2 hundy Not Out

         

 

 

Edition 200 Monday August 26th 2013

 

 Hi, Crikey!, can you believe it, you better believe it, ‘Upbeat’ edition 200 coming right at you!!

Upbeat began life as the ‘Monday Morning Motivator’ at Hirequip back in May 2007 !! 99 editions later it was replaced with the first ‘Upbeat’ on Monday 8^th June 2009  and now 200 turbo charged ‘Upbeat’ editions and over 4 years later we are still going strong ,how Scooby Doo is that?? !!! :)

It has certainly been a roller coaster ride for this Jones boy having experienced and more importantly survived a wide range of lifes trials and tribulations during that time including open heart surgery and the global financial crisis to name a couple The highlight undoubtedly for me apart from sitting down each Sunday afternoon to share some of these special personal and business experiences has been meeting my soul mate Christine after 50 years of searching and having two wonderful sons 30 years apart !!!

Being ‘Upbeat’ is not something that comes naturally to me and is definitely a work in progress. I use ‘Upbeat’ to provide me with the discipline and focus I need as I review the positives from my previous week and use them to create a personal ‘Upbeat’ state of mind as I prepare to face the challenges and maximise the opportunities of the coming week.

I could not have come this far or continue on without the regular support and feedback I get from many of you and so I consider  reaching this and future milestones is part of an overall team effort which we can all share and be proud of. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment honestly and frankly, your objective feedback has provided me with ideas and guidance that has challenged and assisted me to be ‘better’……and crikey isnt that what this thing called life is all about, you bet !!!

I look forward to continuing to share my experiences and thoughts with you and trust that the process continues to be a mutually beneficial one. Thanks again, take care and always make sure you remain true to yourselves and try hard not to miss the opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends.Don’t live life regretting you didn’t make the most of every minute. Have a good one!!

Cheers Jonesey!!

 

Harry and the Hendersons say the 200 ‘Upbeat’ editions would be the equivalent of 1400 in the canine world WOW !!!....not bad in their opinion,and a big thanks to their fans !!!

 

There are three intolerable things in life - cold coffee, lukewarm champagne, and overexcited women...” Orson Welles

 

Coffee culture saga ….part 3

I am overwhelmed with happiness to say that the ‘Cosy Café’ continues to exceed my coffee and customer service expectations in every way. The food is also superb and reasonably priced, the staff call me Jonesey and make me feel like I have been a loyal customer for life!

I know what you are thinking, that you already knew all this but what I want to demonstrate to you today is that the power of keeping customers happy is not just in having ‘upbeat’ and repeat customers, it goes deeper still than that,happy J customers tell their friends and business associates!

I have introduced four other people to this café and held two business meetings there since becoming a convert. The owner James is over the moon and most appreciative. You see happy customers are a steady and regular source of new customers by referral so it pays to keep customers ‘cosy’ J Conversly unhappy customers L also tell others and prevent prospective new customers from using businesses who don’t take the time to listen to their customers or make the effort to satisfy them !

 

“The powers of a man's mind are directly proportioned to the quantity of coffee he drinks.”
― James Mackintosh

Nothing about nothing!

 

Edition 199 Monday August 19th 2013

 

 Hi, I am pleased to say I excelled at relaxing this weekend. I tore into doing absolutely nothing with great gusto. I cant believe how tiring doing nothing is so I had to sleep for long periods to recover. Stacking up ZZZZZZzzzzzzzz should always be the ultimate pursuit on the weekend closely followed by couch and sport channel surfing.

As I was busy doing nothing during a typical Auckland weekend that featured all four seasons I was able to share a special weather moment with Fletcher when a massive rainbow formed in the sky(see attached). You sort of forget how amazing that sight or how cool it is to explain it to a wide eyed one year old who is trying to figure out exactly what is going on.

Life is full of stuff like rainbows, sunrises and sunsets that we walk, drive or run past daily without stopping or even slowing to appreciate for their beauty or significance to us.

The rainbow on the weekend made me stop and think a bit and this was a good thing because the next evening I spent time watching and explaining the amazing sunset to Fletcher as well.

