Joy Wizard » Customer Service

Was The Chef Let Go Because Of The Weevils?

Alex Webley — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 09:43:15 +0000

We need to be careful where we eat out.

Here on the Gold Coast we have lots of restaurants and other eateries. It’s a popular place with international tourists, interstate visitors and others from within Queensland.

Not all are good to eat at.

I know a chef: Myles Brett. I have known him for some years now. He has high ethics, is good to work with, works well under pressure and does a good job. Due to the general nature of the cooking profession here on the Gold Coast he tends to work on a casual basis, i.e. non permanent staff.

Recently he told me about a place (small chain, which shall remain anonymous) where he brought weevils in the breadcrumbs to the attention of the head chef. Myles had already thrown the breadcrumbs out for obvious reasons, including health and safety. The head chef did not like what Myles had done and stated that the breadcrumbs could have been sieved to remove the weevils.

Myles was never rostered back on to work after that, effectively losing his job we suspect for being honest and concerned about his customers – you, the dining public.

Things are quiet here on the Gold Coast currently, so it is harder than normal for Myles to get work – he has been looking for 2 weeks now. If you want an honest, hard working, friendly and competent Chef, please get in touch with Myles – his resume and contact details are here on his website.

Obviously, if you’re the sort of person who wants to take risks with your client’s health and safety then you won’t be calling Myles. The public on the other hand will wish you did.

Was The Chef Let Go Because Of The Weevils? is a post from: Joy Wizard Blog

Great Customer Service At Drakes Supa IGA Ashmore

Alex Webley — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 10:04:30 +0000

This week I attended Drakes Supa IGA in Ashmore for some grocery shopping. What great customer service!

I have been there on several occasions in times past, though it is not my nearest supermarket.

My experiences at Drakes Supa IGA Ashmore have been consistently good. They do things differently from Coles & Woolworths, the big two of the Australian grocery business.

Here are just some of my likes:

Customer service – I always have a better experience at Drakes Supa IGA Ashmore. I feel wanted, welcome and not an ‘intrusion’ on someone’s day. I am an intuitive, sensitive person and pick up on the deep. Whenever at Coles or Woolworths the ‘energy’ or ‘vibe’ transmitted via staff is not as good.
Product range – Drakes Supa IGA Ashmore have a terrific range of goods. I can see that they go out of their way to help customers through selection of product. I have been able to get some ‘gems’ which I never see at Coles or Woolworths, and which I did not know existed. In other cases, I have been able to source products which while important to me, are hard to get (unless I go to Drakes Supa IGA Ashmore).
Prices are reasonable. Is it partly because IGA do not spend too much on catalogs I wonder? The Woolworths catalog is beautifully photographed. Years ago, I once worked in high end UK photo advertising and the Woolworths catalog is on a par. The thing is…someone pays for that and it is not cheap. Guess who?
No ‘brainwashing’. I dislike the way Woolworths uses the ‘fresh food people’ concept. Besides there being innumerable people/businesses Australia wide who would qualify for what is after all a rather generic term, I do not like the way Woolworths uses psychological principles to reinforce what it my view is a tenuous concept. Personally, I feel that I am being misled and brainwashed against my will.
Drakes IGA comes across as more of a caring business. Coles & Woolworths suffer from what I see as too much accounting – run for the benefit of shareholders by accountants, numbers can tend to disassociate a business from core human values and good customer service.

So who is responsible for this situation?

Management.

Great Customer Service At Drakes Supa IGA Ashmore is a post from: Joy Wizard Blog

Your Blueprint for a Fulfilling Life and a Successful Business

Alex Webley — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 10:30:16 +0000

Today I came across this fantastic video about 9 words which will enrich your life and boost your business.

Think about how you can apply the principles to your own life, business and relationships.

9 Words That Will Enrich Your Life and Boost Your Business

View more webinars from Content Crooner.

Download the 9 Words Screensaver here.

