, just because the phone is not in high use and a minutes plan wouldn't work out so well.

Well the sulking broody moody assistance in Westfield Vodafone on Sunday needs to have a serious think about why she should keep her job. Clearly she was having angst sitting with head in hand avoiding any eye contact, and certainly not willing to get off her behind and help anyone milling about in the store. Talk about a waste of space, someone clearly trading their time for money, and that's about it.

And unhelpful much? I'll say that her complete and total interaction was limited to "call customer service"

Why yes of course that's why I came to the store, so you can tell me to call a service desk, and then sit head in hand moody and broody. Don't offer me the desk phone, or to help me get what I want, just "call customer service". Useless.

I get it, you’re on minimal wage, it’s a weekend job, but really I’m wanting to purchase something not hunt around trying to find you, or listen in to your gabble with your colleagues whilst you pick your nails in the far back corner of the store. Worse of course is the “hello, how are you” assistance, as if that’s like the magic abracadabra of retail.

 I know that this is a personal preference thing, if I’m in a shop and need you I’ll come find you, don’t hover. If I come find you I need you, and I need you to need to help me

Anyway it's instances like these that make me regret changing, better the devil you know, and that this instance has left me feeling less than complimentary about Vodafone's otherwise wonderful service.

Either that or I'm just old and cranky. But Mrs Pdubyah wasn't too impressed either so I'm picking not.

Kathmandu how I'm annoyed at you

Daughter invested in a $450 khathmandu jacket, when I say she I mean "I".

It gets a lot of use on cold mornings, between games, and in the waiting around at hockey.

It also got a tear in the sleeve.

Now to their credit Kathmandu do make repairs, you take your stuff back to the shop and they send it back to the factory and lo! it returns as new.

except

After 10 days we get a call, it's been sent back unrepaired, the factory have deemed the jacket 'dirty'and would like it cleaned. This is despite the shop inspecting the jacket and making out a report that on the condition and the remedy we required.

Apparently not good enough. For both of us.

The Simple Life

We have a simple house. We don't have clutter, we have few trinkets and nick nacks. What we tend to have is less things that are slightly more expensive. Which sounds a bit pretentions, we have things that we can afford at the time, and we shop diligently in sales and looks for opportunities. We don't buy on whim, we find our need and then investigate the options and buy according to our wallet.

We don't carry any credit card or HP debt.

We had a bit of an open home thing, well it was a pre-ball gathering for daughter and her friends and parents, nothing at all flash, just a couple of hours of get together before the party bus arrived.

Many of the fathers of daughters found it pleasing that I had "all the gadgets "and daughter has had her friends tell her she is rich! as if.

The 'gadgets' then are; A 50" panel TV, a Cannon EOS SLR, and an iPad. There is a Tivoli Radio in the kitchen and an iPod Dock.

Like i said simple things and not exactly gadget land.

It's nice to have a simple household, it does not mean it does not get messy, I'm sure you'd be horrified if you visited at the clutter, but I like it like that.

Kathmandu how i'm annoyed at you

Daughter invested in a $450 khathmandu jacket, when I say she I mean "I".

It gets a lot of use on cold mornings, between games, and in the waiting around at hockey.

It also got a tear in the sleeve.

Now to their credit Kathmandu do make repairs, you take your stuff back to the shop and they send it back to the factory and lo! it returns as new.

except

After 10 days we get a call, it's been sent back unrepaired, the factory have deemed the jacket 'dirty'and would like it cleaned. This is despite the shop inspecting the jacket and making out a report that on the condition and the remedy we required.

Apparently not good enough. For both of us.

Customer Service

The Mantra for my staff, for my company, is “Legendary Customer Service”. That’s our mission. Not our 5 year mission, the whole mission, not going where people have never been, just doing the right thing first time every time. Legends.

So I have two things

1. It’s annoying to find shop oiks who don’t seem to care. Granted usually minimal wage earners but don’t congregate at the back of the shopping gabbing on when you can be serving someone and making someone else happy.


2. When you get good customer service it’s often a surprise and
   2(a) It’s not usually as good as I believe that my team delivers

Now I may be biased, and they may be rubbish at it. But I believe “Legendary Customer Service” Exists.

