What a crazy start to 2014

This New Year started in a completely different way from how I'd pictured. 

Days had been spent in the office during our shutdown period, tidying out, filing, doing expenses and all things admin with a view to hitting the ground running in 2014. Alas, it was not to be. While people nursed their hangovers from New Year's Eve or were first through the doors for the sales, our office broadband and land lines disappeared in a puff of smoke, just like Aladdin's genie, but without the three wishes.

And so it started. Three weeks later, umpteen calls to the provider, several engineer visits, hair turning grey and many lattes drunk in local internet cafes and at borrowed desks from helpful business contacts, normal service resumed. Which meant another backlog to deal with and evenings and weekends spent catching up.

They say you don't miss something until it's gone and boy, did we miss broadband. Living and working in a semi-rural location, mobile signals are at best intermittent and at worst non-existent. Land lines are essentials taken for granted. Lack of telephone connection takes us back to days of yore when women wore crinolines and waited to get the vote. Of course, mobile signals came back as soon as I drove somewhere urban and broadband was readily available at the cost of a short walk or drive but that's hardly the point - if I'm late in paying, the supplier would be down on me like a ton of bricks. So why are we expected to accept poor service for the money we're paying?

Lack of broadband in my office left me feeling stranded. No internet banking, no emails, no ability to work in my normal streamlined way. Taking my laptop to cafes was all well and good but their broadband wasn't secure and I couldn't have confidential calls on my mobile, in the middle of a pack of yummy mummies with screaming babies, grumpy grans or earwigging execs.

My goodness, how we have become dependent upon the internet. I am a frequent flyer in the world of online shopping - in fact, my air miles would take me round the world and back. I'm so used to being tied to the office that I (almost) had to force myself into stores and shops again. 

However the situation forced me to remember that there is a world outside the office and I enjoyed the luxury of allowing myself half an hour here and there to take a walk or simply wander round the shops, remembering the joy in actually touching goods and delighting myself in better choices in-store than online. Getting out and about gave me some respite from constantly working and a breath of fresh air as well as a break, so I went back to the office somewhat refreshed. Only the irritation and frustration of the situation still irked me.

The inefficiency shown on behalf of the broadband and phone provider made me angry. Each person told me something different. That was, when I finally got through automated systems and actually spoke to a human being. Call centres abroad told me ridiculous solutions to the initial problem that would have meant buying whole new phone systems, which I knew we didn't need. As usual, the bigger the conglomerate, the worse the service is. 

The good news is that it did all come to an end, or so I thought. My business survived. My clients, on the whole, are a wonderful bunch who showed empathy and understanding. My team supported me and the business. All was relatively well with the world ... until today, when we were supposed to be having new super fast broadband laid on. Suffice it to say that despite having written confirmation that an engineer was due to call today (which meant staying in all afternoon especially), as well as a reminder text yesterday, no-one turned up. When I finally got through to somewhere over the other side of the globe, it turns out the order was never placed and we have to start all over again.

Dreadful customer service? For sure. Bad PR? Absolutely. The funny thing is that at the end of the call today, I was asked to complete a customer service survey. Strangely enough, they received 'Very poor' on every count. 

Are you surprised?!!

Not even the media get it right all the time!

We all make typographical mistakes, maybe when we’re in a hurry or haven’t used our spell checkers. I know I do. But it irks me when I see typos in newspapers, magazines and on TV (sorry, Argus, I’m not picking you out specifically!).

I expect the mighty BBC to get things right but I often see appalling spelling errors in on-screen text which make me despair.

Sub-editors, usually in-house on newspapers, magazines or websites, are often outsourced these days. Arguably their main role is to check written text before it is published and they’re responsible for ensuring correct grammar, spelling, house style and tone.

I see more and more typos in newspapers and magazines, and I can’t help but wonder if it’s through lack of education or lack of care. After all, it doesn’t take long to use a spell checker. Are editors actually reading their publications and accepting the errors; are they equally slapdash or don’t they know correct spelling and grammar either?

It isn’t just local newspapers which are falling foul of correct spelling and grammar. I’ve seen it in the nationals and high class magazines too. One small apostrophe missing here, a split infinitive there – it’s a slippery slurp. Oops, sorry, slope!

There was much debate when one local authority proposed taking out an apostrophe in a street name; something reasonably irrelevant unless you happen to live in the street. But it just doesn’t look right. Small mistakes can, however, have more impact and change the whole meaning of a sentence, notice or warning.

I’ve found several blogs and a lovely Pinterest page devoted to spelling errors in the media. Some make me howl with laughter but others are simply very sad, especially when it emanates from educational establishments, for example the American high school which greeted students with “Welcome back hope you had a good brake”.

As for social media, I have no problem with short forms of words now used in the vernacular because space is at a premium but there is still no excuse for lazy, bad spelling. This brings me back to lack of education and care for the English language.