Your Blueprint for a Fulfilling Life and a Successful Business is a post from: Joy Wizard Blog

What Does Chocolate Have To Do With Webdesign, Creative Excellence And Superb User Experience? (Don’t miss this)

Alex Webley — Sat, 15 May 2010 01:04:54 +0000

If you like Chocolate you must see this site.

If you like beauty, design and creativity you must see this site.

If you appreciate a fine user experience on the web (usability) you must see this site.

If you appreciate good customer service, or want to study it, you must see this site.

If you are involved with Internet Marketing you must see this site.

Frankly, this is one of the best websites I have ever come across. Kudos.

You just want the chocolate?

Not just any chocolate.

Chocolates handmade by a world champion chocolatier…….

I quote:

…with zealous adherence to French tradition: all natural ingredients, no preservatives, very little sugar, high cocoa content, no alcohol and 100% cocoa butter. More intense, with stronger flavors and a longer finish, they redefine the chocolate tasting experience.

You can get the experience here: Chocolate

What Does Chocolate Have To Do With Webdesign, Creative Excellence And Superb User Experience? (Don’t miss this) is a post from: Joy Wizard Blog

How you can sell more.

Alex Webley — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:02:57 +0000

You?... or your staff?

In many places these days, both off-line and online, the sense of good service has been lost in a misinformed rush to pseudo efficiency.

The phrase “have a nice day” is both ubiquitous and perfunctory – and usually meaningless. I am sure that you will recall many visits to brick and mortar stores with their minimum wage, part-time staff whose only talent appears to be a blank vacant stare accompanied by the phrase “that’s not my department“. And then there are the websites which either don’t accept phone calls, or have some permanent message bank system, or have some sort of a form e-mail system that is not replied to promptly, and when it is, is often accompanied with a request for more information that generally corresponds to what you have already provided.

Obviously, the above comments are a generalisation and differing stores and websites have these kind of issues in varying degrees of severity.

The situation, which is becoming worse by the day, actually has within it great seeds of opportunity. Very often, a business does not have to change a great deal these days before they start to standout as being very different to competing businesses. Yes, it is a sad indictment state of our society and business in general, nonetheless it can be turned into a positive — at least as far as your business is concerned.

So what formula should you use to help you decide how to be different?

A simple method is to remember that most people tune in to a particular radio station every day, which is called WII FM.

WII FM = What’s in it for me.

When we start to look at people from this perspective and think about how they will be perceiving our service or activities, it then becomes much clearer as to what we should do in order to treat our customers with the respect that they deserve.

Customers are worthy of great respect, firstly because they are people and secondly because they pay our bills (or wages if we are employees).

An employee’s customers are both their boss, and the customers of the business in which they work.

The business owners customers are of course the people who purchase the goods or services, however it is very important for bosses to bear in mind that if they treat their staff badly, it is much more likely that the staff will in turn treat customers badly.

How you can sell more. is a post from: Joy Wizard Blog

Too Old? Think again!

Alex Webley — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:40:55 +0000

Think you are too old to work?

Too old to start something new?

RIP: Your Youth

Or perhaps you are an employer with a bias against hiring older people?

One of my hats is that of Private Investigator and I have a friend, Mark Grover, who owns one of Australia’s premier Private Investigation agencies. They handle cases both here in Australia and overseas for clients ranging from private individuals to multinational corporations and government departments/agencies.

MPOL Group have a Private Investigator on their staff who has turned 80 years of age in December 2008!

I quote:

A unique investigator

A successful investigation firm is, by the nature of the work we conduct, made up of a group of diverse and colourful characters. We’d like to pay tribute to one of our most enduring and successful factual investigators, Brian Forrest who turned 80 on the 1st December!

While Brian may not be able to do the 100m quite as fast as in years gone by, when it comes to attention to detail and understanding mechanical or engineering aspects of an investigation there are still few investigators with Brian’s expertise.

Brian is one of the warmest and most approachable investigators you could ever meet, which is a definite advantage for a factual investigator who is trying to persuade people to provide statements. We are sure it is also one of the reasons that we have had more positive feedback from clients and employers about Brian than any other investigator!

