Ok, time for a wee rant.

On Saturday I phoned a company's hotline as I had an urgent problem that needed fixing, no one answered the phone so I left a message.

Monday morning and still no response, so more phone calls, this time to their landline and one to their mobile - result - nothing.

Monday afternoon - still waiting, so I sent an email - no reply. Sent a txt message to their mobile, no response.

Monday evening, another email, this one a little terse, pointing out that their service levels lead a lot to be desired. No response.

Tuesday morning, still waiting for a response. Phone again, put through to someone, got voice mail so left a message.

Thinking (foolishly) I might get somewhere if I posted a note on their Facebook - you guessed it, no response.

Tuesday evening - still no response, oh wait - there was at 10:03pm, an email apologising that they are too busy at this time and would I call at some time to discuss what is going on. I replied asking for them to phone me, I was over chasing them.

Wednesday morning, no response. More emails, more phone calls - still nothing.

So what to do, I can either send them more messages, phone them or perhaps head to their office and see if I could help them with their massive backlog in messages.

As I'm putting my shoes on to head out to see them, someone rings to apologise that they hadn't been in touch, but that they are really busy and don't always have time to follow up. Um, excuse me - too busy for your customers - give me a break, it's the customer who is keeping the business alive.

If any business is too busy to respond to customer enquiries then they have a big problem, and one which could be fixed - employ more staff, manage your time better, have dedicated staff to respond to enquiries.

If you're in business and have people trying to get hold of you - do you:

a) ignore them

b) respond in a timely manner in order to get (or retain) them

 c) give excuses

d) wave goodbye to them as they head down the road to your competitor

If you want to retain your customers do the right thing by them and they'll stick with you, ignore them or treat them poorly and you're helping your competition grow their business - the choice is yours.

Sometime ago I wrote Self praise is no recommendation and still stand by what I said then, and more so now after some interaction with a company who say in their ‘pitch’ that they are “ …  unparalleled in NZ.”

I was intrigued as they work in a similar field to me and I’d not come across them, and on doing some checking of their FaceBook and Twitter activity saw little that would give them the ability to ‘self rank’ themselves as being ‘ … unparalleled in NZ”. 

Their website is riddled with typos, straight out spelling mistakes and even ‘platforms’ they refer to in their web content aren’t spelt in a way someone using them would spell them – Linked in vs LinkedIn, and last time I checked face book is facebook. 

Maybe I’m wrong in thinking if you know what you are talking about you’d use the names right, I’m sure a builder doesn’t refer to a noggin as a nogg in.   

One of their lead ‘consultants’ who specialises in ‘social’ hasn’t had any online presence in their ;own right’ since Feb 2009, they have however been doing online activity for others. Sure there’s nothing wrong with ghosting for others, but if you’re saying you’re ‘ … unparalleled … ‘ at least have some presence of your own online, people want to see what you’re doing for yourself as part of wanting to know what you can do for them. 

Sour grapes? No, I’m just curious as to how people can say one thing, but not actually show any evidence that they are as good as they say they are.

Part of their response to my question - which I did phrase wrong – I asked about them being “best in the country”, when I should have asked about their assumption of being “ … unparalleled in NZ”, was

“when  our social media consultant  is the only consultant in NZ who manages 10-15 face book pages personally and has over 100, 000 followers over these  pages and not paid FACEBOOK for any  of them, and  as some business write cheques to get their followers , there is an in depth experience level that can help any business do the same-  and attract an audience  of that level relevant  to that organisatio ,coupled with the level of group members  knowledge base, with MBA ‘s and Masters, IT degrees, etc  in the team as whole – yes I do believe we are the best in the country –… “

Why am I bringing this up again? Simple if we’re working in an area of skill, whether it’s plumbing, banking, media – no matter what, don’t we owe it to ourselves to monitor ‘our sector’. I’m not an advocate for regulation – but when it comes to assertions of being “the best” or “unparalleled” I think we should be prepared to challenge those using such ‘monikers’ to stump up with some proof.

Anyway – really only wanted a wee rant at the end of the year. If you don’t agree with what I’ve said - rant away, like what I say – go on, say something nice.

Note: Although I maintain this blog I'm more likely found over on Charity Matters

Don't fret I haven't stopped blogging - it's just all my new stuff is now on Charity Matters - pop over take a look and please subscribe so you don't miss out on what I'm ranting, raving or generally just talking about.

I'll try and remember to post something here from time to time so you know I'm still in the land of the living.

As you may have read a few weeks ago it’s all coming off to help raise the funds the Child Cancer Foundation which needs our help to give the support they do to families who have a child with cancer. 

The support received to date has been amazing, both in terms of donations and support in kind. Ministry of Hair will be pulling out the clippers to do the deed, thanks also has to go to the team at the Heritage Hotel who have kindly offered a cash bar to any supporters who wish to come along. The Heritage Hotel have also made an offer direct to Child Cancer Foundation for other support they may be able to offer – so a special thanks for this too. 

It’s been fun talking to people about why I’m doing this and what it means to be able to support, along with many jokes being said about how I will look come the 10^th of August. I’m looking forward, with some trepidation to how it will look, it’s been a number of years since I last shaved my lid. 

I’ve also been asked how my niece (Stevie) is, how the treatment she is receiving is going and what the outlook is. So for those interest – last week Stevie was at Starship for her chemo treatment. 

Her medical examination went well - weight stable, blood pressure ‘normal’ and her overall bloods were good to. All in all things are going to ‘plan’. Her prognosis is good, and for that, I know everyone is grateful. 

Other families are not so lucky, and it’s not only for the support Stevie has been receiving from the Child Cancer Foundation that I’m shaving my lid, but for all the families who the foundation supports. 

Without organisations like CCF New Zealand would be much the poorer, where else can families get the support they need when facing what can be a long road when they have a child undergoing treatment. 

Your support is really appreciated – thank you. 

If you wish to support my efforts you can on here.

When we’re working often we’re looking for something to inspire, to get our juices flowing – for me it’s music, but my problem with this has always been what to listen to that won’t be distracting, that won’t take my mind away from what I’m doing.  

More often than not I wouldn’t bother at all and trudge through the day without any music, not really noticing for hours that I’ve been working in silence – how I’ve coped is a mystery. 

Now all that’s changed, not only can I listen to all that music in my iTunes library, but I can listen to it while shutting out all other noise around, and the really good thing is I’m “hearing” the music I’m listening to in a whole new way. 

How? Easy, I’ve a new set of headphones and not just any old thing but a decent set of noise cancelling, ear hugging ‘cans’ that are making me want to put music on – I guess the fact my ears normally get cold and the fact that these ‘cans’ are warm and snug helps there too. 

So get to the point I hear you say – ok, here’s what I’m using to listen with ... 

Audio-technica ATH-ANCTb

These are awesome, not cheap like the ones you pick up when doing your shopping at that red shed outfit, or your local discount store, but hey you want to really hear what you’re listening too, you’ve invested in the music so why not invest too in the equipment you’re using to listen to it with.