There's JOY in JUNK

Edition141 Monday 28th May 2012

Hi,it is exciting going to the local refuse transfer station. I cant wait to get together a stack of junk at home so I have the perfect excuse for a return visit !! We have had a bit of stuff accumulated but not enough to justify the trip…..but this weekend with a major push on getting  ‘things baby’ ready I finally had enough rubbish. Crikey it was busy and there was pre-loved treasure everywhere. I backed in next to a guy who was ditching a perfectly good surfboard and mountain bike! I politely identified my targets and asked nicely if they were fair game (scavengers etiquette). Getting the go ahead I was in like a kid in a lollie shop and grabbed both. But then I noticed a kid looking longingly at the bike and I weakened and gave it to him and his dad, they were wrapped. Anyway I still ended up with my scooby doo surfboard so I was happy. Just as I was about to resume my search unbelievably I got asked to leave because I had barefeet!Not even some quick talking and thinking by pointing out a pair of discarded shoes that would fit could save me, I was gone, red carded, gutted!

Never mind it was great while it lasted,it is cool fun being a steptoe but you need room for treasure!

So we spent the weekend paying to advertise for ‘Hirequip’ with trailer in tow hauling the Retro bike to town for a puncture repair (no spares on two wheels!).This left us with a perfect excuse to buy something to haul home which we did from our favorite estate sale(pre loved junk) store. Some expert bartering saw us secure a nice little oak table and chair ensemble! Then last but not least the highlight,the Sunday junk run to the transfer shopping station (tip!)…What an adventure we had.

The weekend wound down nicely as we sat down exhausted on a grey old Sunday afternoon in front of a cosy log fire and fell asleep with Harry and the Hendersons curled up at our feet!!ZZZzzzzzzzz

I hope you had an awesome weekend doing exactly what you wanted to with family and friends as we look forward to the coming week and QB weekend,have a great week, cheers Jonesey.

Harry and the Hendersons are happy more junk went than came back,more dog shed room!

Goodwill is the one and only asset the competition cannot undersell or destroy”

Marshall Field

What makes people buy from the people they do? What makes people regular users or visitors to a particular business time after time? Goodwill? How do we find the answer to these questions?

In my humble opinion we should ask ourselves why we shop where we do, we should ask our friends and family and finally we should ask our own customers why they use us.

I am continually doing my own customer service survey of the people I deal with. What I find is if people make me feel comfortable about dealing with them then I will return again and again. How do you make me feel comfortable?,give me prompt friendly service, remember my name, treat me like a person and not like a number.I have favorite businesses I use who all make me feel like I am important to them. They create a warm atmosphere that envelopes you when you are there and makes you feel like you are in a non threatening ‘part of the family’ type environment. The owners and staff of these buisnesses make it easy and pleasurable to spend time and money with them.

Secondly, I always ask and listen to my friends and family when they tell me about good and bad experiences they have had with busnesses. Often I will visit a business that is recommended and I will always steer clear of one that gets a bad rap….what does that tell you !!

Finally, I ask our customers why they deal with us, what they like and what they don’t like, if anything. It is important to also ask any customers you lose or who stop using you over time why?  Interesting stuff and essential to know and understand what makes a good business better and how to make sure you create the atmosphere and environment in your business/workplace that you find enjoyable yourself. Its not rocket science its often the simple stuff that makes the biggest difference, things like common courtesy, family values, names, smiles J…Go to it, good luck.

“When we take care of our customers, we take care of ourselves.” Zig Ziglar

LOL

Edition140 Monday 21st May 2012

Hi,L.O.L is something Ive decided I need to do a lot more of after a hilarious session this weekend.It started quite innocently as a bit of a laugh with family then gathered momentum until we were all laughing so hard it hurt and we couldn’t stop. We laughed so much we were exhausted but it felt good to laugh out loud.The funniest thing was no one could remember what we were laughing about or why it was so funny!!....just one of those spontaneous combustion things that comes with good times and after all isnt that what weekends and relaxing is all about?……you bet it is, hence my undertaking to do more of it !

I recently sold some assorted BBQ hardware on trademe. The $1 reserve auction started with a hiss and a roar but died spectacularly and was won for $3!!!! Crikey not the get rich quick outcome I was looking for but better than throwing the stuff away I guess.I was sort of happy when I met the buyer to transfer the stuff that it went to someone who was obviously going to get good use out of it. I decided not to worry about the 3 bucks and you would have thought I had given the woman $300 which made me feel even better, amazing how such a small gesture could have such a big impact!!

