Archive from February, 2006
Feb 25, 2006 - Uncategorized    Comments Off on whose achievements are the most important?

whose achievements are the most important?

This blog seems to be turning into a rant against all that is wrong in the world, but I just read something that really annoyed me over on the BBC website.

How unfair is that. How can the BBC not show a decent amout of coverage (look at the Winter Olympic coverage over the last two weeks), when the team is just as worthy of recognition.

In some respects it is an even greater achievement to compete if the athlete is overcoming a difficulty. Just consider the number of injuries that the average football match brings? Those people wouldnever dream of competing unless they were fully fit.

Kinda makes you think a little differently doesn’t it?

Feb 25, 2006 - understanding, work    Comments Off on sales tactics or plain bullying?

sales tactics or plain bullying?

It was one of those days today, where some bright spark manger decides that sales will be the focus of the day. I have never been so embarrassed to be doing my job!

Customers were being, in my opinion, bullied into taking products that they didn’t want or need, simply to stop that harrasment by my colleagues. And that is a terrible thing to have to say.

If I had been one of our customers today, and subjected to that kind of attitude, I would never have gone in there again. I’m still maintaining my boycott of Dixons because of appalling customer service. Back then I said that where I work customer service is a key priority, with the idea being ‘sales through service’ (which in principle I agree with) which doesn’t generate the business results.

Today was also the pits with regard to customer service. I would much rather be dealing with back office queries than have to be customer facing if that is the way I am expected to behave. I actually found myself doing it, at the insistance of the manager, and I feel quite guilty that I dropped my game to such a level.

It may generate short term business results, but when customer relaltionships are jeapordised then the long term value of those customers is lost completely.

If I just keep my head down and stay off the radar, maybe they’ll just leave me alone.

Or then again, maybe they won’t.

Feb 24, 2006 - tv    Comments Off on guess who’s the tv junkie?

guess who’s the tv junkie?

Ok, so having watched The Apprentice last night, I went on to watch a really good episode of ER over on E4.

SPOILER ALERT!!!!

Talk about powerful stuff. Basic plot premise. Big plane crash over Chicago. There were of course the obligatory plot holes that come from trying to fit a story that could fill a feature film into an hour long tv show. But nevertheless, it was powerful. It did suceed in bringing accross the demands on the medical services.

The most telling comment was the question Abby asked. Was it terrorism? That was the only mention. After that there was only the determined focus on treating the wounded. There was no blame and recrimination. Just people getting on with their job.

Isn’t that a good way to live though? I think there may just be a very important lesson to learn there.

Feb 23, 2006 - the apprentice, tv    Comments Off on who wears pink trousers anyway?

who wears pink trousers anyway?

Oh dear, The Apprentice is back!

This is one of those shows that I really like just for the sheer variety of personalities

Just note though, this will very likely lead to some very long and rambling posts.

I must say though that I did enjoy the first episode of the new series. From my love of people watching, it was great.

So here goes:

The Task: – to make the most profit from a day selling fruit and veg on the streets of Hackney in London. The teams had £500 to purchase produce and then sell it to the general public, with a stall in the street market as a base.

The Teams: – Sir Alan split them in to girls and boys (7 of each) for the task. They are all from different business backgrounds. It should be interesting to say the least.

The Boys:-

Who would have thought that choosing a name would provide such a challenge to the lads group. It took them nearly an hour just to come up with a name, with the very pretentious Syed coming over actually as a bit of a geek by suggesting the “A Team” as a good name for the team. (I think they actually ended up as Invicta?)

By god, there was a lot of management waffle, theories and posing in this team. None of which is a match for just getting out there and doing it. Theories are good, but really shouldn’t be spouted randomly in every situation. They all sounded like they’d swallowed a business textbook! At least they took the task seriously though and approached it as a challenge not a game.

I think the biggest problem, not necessarily the weakest player, but the most likely to cause problems is Syed. I think the knowledge and epxerience are there, but the ability to play a team role is not.

There are however some members of the team who failed to even register on the radar, at least as far as the general viewer saw, and those people I couldn’t even tell you their names. As the weeks go on though, they’ll get weeded out. Should be fun to watch.

