On my trips back and forth from Canada to Arizona (and back) one thing has become very apparent to me in my travels.
Service in Canada is far worse than it is in the United States.
Now I know everybody hates generalities BUT I could go on for a very long time about the poor service we are 'used to' in Canada.
A few examples.
Ace Hardware is a small chain in the United States. They've resisted the urge to become one of those 'mega' size stores that often can bridge two time zones in one building. If you need help there a friendly human being will guide you directly to the proper aisle and then stand with you to make sure you buy the exact item - which in a store like that can be difficult with the various sizes. In Canada you're lucky to get someone who will say "Aisle one hundred and seven."
Last week I was looking for a simple $9.00 'timer' that I wanted to bring back here to Edmonon with me. Actually I needed three - and they only had two.
The place was being renovated so the gent apologized that it might be difficult to find the part quickly so let me take your cell number and I'll order one for you and you can pick it up later. Later ended up being half an hour. Instead of sending me to another store another ACE member 'drove it over' to the store I was shopping in.
Contrast that with my visit to ROGERS Wireless Store today where I wanted to buy the new Blackberry Torch. It officially doesn't arrive here til Friday (except they couldn't even confirm that even after stating to them that it is all over their advertising on television) - so I asked if I could pay for it now so that I could pick it up on Friday. Nope.
Then I asked if I could leave a DEPOSIT and pick it up on Friday. Nope.
Then I asked if they could let me know IF and WHEN the Torch came in on Friday. Nope.
I was handed a card and asked to call THEM sometime on Friday. Nope.
Now this, depending on the package you buy, could be as little as a $200.00 purchase or as high as (guessing)$600.
Plus the major bucks I have to spend to have a package that works in both Canada and the United States. (My average bill is $225.00 a month) - and this should qualify as a 'major' purchase - right?
Well I took the card and drove about two blocks away where, in about 30 seconds, BEST BUY took my deposit and guaranteed me a Friday pickup of my new BB Torch. (Being an early adapter has its inherent problems eh?)
If you Google "worst companies in Canada" - guess who shows up in the top 3? Our Canadian Cell providers.
Roll this out to restaurants, car dealerships, etc. and you'll see what I mean.
I cracked a windshield on the BMW Z4 on the way down last time and when I called to make an appointment they asked me "what time do you want US to come by?" That's right - two guys were over to my garage within the hour to install it at the condo. Anybody do that here?
The Cheesecake Factory down there is a gem - with deserts as big as Rexall Stadium. At a dinner one time the waitress came over and thanked us for the business and gave all FIVE of us a gift certificate to visit again, which actually matched the full value of what we spent.
Now you can bash the Yew Ess of Eh all you want - and I'm again being general in my comments - but time after time when people come to visit they have the exact same observation.
So ROGERS - thanks again for reaffirming my belief in how well you treat your most loyal customers. I get a big laugh out of the "call one of our live agents" commercials on television right now. I would - but I just don't have the time to sit and wait an hour and a half listening to a piano solo while 'on hold' ....
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Sunday, September 5, 2010
The Name Game
I was watching tennis this morning and thinking it's a good thing some of these players didn't play a 'team' game because their names are so long they'd go from elbow to elbow on their jerseys and the play by play guys would have a fit pronouncing them.
Then I got to thinking about how important your last name is.
On my last visit to see Mom in Toronto I asked her to sit down and tell me about her extended family. Her Mom. Her Father. Grandfather. Grandmother. Etc. Mom is over 80 years old so I was expecting a foggy memory but it was amazing how quickly and clearly she went back to her childhood and gave me some great insight into how she (I) got to our lives here in Canada.
My Dad died too young for me to be wise enough to ask that same question so I don't have that opportunity to search the other side of the clan.
Luckily he must have had some interest in it too because there was a Genealogy folder in his house when he passed away and it chronicled the "Forbes" legacy going back hundreds of years to Scotland. It's how I know the family credo "Grace Me Guide" and for my former interest in a certain local libation.
A scan through the 'tree' is a fascinating adventure and you can easily dream up some entertaining fantasy from hundreds of years ago that your family members were probably involved in.