We had guests for the weekend who got up early on Sunday to watch the Bayern Munich v Chelsea European Football Cup final in Munich. I don’t follow or watch much football but this game was a cracker going down to the wire and requiring the high drama of a penalty shootout to separate the two teams. We ended up screaming and yahooing as Chelsea eventually snatched victory silencing a zillion screaming German fans, it was a great spectacle pity about the Sunday sleep in,yawn,yawn never mind we had a nice Sunday afternoon nana nap instead!! ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I hope you had one of those relaxing weekends with family and friends where you also got to LOL or do something nice for someone else and rest up for another big week ahead….cheers Jonesey.

Harry and the Hendersons loved the LOL session a perfect excuse to go hypo in the lounge!

“Fortune favours the brave”  Walt Disney

Following my recent business speed dating exploits we have been offered an opportunity to tender for a major Government contract!! Talk about fortune favouring the brave, our insistance on being involved has certainly paid off. The tender is outside our normal scope of work but has forced us to think positively and act a bit differently in order to come up with a solution.To this end I spent a bit of time on this in the last week involving business partners who can help us deliver the outcome this large Government Department is looking for.

This opportunity has effectively provided us with a chance to get our foot in the supply door . By opening the dialogue with the key decision makers at the ‘meet the buyer’ event we now have ongoing communication with actual contacts capable of spending significant dollars with the Green Gorilla!! Furthermore we have been invited to partner with others submitting bids to Government which augers well for us as we look forward to the half year and beyond.

Being the little guy is often easier than trying to protect your position as a market leader but no matter where you sit on the ladder you need to have a positive attitude toward the future. Yes it is tough in every industry as the worldwide financial crisis rolls on and we feel the daily effects but each of us has to stay positively focused on our lot or we just wouldn’t get out of bed in the morning.

The whole idea of being ‘Upbeat’ is to keep ourselves and our business colleagues/ partners positive and not to let the negativity we are surrounded by engulf us. By being brave and pushing ourselves forward when faced with challenge and adversity that is when you will make your own luck and often find things break your way. It is important to focus on the opportunity in everything no matter how difficult it may seem, that is the difference between success and failure…..good luck upbeaters!

“Its your attitude not your aptitude which determines your altitude in life.” Vince Lombardi

MUMS the word

Hi,I have become particularly attached to a fifty dollar note that turned up in my wallet courtesy of a trademe deal and against all prediction and temptation has survived there for nearly two months!! It is now referred to as my ‘lucky fifty’ and for compassion and superstition reasons I am reluctant to part with it ! I have got to know it so well that it has even won me a bet about what well known New Zealander appears on our fifty dollar note? My ill informed colleague was convinced it was Ernest Rutherford,but I knew after having my fifty so close for months that it is in fact Sir Apirana Ngata. Given the irregularity with which I am ever in contact with hundred dollar bills I had no idea who was on that anyway but I knew my stuff when it came to my ‘lucky fifty’. Crikey the things that amuse small minds !! The ‘lucky fitty’ survives, watch this space.

We celebrated Harry’s ninth birthday with the Hendersons and in combo with the Jones clan who dropped in for Mothers Day brunch. We are fortunate that Mum is in good nic and still going strong and that we are able to make a special fuss of her in person. I know a lot of people who sadly no longer have that opportunity but who still make it a special day to remember their Mums every year. I finished Lance Armstrongs book during the week in which coincidentally he talks fondly of his Mother who made heaps of sacrifices as she worked hard to raise him on her own.A timely reminder to us all of how important a role our Mothers have played in all our lives. I hope you all took the opportunity to remember your Mums this weekend…..Love you Mum xxxx…………Cheers Jonesey!

Harry and the Hendersons had a cool time partying and sleeping it off,getting old is a bitch.

“Be like a postage stamp,stick to one thing until you get there” Josh Billings

Business speed dating, what an interesting headline…..so I read on. Turns out it was not a way for crusty businessmen or women to meet the partner of their dreams. It was however a new  concept introduced by the Ministry of Economic Development for the benefit of small businesses like us !