Brian has given many years of excellent service to both MPOL and our clients, we look forward to many more of the same quality and integrity from one of our industry’s finest.

Ref: http://www.mpol.com.au/news/newsletters/2008Dec/article5.php

The staff member, Brian Forrest, is a key asset to the MPOL Group and its clients, and living proof that older people, even well past ‘retirement age’, can have a great deal to offer.

In my view, older people can make excellent members of staff and often have qualities which their younger counterparts lack. To me, it is important to focus on the result delivered. If older people can provide this then that is what matters, not their age. Negative age bias can actually be a hindrance to a business, which will miss out on the benefits older people bring to the table.

These days, poor customer service is on the increase and I have found it to be more common amongst the younger demographic. I have also come across many instances of poor quality customer service staff being supervised, managed and even hired by a similarly minded poor quality young person. Good leadership starts at the top and benefits flow downwards. There are some fantastic young people out there of course, and I know many, however as a percentage of the population I have found that younger people tend to know less about good customer service. And if you don’t know, how can you be?

Business owners and managers should focus on the required results and then take steps to achieve that. Negative connotations and bias about either old or young people should not be part of the equation. Perhaps you have a subconscious bias? Have you asked yourself that?

Older people within the organization’s workforce can help transfer key skills, wisdom and attributes. Is your business benefiting from this? Are you mining the riches that can dwell in the minds of older people – wisdom, experience, insight and so on? Even if you have a business model which does indeed need young, vibrant up to the minute floor staff; such as teen retail fashion for example, older people can be brought in to assist with customer service training or other back end type work.

When studying the MPOL Group article above we can see that they are cleverly leveraging Brian’s key qualities for the benefit of their clients. Brian has a job, keeps his mind active and I would expect that it is all helping to support his health too.

Private Investigation work can be very demanding and usually requires above average skill. So if an 80 year old is good enough to be retained by one of Australia’s premier Private Investigation agencies, perhaps some older people would be good for your business. Have you thought about it?

And if you are an older person who has given up on life and succumbed to the view that there is nothing left for you, then think again! Get involved in something, even if it is on a voluntary basis. You will feel much better and, I’ll be blunt; will likely live longer and be more healthy.

Too Old? Think again! is a post from: Joy Wizard Blog

Great service from Gold Coast Computer Store – FS Computers

Alex Webley — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:12:14 +0000

It was time for a new keyboard.

These days I buy Microsoft keyboards and mice exclusively. (Early last year I bought a Logitech top of the line mouse – MX Revolution – which became faulty early on. I am still trying to get the situation resolved with Logitech. I have received appalling customer service and support from Logitech. Coupled with other poor experiences with the quality of Logitech products; I now have a policy of never again buying Logitech. In fact, due to the value of time lost, I would have been better off never contacting Logitech support about my faulty product in the first place! I probably won’t contact Logitech about a faulty cordless headset for that very reason!)

I decided on a Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Desktop 7000.

I have had Microsoft keyboards before which lasted very well (far beyond what I expected), were reliable and easy to use. The ergonomic range is superb, though can take some getting used to initially for some people.

The keyboard I wanted comes with an ergonomic mouse. We already have two (which replaced my faulty Logitech MX Revolution): Natural Wireless Laser Mouse 6000 and am pleased with it. Batteries last for ages.

Here on the Gold Coast, Queensland, it was hard to find a store stocking the Natural® Ergonomic Desktop 7000. I ordered it in as a special order from FS Computers in Mermaid Beach. The store, which was established in 1993, has been one of my local favorites for over 10 years. Back in December 2005 I ordered a computer system from them with which I was well pleased.

FS Computers promised the keyboard the day after I ordered it. Not only did the keyboard arrive on time, Dmitri phoned to let me know it had arrived, again, as promised. No surprise here. Over the years I have enjoyed excellent customer service from the people at FS Computers.

So, if you want a local Gold Coast computer store where you are treated as a person (and not a number on a sales person’s statistics sheet) get down to FS Computers: http://www.fscomputers.com.au (2546B Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach. (07) 5578 6511).