There is a real ‘blame game’ going on in the boys team. No one seemed willing to take any responsibility for their actions (and inaction). I think if Ben had stood up and said I made a mistake, then he would have stayed. I think he made the mistake of shifting, not neccessarily the blame, but the decsion making to the team. It was a gamble I suppose, he was trying to show he was a team player, but in the end it made him look like a weak leader.

The Girls:-

Oh dear oh dear. What were they palying at. I know I said that you sohuldn’t spout managment theories left, right, and centre, but that was too far in the opposite direction. Talk about taking advantage of other people, not just the market traders, but the public as well. Its just wrong. I can see why one or two of the girls were a bit apprehensive. I certainly would be.

The real problem for the girls was that they didn’t act businesslike. They were to flirtatious and pushy. Its just not good business sense.

Whilst I’m on the subject of the girls, I was sure that Jo would be the one to be fired. She was completely OTT and seemed so unprofessional, which those who know me will affirm that I cannot stand in a business context (and definaltly not in a job interview!?!) I really could not work with such a character. I think that she also wore pink trousers to the board meeting (I may be wrong because it is late now). Who would even dream of wearing such a thing in a business context?! Beats me.

Major issues:-

I think the major difference was the attitude of the two teams. The boys saw it as a challenge whereas the girls saw it as a competition that they had to win at all costs. What worries me is that they came up with the plan in a logical manner, and yet managed to avoid all good business practice and didn’t play fair.

Still the girls did do some good things. Obviously they made more profit, but they did delegate and change their plans accordingly. The boys did do this, but on a greatly reduced scale, and just a touch too late to make any difference.

They have got some real lessons to learn though. Most of what they know doesn’t mean much unless they can put it into practice. But not in an overt ‘I am going to apply this theory’ manner. It will certainly show who has read the book, and who had adapted the book to their particular style.

Those who do not recognise that learning is an ongoing process will not do very well, and will only cause choas along the way.

Now I suppose I’ve got to wait until next week.

Over and Out

Feb 21, 2006 - Uncategorized    Comments Off on fairly pleased with myself

fairly pleased with myself

I’ve just managed to get a website up and running for the Explorer Scout unit that I am involved with.

All the programme and activities are now in one place, and we have an up to date presence on the internet again.

WooHoo

Feb 21, 2006 - Uncategorized    Comments Off on my new goal…

my new goal…

I have lots of goals in life, but I think this new one may actually suit me and I may actually achieve this!

I am going to … Write Every Day!

Feb 21, 2006 - Uncategorized    Comments Off on round and round we go again…

round and round we go again…

Funny incident of the day:

This morning, all the sales staff at my office decided to pull a little pratical joke on their manager.

They all, one by one, phoned in sick. The manager was going frantic trying to cover all their appointments.

Thing was, most of us knew it was a joke, because we had seen various staff arrive before the manager.

Then they all walked in. I think it was perhaps the best practical joke I have ever seen pulled.

Maybe you had to have been there.

Feb 20, 2006 - Uncategorized    Comments Off on 43 things

43 things

I signed up over at 43 things yesterday. I know a complete timewasting exercise, but it goes right back to a piece of work I did in my last semester at university (funnily enough around this time last year) about goal setting and it made me realise how many of my goals I have yet to achieve (or even start on)!

I need to get another job, or do something else with my time because I realised how much time I have wasted since I left university. Yes, its paid the bills but it isn’t stretching me at all. I need to do something else.

I have to knuckle down and work really hard for this selection. Its only something like 64 days away and at the moment I really do not feel ready for the fitness element of the board.

Only one thing to do.

Run More.

Feb 20, 2006 - Uncategorized    Comments Off on oooh. lookee lookee

oooh. lookee lookee

I finally decided that I am never going to get along well with Geocities (that blessed adsquare thing in particular) and sorted myself out a web domain. I know its still a free one with adverts on it, but at least I know where the adverts are going to be and design accordingly.

I’ll still be blogging here of course, and my photos will stay over on Flickr, but at least I’ll have somewhere to put the stuff that doesn’t really fit into a Blog or in Photo album.

So, with out further ado, I proudly announce the arrival of My New Website.

I know there isn’t anything there at the moment, But at least it will be there when I need it and there won’t be any silly adsquares or anything like that.

Off I go to play…

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