Customer Care vs Customer ... we don't Care

If you live in Pretoria and need an eye test, I suggest you try out Dynamic Vision in the Queens Corner shopping Centre in Queenswood (next to the Superspar).  They have a great range of frames available to suit all pockets including the new hot range of Pepe Jeans which are funky and not too crazy priced.  A teenage boy does not want a staid eye experience and there we were laughing so in the testing room I wonder what those in the waiting room thought was going on.  Great optometrist, huge sense of humour and a fun experience.  He needs glasses and contacts and obviously you wait for the glasses but she immediately supplied the first test pairs of lenses which was great.  This time I kept my opinion to myself re the frames.  Last time, at the previous eye place, I offered an opinion and he was co-erced by the optician and hated the frames from the day we fetched them.  Said he looks like a serious dentist (no offence to dentists). Not a look for a 16 year old. 

Talking about the Superspar next door.  When you have a huge flashy colour brochure in the press which offers Pedigree Meaty Nuggets ... in big bold print at R149, specifying Meaty Nuggets and you are selling them for R229 .. an overcharge of R80 and argue about the massive printing error of Spar head office instead of honouring the deal .... not cool Spar, not Cool.  Manager = Management ..... none displayed. 

And OR Tambo Wimpy ..... 5 star thumbs up to you.  One Tweet about the weird meal you served us and you went into action ... Famous Brands reacted immediately, so did Wimpy head office, the franchisee and the manager ... and all were concerned about what had happened as it was quite bizarre.  No arguing from them, no justifying, just apologies and sincere attempts to fix it.  Lots of follow up.  Calls from them all.  THAT is customer service.  We look forward to our meal there next Tuesday to make up for it.  The supermarket could take a leaf out of your book. 

Does not matter whether you work solo in an office, or in a small office, or are part of a bigger team, have a business, work for a large brand or franchise .... give customer service .... be the brand you represent .... when you deal with someone, you represent not only the place that pays your salary, but also your boss, so make that impression one that makes people come back and enjoy interacting with you. 

And when you get it wrong .... admit it and fix it.  We all get it wrong sometimes ... it is how you right it that leaves the lasting impression. 

Till tomorrow 

K xx



  

Life through the eyes of an Archbishop

So yesterday I went to a book launch - an unusual one as it was not the Exclusive Books kind of book launch with the author reading a snippet from his book and answering questions about how, when and where he writes and what inspires him.

This was the launch of the Memoirs of Archbishop Emeritus George Daniel of the Catholic Church and it took place at his Jubilee Mass at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Pretoria.

George Daniel became a priest in the Anglican Church before making the difficult decision to enter the Catholic Church.  He was ordained a Catholic priest after training in Rome and served in the Pretoria Archdiocese as a parish priest.  In 1975 he was appointed Archbishop of Pretoria and served in this position for 34 years.  I was Confirmed by him.

The book is a very enjoyable read so far.  Richly seeped in facts and beautifully told, it follows his journey from birth.  So far I have learnt of his studies in Architecture, his job writing water and lights accounts at the Municipal offices, his lineage to the poet C. Louis Leipoldt and his decision to enter the priesthood.  He writes with honesty and great wit ...

Reading about his school days at Pretoria Boys High and Grey's College, one learnt about a young man who also got caned at various stages for bad behaviour - this beautiful more "human" side is brought out in various parts of the book.

The book has clear footnote references at the back so if you are not familiar with religious terms or names of items in the church, you can quickly find them there.  I had fun first mentally checking if I knew the meaning before having to revert to the back ...... wonderful what you learn after a couple of years working in the parish office!

The book is very detailed, astoundingly so, and it paints a vivid and vast picture of a man who dedicated his life to God and serving others.  The realness of the person, the joys, sadnesses, anguish and happiness he experienced and his forthright way of sharing this, make this a joy to read.

The extensive amount of travelling done by him is mind blowing and he weaves a wonderful tapestry of these trips and his experiences.