I get two questions, mostly about my name.
1) Are you related to the Forbes Magazine family (answer: I wish) and
2) Are you related to Mugsy Forbes (no: but he gets the same one about me)
I'm happy to say the Forbes name carries a quality perception due to what my family has accomplished in our chosen industry.
My late father left us in 1981 and his legacy with CHED and Santa's Anonymous is being recognized in the building of the Jerry Forbes Centre for Community Spirit. (www.jerryforbescentre.ca) As I'm sure you can imagine his image in the business carried brothers Gord and Gerry to an expected height.
The two biggest compliments I ever received were:
1) "The name is as close to royalty in Canadian radio as possible.
2) "The name is synonymous with success."
Thank you gentlemen.
The unfortunate part for the Forbes clan now is that I have two daughters who, when they marry, will most likely drop the Forbes name. Brother Gerry has been banned from having children (I Jest) and that's a good thing. Brother Gord also has a daughter and thankfully a son (Joel) who carries the name. We indeed will put great pressure upon him to have 12 children - all boys - (I don't mean it in a sexist way) so that they can carry the Forbes torch into the next century and so that his children can sit down one day and wonder why a European tennis player would use a hyphenated name that had a letter count well into the 20 digit area and also so that his kids can share a little historical pride in his heritage too.
Your name has 'great' importance and the more you know about it the more it rewards you.
I'm damn proud of the Forbes name and hope you are of yours too.
Ask your Mom and Dad the same question - Grampa and Granny if you can too - and I'm sure their faces will well up with pride when they unfold your interesting path from the past.
Then I got to thinking about how important your last name is.
On my last visit to see Mom in Toronto I asked her to sit down and tell me about her extended family. Her Mom. Her Father. Grandfather. Grandmother. Etc. Mom is over 80 years old so I was expecting a foggy memory but it was amazing how quickly and clearly she went back to her childhood and gave me some great insight into how she (I) got to our lives here in Canada.
My Dad died too young for me to be wise enough to ask that same question so I don't have that opportunity to search the other side of the clan.
Luckily he must have had some interest in it too because there was a Genealogy folder in his house when he passed away and it chronicled the "Forbes" legacy going back hundreds of years to Scotland. It's how I know the family credo "Grace Me Guide" and for my former interest in a certain local libation.
A scan through the 'tree' is a fascinating adventure and you can easily dream up some entertaining fantasy from hundreds of years ago that your family members were probably involved in.
I get two questions, mostly about my name.
1) Are you related to the Forbes Magazine family (answer: I wish) and
2) Are you related to Mugsy Forbes (no: but he gets the same one about me)
I'm happy to say the Forbes name carries a quality perception due to what my family has accomplished in our chosen industry.
My late father left us in 1981 and his legacy with CHED and Santa's Anonymous is being recognized in the building of the Jerry Forbes Centre for Community Spirit. (www.jerryforbescentre.ca) As I'm sure you can imagine his image in the business carried brothers Gord and Gerry to an expected height.
The two biggest compliments I ever received were:
1) "The name is as close to royalty in Canadian radio as possible.
2) "The name is synonymous with success."
Thank you gentlemen.
The unfortunate part for the Forbes clan now is that I have two daughters who, when they marry, will most likely drop the Forbes name. Brother Gerry has been banned from having children (I Jest) and that's a good thing. Brother Gord also has a daughter and thankfully a son (Joel) who carries the name. We indeed will put great pressure upon him to have 12 children - all boys - (I don't mean it in a sexist way) so that they can carry the Forbes torch into the next century and so that his children can sit down one day and wonder why a European tennis player would use a hyphenated name that had a letter count well into the 20 digit area and also so that his kids can share a little historical pride in his heritage too.
Your name has 'great' importance and the more you know about it the more it rewards you.
I'm damn proud of the Forbes name and hope you are of yours too.
Ask your Mom and Dad the same question - Grampa and Granny if you can too - and I'm sure their faces will well up with pride when they unfold your interesting path from the past.
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