Some may say there are more important things to worry about and maybe that’s true. I still try to stand by the theory that if you’re going to do something, you might as well do it to the best of your ability.

I think I’ve now earned my place as a Grumpy Old Woman!

Originally published in The Argus on 26.11.13

Poor customer service = bad PR

Yet again this week, I’ve had speedier and better customer service through complaining on Twitter than I’ve had from contacting the company in question. On the one hand, I’m delighted to see social media working well. On the other though, what does that say about the level of customer service we’re being offered (and accepting) from businesses today?

Why should our complaints not be dealt with efficiently, courteously and quickly on the phone or by email? Why should we be constantly fobbed off by truculent call centre operatives, front line staff who appear to need basic customer service training or endless automated phone systems? Clearly that’s not always the case and I’ve certainly received some excellent service and where that’s happened, I always say thanks and go on to do more business with the company.

The key word here, of course, is ‘service’ and picking up on Jamie Oliver and David Cameron’s comments recently about young people being disinclined to do certain jobs, it does seem that there is a percentage of people in the UK who feel that doing anything which offers a service to others is somehow beneath them.

Essential elements when considering a business’s perception to its customers and potential customers, effective reputation management or successful marketing, are the quality of its people as well as the quality of the service/product being offered. Every business will have its own corporate culture and it’s vital that everyone acts as an ambassador for the business at all times. Just one incident of poor customer service may result in the customer going elsewhere for good. That has an effect on the company’s bottom line, not least of which through word of mouth, and in turn the ability to keep staff employed. Does every company explain that clearly to its people? Would staff act differently if they realised that each phone call, email or contact could have an effect on their jobs and those of their colleagues?

As an example, I want to buy an item from an organisation which sells in the UK but emanates from the US. They are out of stock of the item in the UK but have some in the US. How easy would it be to send one directly from the US to me; I’m happy to pay the extra postage? It seems I’ve entered into protracted correspondence with the company, which can’t find its way round its own procedures to make one customer satisfied and also make a sale. How bizarre is that? I want to give them money and they don’t want it!

Companies are keen to get it right on social media these days and increasingly so. I’d like to see as much effort go into face-to-face customer service, telephone and email communication as well.

How do they get away with it? Because we let them!

Originally published in The Argus on 5.11.13

National Service works .. now how about a National Business Service?

As I sit down to write this, I’m looking at the front page of the local paper, the Argus, which is leading with a story about yobs who disrespected the War Memorial in Brighton. Instead of fighting for their country and getting the discipline they so clearly need by enlisting in one of the armed forces, they showed a basic lack of morality and decency.

My thoughts turned to national service, as they so often do when I hear of such incidents. Then they took a detour via the business community. Could the two work hand in hand? How about a scheme which meant each young person who was out of work had to sign up to a local business to get a year’s ‘national business service’?

Everyone wins: every young person learns something about the business world, gets work experience and a chance to improve their skills sets as well as their interpersonal proficiency; businesses volunteer themselves and get not only an extra pair of hands for a year (at minimum living wage with government assistance) but a potential new employee; the community wins by not having so many bored, under-occupied young people on the streets; and government wins by hitting some more of its targets. 

At the end of the year, the business has the opportunity to permanently employ the young person or the individual can sign up to another business, with a limit of two years in the scheme.

Small businesses could choose whether or not they have the ability or capacity to take part, but certainly medium to large companies would be encouraged to take part. It is, I think, an extension to the apprentice/intern scenario.

We have to get a handle on the NEET generation/s by doing something real, practical and positive, otherwise future generations will believe this is all there is to life. All the many well-intentioned projects up and down the country do their best but there needs to be a culture shift, as we so often hear. Let’s just get on and do it.

First published the The Argus 22.10.13

Pier pressure

There is very little that’s attractive about Brighton seafront. Other seafronts have more appeal. There. I’ve said it.

I had breakfast in one of the restaurants in Kings Road on Sunday morning. Apart from the fumes from the adjacent car park, I was faced with a grey concrete view (not the one above) and scaffolding on the prom, so I had to squint around it all to see the colourful sail boats just beyond.

It was a sunny morning, but the surrounding buildings were grey like the concrete and Regency Square appeared somewhat tatty. The one string of lights along the promenade said it all. No-one in authority seems to care what the prom looks like and hasn’t for years. At a lower level, there’s the Fishing Museum which is interesting, and some quirky shops and galleries along and under the arches. But overall, it seems a missed opportunity.

With the bright and vibrant history of Brighton, it deserves an attractive, colourful and welcoming seafront. So do tourists and residents alike. It should be more of a destination in its own right, with more interesting and quaint stalls, entertainment and shops, tourist information and so on. At least some beautiful weather-resistant and thug-resistant flowers, tubs and displays, which could withstand the late night antics of stag and hen party guests.

Of course, all this takes budget and resources which are in short supply, as we all know. Maybe the exorbitant cost of street parking on the seafront and in the city could go towards it. Or the same creativity and effort as has been expended on the restoration at The Level. Or perhaps it’s already in the pipeline and I’ve missed the notices. Or maybe I just turned around and didn’t see the flying pig.