One of my favourite anecdotes is when he left his new Episcopal ring on the washbasin on the day of his Ordination as Archbishop.

So put down your novel for a moment .... get your hands on this book via the Catholic Centre and travel a wonderful road with him.

Till tomorrow

K xxxx

SnapScan, Shopping and Being high in the sky

So this SnapScan thing I referred to yesterday.  You seriously need to download this app on your smartphone.  It is so easy to register - you scan your card, then to ensure you are secure, you put in your expiry date and CVV number manually and then "bobs your uncle".  Wherever you shop / go and want to pay via SnapScan (the barcode is clearly displayed at these places) you simply click on your icon on your phone, point it at the barcode, snap the pic and you personally see the name of the vendor and enter the amount.  It processes in the speed of lighting and you receive an sms (as does the vendor) immediately to confirm the purchase.

With a debit card you don't need cash.  With SnapScan you don't need either.  I hope this takes off in many more stores.  Even our parish offers this service ..... progressive as always.

And talking about money ...... if you are booking airline tickets you need to always consult Mango Airlines.  If you know the date of your travel well in advance ... then book.  If you book flights between Jhb and CT and vice versa and you are at least 8 weeks in advance .... the tickets are around the R400 mark.  If you book 4 to 5 weeks in advance you can still get in the R800 mark.  I have spent some time booking to this destination and back with my daughter working there and popping home and my son visiting - there are bargains to be had.  Obviously if you book on a long weekend, in school holidays or at the last minute .... the ticket costs a premium - but still less than many other airlines.  You can also pre-book your seat for R45 and pay a relatively small amount if you have an additional piece of luggage.

All good till tomorrow

K   xx

vintage clothing, cappuccinos & market moments

So I managed to co-erce the husband person into coming along with me and the long child to the Market@TheSheds which was being held in "Pop-Up" form this week at the Fountains Valley .... in the building which used to house Moyo Restaurant.  

It was fun .... i would have liked to see more craft stalls to peruse, but if you are there for good food & music and great beer (hubby) then you are going to be happy here.  It has a very relaxed vibe and sitting outside at the wooden tables under the umbrellas listening to the bands, you get a festival vibe, which is a fun way to spend a Saturday.  Did find 2 really gorgeous t-shirts for Nic ... the lady handpaints the images of the old VW Kombis and then has them put on the shirts ... very nice.  Also one of those scarf things that you wind around your neck 3 or so times and they hang in loops .... I know they have a fancy name.  I found a great one.  Food is provided by a plethora of places and you will definately find something for your taste.  Follow the Market on Facebook. 

And they have SnapScan which I ended up using for the first time ... hell ten years ago we would have laughed had someone told us that we would make a purchase and then take a snap on our phones of a barcode and use it to process the payment on our own phone.  Wow!!! 

Another great idea that I saw today is run under the name of WIA ... Wear It Again (check out their FB page) - a Pop-Up Vintage Clothing store which launched today at the Grounded at Echo Coffee Shop in Pierneef Str in Pta. 
A fantastic concept ... rails of gorgeous previously loved clothing, handbags and shoes - all at affordable prices and sold by a group of really fun-loving and friendly ladies.  I find that if you are looking for a winter coat, very often this is the place to look.  Don't confuse Vintage with Junk - this stuff is really lovely. 
And Grounded at Echo .... as you know by now I am a major fan and once again had a great brekki during a meeting today. 

russians, roadhouses and real fun

Roadhouses.  Still remember them?  Now I still like that …. Pulling up and flicking your lights for service and then positioning your window perfectly when they bring the tray.  Very often nowadays if you flick your lights anywhere you are liable to get a lewd sign from someone, so it is nice to do it there and get a menu.