Imagine being in a room full of procurement managers of the biggest government departments. These are the people that are usually protected by vicious PA’s or are invisible and impossible for small business sales people to identify and/or contact.

The business speed dating article was in a weekend paper and it detailed an upcoming event in Wellington where you got the opportunity to book ‘dates’ with 25 National Procurement Managers from big hitting government Departments. There were also presentations from representatives of the government tender website and plenty of other helpful stuff to assist your company to do business with the government…..WOW……where do we sign up !!! what an opportunity.

Unbelieveably the deadline to apply was only days later and we missed out!!, but undeterred by this I called the organiser and insisted we be included. First he ignored my calls and emails but then I managed to get past his vicious PA and talk directly to him. I insisted on being involved but he resisted and said NO, still I pursued him relentlessly until finally he gave in and allowed me to attend. He said I could ‘observe ‘ only and that there may be a chance to meet some of the buyers . No way mate I am going to be in boots and all if I go I decided I am going all guns blazing.

So the day came and I headed off to the Capital armed with cards and order books !!! I was so focused on achieving what I set out to do that I managed to get ‘dates ‘ with all the key decision makers in the government departments we targeted plus I attended all the presentations and met a number of other contacts on the day!!! WOW, what a buzz, it was exciting and fun.

So NO doesn’t mean NO it jusy means you have to try harder to get what you want and not be deterred or give in along the way….this was a great example of how persisting can break down barriers and end in huge success if you hang in there long enough…we can all do it, good luck !!

“ Persistence breaks resistance” Zig Ziglar

Changing times !

                                                      

Edition138 Monday 7th May 2012

Hi,I love it when the seasons change as we roll from the beauty of the autumn into the frosty bite of  winter. Yes it’s a bit chilly but a clear crisp sunny day in winter easily competes with anything summer (what summer?) can offer. Finding a spot in the sun and following it as it moves is the key. Also love chillaxing in front of the trusty log fire of an evening although you have to be quick in the Jones household to beat Harry and the Hendersons to the good spots up front !The family had another beautiful motorbike ride on Saturday in the winter sun. Whilst it is great getting away for weekend breaks, we love where we live and it is great to be home too. There is never any shortage of stuff to do around the whare especially as we prepare for the arrival of another family member. All of a sudden the chore list has a rapidly approaching deadline and the normal excuses for not ticking the boxes don’t cut it ! Time to step up Mr handyman Jones (not), life as you know it is about to change again…..bring it on.

Going forward we are looking forward to Harry Joneses 9^th birthday next week, don’t worry mate 63 is the new 43. We also look forward to seeing Mum on Mothers Day (Sun 13^th don’t forget) and acknowledging the upcoming 3 year anniversary of your very own ‘Upbeat’ blog ! Yes as always heaps of positive stuff to look forward to, I hope the same applies to each of you as well.

I also trust you also had a cool weekend in the sun with family and friends… Cheers Jonesey!

Harry and the Hendersons are looking forward to Harrys 9^th birthday next week..dog party!

“Don’t judge a book by its cover, the world is full of surprises.” Henry Ford

I have a confession to make….I was once a car salesman !!!! Just like Henry Ford ,quoted above, I represented his fine company with its name proudly displayed on their automobiles in the blue oval. Sure their reputation at Bathurst could be better but hey , even the best cant win them all.

There are some who have a poor impression of us automotive consultants due to the odd bad experience or some unfortunate word of mouth bad press. But as I say to all sales people I meet, train or manage, selling is the most exciting thing you can do with your clothes on! Selling is a profession and something that not everyone is cut out for as sales people are skilled highly trained business people there to assist not deceive. If you are in sales no matter what your product or industry then you need to be proud of your profession and not daunted in the slightest by the reputation or performance of a few who have attempted to spoil it for the rest of us…..right!!!

Now that said, one of the most important things we must never do as professionals is judge customers on their appearance , first impressions, or perception of their importance,wealth or IQ.

Working at a car dealership taught me a lot about selling and about life. In particular it demonstrated to me the extreme importance of working as a team and never judging anyone in advance of meeting them or having invested quality time in establishing and understanding their requirements.

 In a classic example a man visited our yard once dressed in shorts,singlet sandals, bad sunglasses and a ridiculous looking hat. Not one of the sales team was interested in meeting, greeting or investing time with him. In fact they all disappeared so fast I was the only one left for him to talk to……little did I realise at the time but it was my lucky day!