I believe the city would benefit as a whole. Simply driving along the prom would be much more pleasurable, as would staying in the seafront hotels. Tourists might come even more if there were street performers, so retailers and hoteliers would be happy. Maybe more staff from nearby offices would visit during their lunch breaks if the weather was good, which would benefit their health and wellbeing if they got out in the ‘fresh’ air and had a meander along the prom.

And if by some remote chance anyone in power sees this and thinks there’s an ounce of merit in the content and does something about it, I promise I’ll sing “Oh, I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside” as I strut happily along the prom. 

Now there’s a challenge ...

First published in The Argus on 17 September 2013

Never knowlingly under-managed

I read a piece in the media recently about companies like John Lewis, co-operatives which give their staff a stake in the company, keeping salaries realistic while still motivating hard work, good customer service and sales. Their profits are rising. Royal Mail staff will get free shares in an effort to gain their buy-in and engagement, as part of the organisation’s privatisation process.

When I go into John Lewis, I certainly get a feeling their staff are proactive in selling while caring about giving a first class service and offering top notch, quality products. Can the same be said for Royal Mail, albeit prior to the share pay-out?

Every year, the postage increase gets worse and worse, so much so that this year’s hike and associated parcel size fiasco can only be classed as someone’s idea of a joke ... on the British public. It begs the question: how can they beat that next year?!

Have we got a better mail delivery system as a result of increased postage? Do we get deliveries first thing in the morning like we used to? Do we get a second delivery mid-morning? Of course not. We’re lucky if we see mail by lunchtime, and in some cases by suppertime. The Edwardians probably had a better service than we do. Yes I know there was far less post but in bygone days, they could post something in the morning and it’d be with the recipient by the afternoon. New technology should mean things improve.

Being British, do we complain? Again no, for fear they’ll take umbrage, go out on strike, picket our picket fences and stop deliveries altogether.

At this point, I should say that in the main, postmen and women are absolutely delightful and at least I get my post mid-morning. It’s not their fault that Elf & Safety and the unions won’t let them carry anything heavier than a bunch of A4 envelopes or a lightweight parcel or two, and advise them to keep away from a ‘Beware of the Dog’ sign in case there really is a monster pooch ready to take a bite out of them – quite sensible, really, and it’s to protect them. When the postman can’t get something through my letterbox or I’m out, I have to drive miles to the nearest delivery office, and there’s no Elf & Safety concern over whether I put my back out to carry it.

And don’t get me started on their offer to deliver packages to neighbours. You can’t specify who, just anyone else in the road who’s in. The last time this happened, they left a parcel with someone I’d never met, in a property I didn’t know, about a quarter of a mile away.

Increased costs should mean increased service. Maybe the bosses at John Lewis should take a turn as operational leaders for Royal Mail. Now that would be first class!

(Originally published in The Argus on 27.9.13)

Young people: like, speak properly, innit

Today I was watching BBC Breakfast when a piece on fan obsession - specifically One Direction - came on. Someone had made a film on the boy band's legions of fans. Nothing particularly momentous about that, fans have been behaving stupidly for decades, probably since Frank Sinatra and the Bobby Soxers. I did it myself; I had pictures of David Cassidy and Davy Jones to drool over, whipped away in favour of Paul McCartney (till he jilted me and married Linda) and then whoever was the latest icon.

We all know it's the media's silly season, not much going on and lots of air time and print pages to fill. But to have on the couch two teenage girls, one of whom had just had her arm tattooed with lyrics from a One Direction song (she'll regret that later) and the other saying she wanted to spend the rest of her life with her choice of band member, is an insult to those intelligent people watching.

It's an insult because (a) it's most definitely neither news nor interesting; (b) neither young lady could speak intelligibly or put across any reason why they like One Direction as opposed to any other boy band; and (c) every other word was 'like' - which is extremely frustrating and unnecessary. "Like" has taken over from "innit" or "you know" or "whatever" but it's just as irritating, if not more. 

OK, I'm sounding like (used as a preposition) an old fuddy-duddy, I know - but why have schools and parents allowed youngsters to speak in such a way? Is it from fear of litigation - maybe violating their 'Human Right to speak in a slovenly and incomprehensible way' or fear of being threatened - "We'll, like, speak in whatever way, like, we wanna"?!

What possible hope do we have when our bastion and gatekeeper of the English language, our very own BBC, allows examples like this on our screen as being acceptable? 

There are also so many typographical errors in newspapers and on screen, and factual inaccuracies too - just recently one TV station told us the Battle of Trafalgar was in the 18th century when it was actually in 1805 (the 19th century). The chef on the ITV Lorraine show today talked about "vinegar-ette" instead of vinaigrette, and so it goes on.

I really must lie down in a darkened room now before I self-combust! Either that or stop watching early morning TV...