The best one for me?  Without a doubt the Lollipop Roadhouse in upper Stanza Bopape Street, by the Caltex ….. when growing up it was called the Dolls House.  They are the world class undisputed kings of that old roadhouse item ….. russian and chips.  They serve it crispy and hot and lathered in vinegar and if you wash it down with a chocolate double thick shake …. Mmmmm the ensuing sugar rush headache is almost worth it!!  My son says there pizzas are also well worth it.

For those who were kids around the 1965 – 1975 time in Pretoria you will surely remember the Milky Cove Roadhouse in Gordon Road, Colbyn (a block from the Dolls House) and the Flying Saucer Roadhouse in what is now Pierre v Ryneveld.  I remember many nights in the back of my parent’s car …. With a blanket in winter …. Going off to those 2 roadhouses on the weekend for a treat.  I will never forget what the hamburger sauce tasted like at the Milky Cove.  My mom always fancied a banana milkshake.  Today it has been replaced with a very worthwhile Royal Copenhagen Danish Ice-cream parlour where you can have the most divine waffles with 2 scoops of mouthwatering ice-cream in decadent flavours.

Drooling yet? 

                                                                

I do need to tell you that I regularly take my son down to the Lollipop Roadhouse where we get ourselves a nice soft serve ice-cream … me on a cone …. Him in a bowl.... and then we open the boot of my car and sit on the ledge with our backs facing the boot and our legs hanging down.  We use that 20 mins to catch up on everything and anything.  Very often just hanging out.  It is a special tradition.

Now on a particular day this year I decided that instead of ice-cream, we would eat as my hubby was away and this would take care of supper.  We ordered and the tray arrived and was perched onto the window.  All was well.  Then in an idiotic moment I decided to close my window.  And my car has one of those automatic buttons so when you tap it, it closes the window all the way without having to hold the button down.  So I tapped the button and the window started to shoot up … at this stage Nic shouted “mom the tray” and realising the imminent disaster I tapped the button again and the window shot downwards, completely open in record time.  I will leave you to imagine the force with which the tray shot off the window and landed between us and the car next to us.  Glasses broke, tomato sauce and mustard containers shot in the air … a plate broke and the noise and entertainment value was legendary.  Once we had stopped laughing … and believe me it took a while, I did offer to pay for damages.  They, obviously entertained too, declined.

And then as we drove off, in a last moment of theatrics, I drove over the red plastic tomato sauce bottle which was under my wheel.  It burst ….. well let us just say it wasn’t pretty.

And yes, they do still serve us when we go there.  Even though I had to return the next day as in a grand finale to the evening we realised we still had their cutlery in the car when we got home :)

Go on …. Have a roadhouse meal…..

Till tomorrow

K    xx

2 years. 2 pieces of turkish delight

Today was what I would call EXTREME PAPERWORK day in the office.  It was also the celebration of 2 years in my current job. 

I had an extra cappuccino and toasted myself by eating 2 pieces of turkish delight with it.  I was alone in the office today which was a pity.  

To me getting excited about this is a big thing … I am one of those people who believe in celebrating …. Birthdays ….. Anniversaries of Baptism Days ….. Confirmation Days …. Work anniversaries ….. because I believe we need to count our blessings.  No-one is guaranteed the next birthday or the next day …. Or that they will still have this job in a year’s time …. or that this job will still have them.  So I made today joyful for myself in the office … played a CD and waded through my entire office to ensure that the bookkeeper had every last piece of paper she should receive from my desk.  I like my job.  I am proud to work there.  And that is worth celebrating.

When my hubby fetches me now and we collect Nic at school, I am going to suggest a celebratory roadhouse stop.  Still for that 2 years. Today many people job hop … not too many people of my age change career direction completely as I did 2 years ago …. And that is worth celebrating to me as well.

Pass the turkish delight please …. And damn …. I had no glitter today. 

Till tomorrow

K xxx

perfume, complaints and other online stuff

Complaining helps.  When you don't get the quality or service you feel you deserve or it is an unacceptable standard, do something about it.  Not the long winded, whining, rude, loud and bombastic kind of complaining .... but rather the constructive, quiet and appropriately addressed kind of complaint.  Twitter, I have discovered, is the fastest way to get a response.  When you hashtag the appropriate company, they will, nine out of ten times, respond.

