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HAVE YOU EVER HAD ONE OF THESE DAYS?
by Joan Kulmala, Image Coach
Totally-U Image Communications
As I sit here at my computer, I thought I would share a few pet peeves that really tickle my nerve endings when trying to do business in the highly technical, fast paced world of today. Have you ever had one of these days when...
- First thing in the morning on your way to work, you stopped at your favourite coffee shop for a waker-upper. You order your coffee and donut...the server doesn't even look or smile at you. She/he just plops it down in front of you and quickly moves on to the next customer. The tone for the day has been set by this action. Have we become so complacent and zombie like early in the morning that we don't even notice or appreciate good or poor customer service?
- What does coffee have that tea has not? It is so frustrating to attend a meeting, banquet, fast food meal vendor, or social gathering to be offered only coffee. Some places even have the nerve to charge extra for tea which adds more stress to the situation. For many of us tea drinkers we almost have to beg for a cup of tea.
Once I have made the request, I find that I must wait till everyone else has been served, or my desert/meal has been devoured many minutes before. When the tea finally does arrive, it is served with the hot water and tea bag on the side. Now if you are a bit old fashioned like I am, you would have learned a good cup of tea requires at least 5 minutes steeping time (tea bag in the water). Hopefully with all of us tea totters out there, we will be able to get the message across to the hospitality industry, caters etc. that we deserve an equal choice of either
tea or coffee.
- You've placed a telephone call to whom ever...It rings twice, and an answering machine comes on - with instructions to push 1, 2, 3, etc. for department - then instructions to spell last name of person to whom you wish to speak - only to find another message - please leave message and I will get back to you as soon as possible. At this point youre no further ahead than when you placed the call perhaps three to five minutes earlier. Are you like me? When I finally touch base with whom ever, Ive temporarily forgotten why I called because they have returned my call two or three hours later, two or three days later or, they never did return the call.
Now I know that I am getting older and it is said that loss of memory is a one of the first signs of this ....but really? Telephone communication should save us time and dollars but does it really if one does not receive immediate human connections?
- How about making an appointment with a client/co-worker etc. for lunch. You have arranged to meet at a certain restaurant for 12:00 noon.....You show up five minutes early...you are escorted to a very nice table...order your coffee....and you wait for the individual to show up. After fifteen minutes...no show, you telephone the individual only to discover they forgot all about the appointment and can not get away at that moment. Do they not realize you have wasted time waiting for them and now you have only a few minutes left to order, eat and return to work? How often in the day do you check your appointment book and confirm appointments?
- Mother nature has called! Upon completion of your business in the lavatory you find the tissue dispenser is out of paper, one ply paper too thin or dispenser is too jam packed with tissue to unwind freely making it very easy to rip small pieces (which undoubtedly ends up cluttering the floor) in your frustration to acquire enough tissue to be useful. This cost the business dollars. Proper care of this space in your business will save you the embarrassment of an unsatisfied customer.
There are many more pet peeves out there. I do not want to leave you on a negative note. The message I would like to pass on to individuals is to be respectful of others both professionally and personally. Time is important for all of us. Use it wisely and be considerate of others, it's your opportunity to be totally-you!
�2002 by Joan Kulmala. All rights reserved.
TOTALLY-U IMAGE COMMUNICATIONS
Joan Kulmala - Image Communicator
Email: [email protected]
Web site: www.totally-u.com
Tel/Fax/ 1-807-683-8855
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