PS: The keyboard is actually for my wife – lucky girl. I have a Microsoft Digital Media Pro keyboard – another great product.

Great service from Gold Coast Computer Store – FS Computers is a post from: Joy Wizard Blog

I didn't know that going to the dentist could be so good.

Alex Webley — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 23:47:53 +0000

Recently I have started attending a new dental practice, having attended at least four times last year.

I have been most impressed with the service and treatment I have received from Dr Karla Scutt and her helpful staff at Breeze Dental.

In fact, my experiences at Breeze Dental have been the best ever, by a considerable margin. This is in spite having attended a large variety of dental practices both here in Australia and in the United Kingdom. One of these was even a celebrity dentist with a heavily marketed practice. I never went back to him mainly because I did not like the way he abused his assistant while he was dealing with a difficult part of my treatment.

Dr Karla Scutt is very professional. She takes the time to pay close attention to your situation, listens to what you have to say, and is highly competent. Who am I to judge? Besides drawing upon my people expertise, I have noticed a strong correlation between how Dr Scutt diagnoses and treats, and the subsequent excellent results. I have also picked up on the fact that Dr Scutt does not suggest unnecessary work, unlike some dentists I visited in the past who were just interested in making a quick buck. (I also have sales and marketing training/consulting experience which helped me to see them coming.)

Simply speaking, when I attend Breeze Dental, I get the feeling that I am treated as a person and that my concerns matter. There is no pressure or ‘upsell’.

Many people fear the dentist, and the last thing they need is an interaction with an uncaring, incompetent or sales orientated monster with a drill.

Dr Karla Scutt is a breath of fresh air (excuse the pun) and genuinely cares about her patients. She is highly professional and gets impressive results. If you live or work in the Helensvale region of the Gold Coast, Queensland, I suggest that you check out Breeze Dental. In fact, I recommend travelling out of your way to get there. Personally, it takes me 20 to 25 minutes to get to the practice, so I guess that tells you something.

Dr Karla Scutt and Breeze Dental can be contacted via the contact details on their website:

http://www.breezedental.com.au

I didn't know that going to the dentist could be so good. is a post from: Joy Wizard Blog

Gold Coast Organic Food Store – where customers matter.

Alex Webley — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 03:23:08 +0000

This article will likely only be of specific interest to people who live on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. Others who are interested in organic food, customer service, sales and marketing may find it interesting also.

My wife and I consume a lot of organic food. We do eat meat (we are omnivores), are not fanatical about eating only organic products and do consume non-organic food, though it is usually of good quality. As in most areas of life, balance is important.

Some of the reasons why we consume organic food include:

It usually tastes better
It usually lasts longer
The food is usually better quality
An absence of chemicals and other nasty additives
Much better treatment of the animals involved
Better quality food supports health – both physical and mental
The food is more satisfying and we often need less of it
We like the idea that we are mostly supporting smaller, and Australian, businesses and families with our patronage
Customer service tends to be better in organic stores

We obtain our organic food from a number of sources. Some is delivered direct to our door, a small quantity is obtained at the large supermarket chains, however a good proportion of it is obtained from small local stores.

My favorite local Gold Coast organic food store is Mrs Flannerys in Benowa, where they have a good range of products, including fresh food, fruit and vegetables. In my experience it is the best value on the central Gold Coast (Southport, Broadbeach, Benowa, Ashmore etc) for organic produce. They have the largest range I have seen on the Gold Coast.

WrayOrganic is owned** by a friendly helpful lady who makes you feel as if you are a valued customer. This reminds me of days long gone when customers were treated as people, not just a number. (**Addendum 31 July 2010 – the Broadbeach store is now a franchised store).

If you have never tried organic food, then I thoroughly recommend you do. Try a range of products and compare the taste to what you’re normally eating. I’m sure you will not be disappointed.

Have you thought carefully about the quality of the food which you are putting into your body? And what kind of effects that food is having on it?