So while I was on an educational roll I thought I would also introduce him to watching the All Blacks live on TV however the 10.00pm kick off proved a bridge too far for the weary student and this chapter of his education will have to wait for a local game with an earlier kick off.

Great win in Sydney for the AB’s and a cool welcome back for Richie(Clark Kent) McCaw.

I hope you were also able to have a relaxing weekend doing nothing but chillaxing with Family and friends. I hope this also means you will be able to hit the coming week with everything you have.

Cheers Jonesey!!

 

Harry and the Hendersons reckon to err is human—to forgive, canine.

 

 

“Coffee is a language in itself. “ Jackie Chan

The continuing coffee customer service saga;

After complaining to the new cafe owners over three weeks ago and having not received a reply or any acknowledgement I decided to vote with my feet yet again.

I know what you are thinking I am rapidly running out of cafes in Onehunga to adopt ! and you would be right as this is now #4!

I am pleased however to announce that the ‘Cosy Café’ on main street Onehunga is my new favourite place. Not only do they have my favourite brand of coffee but the staff have learned my name already and welcomed me with open arms whilst also setting me up with a loyalty card from day one without me even having to askJ

This café is small and cosy with a quaint ambience that none of the previous cafes have had. I feel like I have found a place where I am at home and somewhere I will be appreciated where I can relax and read the paper whilst enjoying my favourite brew. I always loved the programme ‘ Cheers’ because of the family atmosphere and fun a regular group of patrons engendered at their corner bar in Boston. I know it was a sitcom but it was so well done that I always felt like a Cheers regular when I tuned in each night! Well my new café is my new ‘Cheers’ on main street Onehunga…”where everyone knows your name!!”

All I am looking for (like every customer who buys anything) is to feel wanted and appreciated……not rocket science really is it…..hmmm time will tell at the Cosiest café in Onehunga, watch this space!

 

“I am a coffee fanatic. Once you go to proper coffee, you can't go back. You cannot go back.” Hugh Laurie

Base Camp

 

 Hi, planning an event is not my strong suit. I tend to over worry every aspect and always fear the worst. So when I saw the weather forecast for the weekend I had the perfect excuse to go into a tailspin! To their credit Fletcher and Christine insisted I ‘harden up’ and reminded me that he was never going to be one again so his party was going to fly rain hail or shine!

As you know when you fear the worst the end of the world doesn’t eventuate and things work out well in the end . This was definitely the case this weekend with Fletcher’s first birthday celebration and on reflection I think this milestone is as much for the parents reaching that point as it is about our dear wee dust mite getting there.

Reflecting more after a lovely event where our guests and the weather both overwhelmed us with their warmth and generosity I realised yet again how lucky I am.

Lucky to have met Christine and to now have Fletcher but also to have family who accept and love me unconditionally and  supportive friends who also accept us for what and who we are.

Whilst the heading of this intro is ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ we will let you into a little secret, we don’t try to upstage anyone, our life is lived looking out for each other first and foremost and if there is anything we do or experience or think is cool we share it with others. We also like to hear what you and yours are doing that is cool or fun and then we can experience that too, we think that is far more important than trying to be all things to all people. If there is one thing we have learned along the way that is you will never please or keep up with every one.There will always be someone who will be bigger,better,faster or have more….why waste the energy worrying about competing, better to concentrate on what is good in your life and on enjoying it and making it better!

Yay, All Blacks are on the campaign trail next week , cant wait to see King Richie back in black.

I hope you had a cool, fun weekend with family and friends, have a great week, cheers Jonesey!!

 

Harry and the Hendersons are the experts when it comes to unconditional love !

 

“Customer satisfaction is worthless. Customer loyalty is priceless.” Jeffrey Gitomer

Customer service is something that is dear to my heart and as such I have developed the habit of always trying to exceed my customers expectations.

So as a customer I notice when people exceed my expectations and I also notice when they don’t.

Sadly I have to say that I notice poor service far too often and whats even worse when I complain I notice that a lot of businesses don’t seem to care or want to do anything about it. If we ever get a customer complaint I make sure we investigate fully and always get back to the customer with the outcome of our investigation, a follow up action plan and a gratuity or good faith gesture in an effort to make ammends or at the very least an apology.