Recently I had to buy a spare part for a fridge. The Door shelf thingy that holds jars. Being as how I can I bent down wrote the model number of the fridge down and hopped on the good old interweb to F&P

Naturally the bit I wanted wasn’t describes, but then I didn’t expect it to be really, but there was a handy “email me” option which I sent off.

The reply came, asked be a question, I replied, it came back giving me the part #, price and where I could go collect it, or If I wanted to have it shipped how to place an order.

I went to the factory to pick it up. Seemed like a great way to spend some time at lunch. I knew what I wanted bish bosh bash done!

When I get to the Customer Service desk however it was occupied by an oaf. A lummox with scraggly hair, cascading down from under his leather hat. Beard that looked like it had mice in it. Ginger too! Trousers that could not have been hitched higher if he tried.

“I want the bit that goes in the freezer for the shelf” he said “This is the model number, BUT I want it for the “elegance” model instead”
“What’s that model number?” said little old small lady behind the counter

“well it’s this model BUT for the Elegance model instead” said oafy man
“What’s that model number?” said little old small lady behind the counter

“well it’s this model BUT for the Elegance model instead” said oafy man

It could have gone on. She hefted ring-binders onto the counter turning pages and pointing to line diagrams of freezers “is it this bit?”
"well it’s this model BUT for the Elegance model instead” said oafy man

Eventually she had to go get yet another book. Oafy turn around looks at me and the other chap patiently waiting and says “can you believe the poor customer service you get?”

I looked at him like you do, with that puzzled look, he turned away muttering.
The helpful lady turned back up with some more books which they proceeded to look through with much the same conversation.

For me? Someone from the back room came up to help at the counter, luck or re-enforcements? Who knows. I asked for the bits I needed by part number, she toddled off, and within 5 minutes done!

I wonder if the oaf and the very helpful staff member are still going at it.

Customer Service

The Mantra for my staff, for my company, is “Legendary Customer Service”. That’s our mission. Not our 5 year mission, the whole mission, not going where people have never been, just doing the right thing first time every time. Legends.

So I have two things

1. It’s annoying to find shop oiks who don’t seem to care. Granted usually minimal wage earners but don’t congregate at the back of the shopping gabbing on when you can be serving someone and making someone else happy.
2. When you get good customer service it’s often a surprise and
2(a) It’s not usually as good as I believe that my team delivers

Now I may be biased, and they may be rubbish at it. But I believe “Legendary Customer Service” Exists.

Recently I had to buy a spare part for a fridge. The Door shelf thingy that holds jars. Being as how I can I bent down wrote the model number of the fridge down and hopped on the good old interweb to F&P

Naturally the bit I wanted wasn’t describes, but then I didn’t expect it to be really, but there was a handy “email me” option which I sent off.

The reply came, asked be a question, I replied, it came back giving me the part #, price and where I could go collect it, or If I wanted to have it shipped how to place an order.

I went to the factory to pick it up. Seemed like a great way to spend some time at lunch. I knew what I wanted bish bosh bash done!

When I get to the Customer Service desk however it was occupied by an oaf. A lummox with scraggly hair, cascading down from under his leather hat. Beard that looked like it had mice in it. Ginger too! Trousers that could not have been hitched higher if he tried.

“I want the bit that goes in the freezer for the shelf” he said “This is the model number, BUT I want it for the “elegance” model instead”
“What’s that model number?” said little old small lady behind the counter

“well it’s this model BUT for the Elegance model instead” said oafy man
“What’s that model number?” said little old small lady behind the counter

“well it’s this model BUT for the Elegance model instead” said oafy man

It could have gone on. She hefted ring-binders onto the counter turning pages and pointing to line diagrams of freezers “is it this bit?”
"well it’s this model BUT for the Elegance model instead” said oafy man

Eventually she had to go get yet another book. Oafy turn around looks at me and the other chap patiently waiting and says “can you believe the poor customer service you get?”

I looked at him like you do, with that puzzled look, he turned away muttering.
The helpful lady turned back up with some more books which they proceeded to look through with much the same conversation.

For me? Someone from the back room came up to help at the counter, luck or re-enforcements? Who knows. I asked for the bits I needed by part number, she toddled off, and within 5 minutes done!

I wonder if the oaf and the very helpful staff member are still going at it.