I recently had a very bad experience at a Jhb Wimpy.  I tweeted.  Within ten mins I got a call, then an email and the following day the franchise owner called, then the franchise company themselves and then today the restaurant manager to offer me a free meal for two to make up for the disaster.  I received a verbal and written apology for what was quite a disaster there, and for this they have kept me as a client ..... if you are wrong, say so, apologise and then try fix it. 

Then onto another subject ..... did you know that if you buy a shop "soiled" item in a store ... I mean like a washing machine or similar appliance, that is dented or badly scratched, you can ask for at least a ten percent discount for shop damage.  Most times retailers are quite happy to give this in order to sell the item.  I also found that if the appliance on display is the last one in the store, sometimes they are also willing to give a little off because the item has been opened and shut and touched by many people.  I have great luck with this. 

If you have time to browse a website, then go and have a look at www.mtbeds.co.za where you can get great last minute deals or specials on accommodation all over the country.  They also load cancellations made by clients and if you can grab one of these you will be getting a bargain.  

And lastly if you want to buy genuine perfumes and aftershaves in original sealed packaging, go online and check out Ascot Cosmetics ..... they have a lot of specials and their prices on all brands are very competitive ...... they also deliver! 

See you tomorrow 

K xxx

a little bit of Culture

Movie tickets have soared to the R60 region and if you don't have a Vitality Card, no other movie card discounts on weekend except maybe Edgars Club.  By the time you have a colddrink and popcorn combo you have spent another R50 minimum (bearing in mind that a packet of popcorn kernels costs about R11 and makes 20kg ..... what a massive markup ... oh yes you do get the syrup and soda water drink).   So at a minimum of R120 per person ... movies are getting to be a pricey outing.

Which is why it is such a pleasant surprise to discover that "ordinary" tickets to theatre do not cost an arm and a leg all the time.  Yes if you go to the big shows .... Cabaret etc you will have to cough up.  However you should watch the press for shows at the State Theatre, Teatro at Montecasino and such.  Not all of them are extremely pricey!

The State Theatre has many R50 matinee shows on the go and R100 evening specials. There is secure underground parking and to be double sure we parked right outside the busy lift.  Theatre is still magical .... plush carpeting ... huge fancy lights hanging from the ceiling ... beautiful leather sofas in clusters in foyer and of course the little counters with filter coffee and glossy programmes.

BFF and I took ourselves off to see "Vettie Vettie" with Tobie Cronje ... he does not get older, just funnier, particularly in tonight's role as an aging very camp guy.  The pace is fast, the humour quick and the regular element of risque is beautifully slung in and delightfully wicked.


It was a wonderful evening and way cheaper than a movie outing. 

Go try some live theatre - it is a great night out.


Till tomorrow

K   xx

hockey, hoops & happiness

If you want to do some silly stuff with your kids .... all ages .... I went with my 16 year old son, then the Fun Company (newly and smartly revamped) at Menlyn Centre is quite a lekker evening. 

Gone are the days when you swopped your money for some of those grubby tokens that you used in the various machines, they have now moved into the age of plastic and your credit is loaded onto a "credit card".  Gone also are the days when after playing, a 5m string of winning tickets shot out of the machine .... today the winning credits are loaded onto the card and you "cash in" afterwards. I must say that I missed the thrill of the tickets. 

We had a very fun evening shooting hoops, playing air hockey, hitting crocodiles and other creatures, throwing balls at clowns and then of course there is the photo booth.  You pay for an A5 size photo which is divided into blocks.  Once in the booth you get all the instructions and then you are able to go through all the poses you want as they give directions.... look crazy, look sad etc.  3 mins later you have your photo ... gorgeous memory. 