In closing let us consider the example of people who spend a fortune on hotting up their cars to race on the roads. No expense is spared and they are always careful to ensure that their cars are refuelled not only with the best quality petrol available, but with extra bottles of expensive additives. Yet we will often see these same people scoffing burgers, pizzas and drinking sodas. Peculiar eh? Little do they consider that they are on the fast track to ill-health and an early check-in at an overstretched and understaffed hospital ward. No fancy pizzas there, or organic food.

Other Gold Coast organic and quality food stores:

Celtic Organic, Southport – run by a very nice, friendly couple – have some unusual products/foods.

Deliver to Gold Coast in refrigerated van – Organic & Quality Foods of Brisbane. Very good for vegetables, frozen meats, sausages, dairy products & more.

Gold Coast Organic Food Store – where customers matter. is a post from: Joy Wizard Blog

Excellent service and pricing from Australian online camera – photographic store

Alex Webley — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 01:29:07 +0000

Just recently I have purchased a new video camera from an online store in Brisbane, Queensland:

CameraPro

Not only did I receive excellent service, I saved between $250 and $350 on what I would have paid at a well known local camera store. The video camera is Australian stock therefore I would have no warranty issues, should I need to claim (i.e. it is not grey market).

Prior to purchase I checked out the price via a third party website: StaticIce. This website is good for checking prices on computer/IT equipment too.

I do not always go for the lowest price option on StaticIce, for a number of reasons. One of these is that I like to check out the store first – I look closely at the website for key factors (being a Private Detective helps) and usually speak with a person from the site over the phone.

Speaking with people over the phone is in my case key. This is because I have a well developed ability to sense things about people. For example, long ago I owned a wholesale and retail lighting business in the UK. I used to authorize credit over the phone just on a sense. In all my years of trading (five), I only ever had one bad debt; which was 2 pounds (yes, you read it right – just 2 pounds) by a Christian organisation. I never followed it up – why would you? When I received phone calls from people who I sensed were a bad credit risk I would politely suggest that they contacted my competitors, explaining that I was unable to help.

Having spoken with Steve from CameraPro I could tell that he is a very genuine, decent kind of chap. Their website says:

When you buy from CameraPro, you will be supporting an Australian owned and run business, which attempts to operate on an ethical basis in all aspects of our dealings.

This is not just lip service. I sensed strong ethics on the part of Steve. For those who understand Owl medicine; Owl says you can trust Steve and CameraPro.

Personally, I also prefer to deal with smaller businesses and avoid the large chains. Large chains tend to be staffed by people who say “Thank God it’s Friday” and see you, the customer, as some kind of statistic, sucker or interruption to their day.

So, if you want camera or photographic equipment this Christmas, and want to save money, get in touch with CameraPro. Get your order delivered to your door and avoid the mad Christmas rush/crush. Save your valuable time.

In case you are wondering, I purchased a Canon Legria HFS11.

I quote from the Canon website:

With stunning design lines, the LEGRIA HFS11 can shoot to internal flash memory as well as to removable memory cards. Combining an 8.0 megapixel Full HD CMOS sensor, a genuine Canon HD Video Lens with a 10x optical zoom, and the new DiG!C DV III processor, image capture size is almost three times greater than Full HD resolution – providing the ultimate in image quality. With extensive professional-level controls and features, the LEGRIA HF S11 is suited to high-end consumers or professional movie sets.

Excellent service and pricing from Australian online camera – photographic store is a post from: Joy Wizard Blog

Joy Wizard » Customer Service

Was The Chef Let Go Because Of The Weevils?

Related Posts:

Great Customer Service At Drakes Supa IGA Ashmore

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Your Blueprint for a Fulfilling Life and a Successful Business

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What Does Chocolate Have To Do With Webdesign, Creative Excellence And Superb User Experience? (Don’t miss this)

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How you can sell more.

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Too Old? Think again!

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Great service from Gold Coast Computer Store – FS Computers

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I didn't know that going to the dentist could be so good.

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Gold Coast Organic Food Store – where customers matter.

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Excellent service and pricing from Australian online camera – photographic store

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