Cutting to the chase it turns out the man was in fact a millionaire businessman who owned a number of hospitality businesses in Auckland and he was looking for a top of the range vehicle which he renewed each year! So I sold him a motorcar at full retail for $100k and built a relationship with him that included becoming a personal friend of his family whom he also referred to me when they were looking to upgrade their vehicles! Wow did that teach my team a lesson about how important treating people like we would like to be treated no matter what their nationality or appearance  was. That one experience was better than days of sales training and a lesson I have never forgotten!

“We don’t see things as they are, we see things as we are.” Anais Nin

Time out

                                                      

Edition137 Monday 30th April 2012

Hi,wow its been a great week starting with two full-on days at work closing deals.Then Tuesday night was awesome as we watched the Breakers win back to back NBL titles with a nail biting yet clinical display against Perth, no show ponies just a team working hard together for a common goal….so refreshingly different to you know who! Then up at sparrows on Anzac Day and off to the dawn parade at Browns Bay on the trusty Retro Suzuki 750cc Probably not the best or most responsible mode for Mum and child but exhilirating all the same, lets face it ,soon all three of us will not be able to enjoy the ride. There is something special about attending a dawn parade on a beach, the sound of the waves lapping gently against the shore as the dawn and the sun pierce the sky just like they would have all those years ago as our troops approached the shore at Anzac cove…..freaky. It made us feel grateful and proud of all those returned and present services personnel and the many more who didn’t come home or who have since passed before. The turnout was huge , a cross section of all ages and cool to experience gratitude and thanks expressed on such a wide and human scale.

Then just like in basketball we called a ‘time out’ and headed off to our favourite spot on the Coromandel for a self made long weekend, made even more enjoyable and relaxing because it wasn’t a public long weekend. I have a confession….yes,I took my scooby doo coffee machine, beans, grinder,and milk frothy thingy! Crikey what a JAFA So what? I had a mate who towed his weights and bench away on a trailer on holiday so he could work out(great idea) although I thought I was doing pretty well with the coffee machine and that perhaps hitching the trailer up would be a bridge too far.

Fish and Chips on the wharf at Thames was a definite highlight as was the therapeutic beauty of the picturesque white sand and deep azure blue of the Pacific ocean lapping at our doorstep….life doesn’t get any better…..’time outs’ are essential and thoroughly recommended but up to you to call!

I hope you also had a relaxing weekend with family and friends… Cheers Jonesey!

Harry and the Hendersons are on the mend & happy dad followed a team that won for once

“Its not about the bike” Lance Armstrong

Another great thing about taking ‘time out’ is that you get to do just what I talked to you about in last weeks sizzzzzzle piece. You get to take a step back and to think about where you are at , where you are headed and what you have to do in order to get there…just like in a tight basketball game!

To assist with this process time outs give you plenty of time to think, reflect and rest…….a lot.

Our long weekend spot is a place purposely chosen because we cant get cell phone or internet coverage, there is no TV so it is peacful and a definite ‘time out’ from our normal world. We also left the dogs at home so it was just us, our surrounds and the tranquil seclusion of a special piece of unspoilt New Zealand. Crikey how could we do anything but recharge our batteries with 10-12 hours sleep per night. Perfect as we enjoyed planning the next chapter of what is becoming an intriquing life story for us both ! What will the next chapter hold for us as we plan and prepare for a child !!!

Speaking of intriquing stories I did my bit and read a blokes book on pregnancy (lots of pictures and not many words) and then I picked up the book entitled ‘Its not about the bike’ by Lance Armstrong. I couldn’t put it down as I was taken on a roller coaster ride through the mid nineties where he was diagnosed and treated for testicular cancer!. Just as I alluded to last week in this column if you want to be truly motivated, inspired and stimulated then you need to allow yourself the time to read stuff like this and other books. When someone says life is tough then you need to ask then ‘compared to what?’….reading a book like this sure does make you realise all your so called problems together don’t add up to anything near what some others have to endure,and overcome. This is a book about belief and courage and I am glad I took ‘time out’ and had the privelege to read it, you should too!

“You have all the time there is…no one can give you any more, use it wisely.” Gallileo