We had a "half time" break with nice freezos from Happy Me and great sandwiches from Subway and Anat (who make fabulous pita). 

So if your teenager wants you to do something silly and uninhibited with them ... go on ... it is like an old fashioned fun fair ..... just a lot cleaner. 

till tomorrow
K  xx

from viennas to sta soft - all in a day

Two really cool things you should try: 

Firstly .... out on the very top of Pretoria Rd, on the left hand side, is the Food Hub.  In there is the Eskort (as in polony, not hooker) factory shop, Sea Harvest Factory Shop, Aryx Cleaning Materials and Lambertis Juices.  All great.  The food factory shops are not lower quality food or almost expired or anything weird .... it is all marvellously fresh and very reasonably priced.  A 1kg packet of Eskort Viennas sells for R32 .... nowhere in a supermarket will you find it for less than R45.  And they make rib burger patties and and coldmeats all very yummy.  School lunch paradise!! 

The Aryx products are very well priced and of a superior quality and long lasting and the juices ... R85 for the concentrate which makes 25 lit .... no tartrazine and my son is a juice guru ... and he loves it. 

Also there is a meat shop and in it there is a little coffee shop that makes fabulously creamy cappuccinos and the best toasted sandwiches.  Their regular sarmies are always made with 3 slices of bread so you get a jumbo sarmie for the normal competitive price.  Go and check them out. Brilliant, friendly service too. 

OK, that is the how to spend your money wisely info for the day. 

Chat tomorrow 

K xx 

rack and mag stack

My name is Karin and I am an unashamed magazine addict.

Before the SA Post Office decided that work is for fools unless they can be paid a CEO salary, I subscribed for decades, to a plethera of mags.  Many were gifts and others I bought for myself.  My guilty pleasure to be enjoyed with my other little dirty secret ... cappuccino.

However with the SAPO workers going on a "we work 6 to 8 months of the year only" self imposed flexi plan, my magazines no longer arrived as they were now being read at the overheaped depots.

So now I buy them at the supermarket.  Lately I got a bit behind ... because I am reading books, both fiction and non-fiction,  non-stop ... am currently on book number 11 for this year.  So the mags are heaping up and when I realised this week that my husband was considering that as grounds for divorce, I started thinking out of the box.  With a little motivation from Pinterest on creative homemade racks, I spotted our dusty old racks in the yard.  With a good scrub they were perfect and look how great this is!

A wine rack full of mags!  Try it .... easy, neat and cheap.  If you don't have wine racks look in 2nd hand shops or go to the FB page Te Koop/Te Huur.

That's my anti-divorce tip for the day

See ya tomorrow

K  💙

flirting and a donkey

I watched a great movie over the weekend, and it, combined with requests from some of my friends, have inspired me to start this, my 3rd blog.  I am crazy.  This we know.  49 years old and still love so many silly things.  I make no apology for this. 

"You seem to see all kinds of great stuff in stores, think up weird stuff and are a go to person for advice ... you also have the funniest stuff happen to you .... why not write a short daily thing on that K?".  So I gave it some thought and yes let us give it a bash.  And M, if this doesn't work ... I gonna hunt you down girl!!! 

So for today ...

1.  If today the chief-head-honcho pharmacist in charge of the entire big pharmacy guy flirts with you and then in an awkward moment shakes your hand when he hands you your meds, enjoy it.  However in your fluster when his staff start teasing him, do not knock over 366 plastic containers of Vitamin C tabs which are on special and on display at the dispensary counter... not cool 

2.  Never ever forget the  Sunday that you were on reading duty in your former parish and when reading the piece about Jesus riding into Jerusalem on his ass .... as in donkey..... you for some bizarre reason known only to yourself said "ass" each time the word came around.  As in butt.   When I sat down my husband leant over and simply said "I think they were referring to a donkey".  I got up and left.  

and most importantly ..... you can never have enough pens.  Or cappuccino. 

till tomorrow 

K