Case Study; I love my morning coffee, it is a treat and as such I am willing to pay a premium (aka small fortune) for it. Recently my favourite café chnaged hands and a  number of staff  left. I continue to support this café however the attention to customer service and their loyalty coffee card system has slipped noticeably in my view. As a loyal customer I have pointed this out online.

I have not received an acknowledgement of my comments nor has there been any attitudinal change at the coal face or any effort to reward my loyalty by actively working their coffee card process.

This has disappointed me greatly to the point where I have now carried through with my threat to take my business elswhere? I know this probably wont worry them but if enough of their regulars do this then they will soon realise the ‘goodwill’ component they paid heavily for in the purchase will soon dissipate like ‘sand in the hour glass of time’!!!

I now visit a café where the owner appreciates my business and rewards me for supporting him with good service and a free coffee after vigilantly working his coffee card loyalty system. He is an owner who realises how important my business is to him and makes sure I know that…..not hard really is it?

“You don't earn loyalty in a day. You earn loyalty day-by-day.” Jeffrey Gitomer

Flying Blind !

         

 

 

Edition 197 Monday August 5th 2013

 

Hi,getting older is something you prefer to think is happening to others not you and something you try not to be reminded of or think about…….until you sort of have to. Unfortunately losing your glasses is one of those times where you have to face the facts and admit you have got to a point where you cant do without them. The fact that your aging also probably had something to do with misplacing them is temporarily lost on you in the panic to find them! Not to mention that screwing my face up whilst squnting to write this is also accelarating the face wrinkle process as well is a blow!

Never mind I remain ever optimistic they will magically reappear as I try to visualise their location!

Jones birthday season is upon us anyway so probably timely to be reflecting more positibely on the aging process. In the next 6 weeks, Christine, Fletcher, me, Mum and Dad will all celebrate birthdays, throw Fathers Day in the mix and it is always a busy family time.

It is a  time  to remember we are here for a good time not a relatively long time so it is important to be happy with our lot  and to make the most of it. Always a good time for reflection and gratitude.

And on reflection…….life doesn’t have to be complicated, keeping things simple can make it a pleasure and allow us to get the most from it. We have found that taking regular time out to focus on us what, is going well,who we have in our lives and how important that is to us will always be better than dwelling on what we havent got and maybe what has failed or why!!

Being ‘Upbeat ‘ is fun and feels good but it is a work in progress annd in many cases it is a team effort so keep those comments and ideas coming  because your feedback and support is warmly received and greatly appreciated always,

I hope you continue to live your lives to the full spending as much time with famuly, friends as you can. Have a great week ahead being positive and upbeat , Cheers Jonesey!!!!!

 

Harry and the Hendersons love birthday party season at 48, lots os Scooby Doo dog treats!

 

“Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.”Vince Lombardi

 

As you know it is one of my goals to never turn down an opportunity to get better at anything,

So when I am offered the chance to present to a group I always accept.

This was no different recently with the conference and again last week with a presentation I was invited to do to a Rotary Club in Manukau.

I have been guilty in the past of leaving my preparation for these presentations far too late and then rushing the preparation and hence not being 100% happy with my performance. So lately I have made sure I have taken more time over my preparation to ensure my performance was as good as it could possibly be or as super coach Vince Lombardi rightly says above make your practice perfect and your peformance will also be…..good advice,

Lets face it what is the point of accepting an opportunity to get better if you are not going to do everything you can do to achieve that objective. With my involvement in Toastmasters I can accurately say I have trained for over 20 years to present to these groups today, I better come across like that or they are going to ask the question about what I have been doing all those years!

My goal is to be the best I can be everytine so that my audience gets a consistently  professional performance from me.

I also know that  accepting these opportunities as well as the fortnightly Toastmasters meetings where I receive a top up of inspiration and motivation will combine to ensure I am using my ability to communicate effectively with others rathe than getting lazy and complacent “use it or lose it” !!!

 

“The way anything is developed is through practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice practice and more practice.”  Joyce Meyer