Friday morning sat in the office, a little quiet today! Still the weekend is before us. I am having some difficulty in getting colleagues aligned on priorities, It may be a charity thing but it appears that most people only seem to deal with one item at a time. So for example, as we have a data base upload due next week, we can User acceptance test and essential software upgrade until there is a resource available that can juggle 2 balls!!!! Excuse the sarcasm!
I have had a great week at York a 10-1 winner a 25-1 winner and two good priced places. I am about 150 points up, fantastic. If only the England cricket team could sort the Aussies at the Oval.
Its my Great Aunts 80th birthday party tomorrow. I love her dearly, but its very hard to get excited about an afternoon of entertaining OAP's. I cant even have a beer as its a drive home after.
Oh well
Friday, 21 August 2009
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
From Wasps to work
Morning all,
Its Tuesday and the weather in London is Glorious. What a few day's I have been through, but what lessons of behaviour, life and the universe. First of all, does anyone else know how painful a wasp sting is? I didin't. I do now. One of the buggers stung the back of my head on Sunday as I attempted to save my Daughters bike from the nest she had parked it on. My goodness, two day's later I can still feel it.
But one good thing that came from it was the evidence of how neighbourly and friendly people you have never met can be. A lady with a pram came by as I tried to recover the bike and suffered the sting. She walked home and then returned with some wasp killer spray and an antihistemin cream for me. I offered to by her and her little one a drink with my family afterwards and she politely refused but I am very grateful. Then a man came by and as long as my lad held his dog, he happily help me remove the bike as we sprayed like professional exterminators (perhaps a new profession)
Yesterday was of course the start of a new week. The project at Turn2us charity continues a pace. As is always the case, however, I am of course now concerning myself with what I do after this piece of work completes. Oh the life of an interim/consultant
Away from wasps and work. The football season has returned -yeh. Unfortunately the reds failed to produce on Sunday and so we await the might of Stoke on Wednesday. The USPGA golf was fantastic and the £5 bet at 20/1 on Y.E. Yang was a very welcome start to the week. The Ebor meeting starts at York today and so I am back to tips - Today Elusive Pimpernel
Its Tuesday and the weather in London is Glorious. What a few day's I have been through, but what lessons of behaviour, life and the universe. First of all, does anyone else know how painful a wasp sting is? I didin't. I do now. One of the buggers stung the back of my head on Sunday as I attempted to save my Daughters bike from the nest she had parked it on. My goodness, two day's later I can still feel it.
But one good thing that came from it was the evidence of how neighbourly and friendly people you have never met can be. A lady with a pram came by as I tried to recover the bike and suffered the sting. She walked home and then returned with some wasp killer spray and an antihistemin cream for me. I offered to by her and her little one a drink with my family afterwards and she politely refused but I am very grateful. Then a man came by and as long as my lad held his dog, he happily help me remove the bike as we sprayed like professional exterminators (perhaps a new profession)
Yesterday was of course the start of a new week. The project at Turn2us charity continues a pace. As is always the case, however, I am of course now concerning myself with what I do after this piece of work completes. Oh the life of an interim/consultant
Away from wasps and work. The football season has returned -yeh. Unfortunately the reds failed to produce on Sunday and so we await the might of Stoke on Wednesday. The USPGA golf was fantastic and the £5 bet at 20/1 on Y.E. Yang was a very welcome start to the week. The Ebor meeting starts at York today and so I am back to tips - Today Elusive Pimpernel
Sunday, 16 August 2009
Mixed old world
My God, what a strange old time. Work is very much busy one day quiet the next. Still since i started I have saved over £80,000 for the charity by negotiating better terms with suppliers. I only hope this will lead to a reputation and more work.
I have had my eldest daughter staying with us for a little over a week, its been great to haveher around. On Thursday she was joined by her sisters and we have all had a great weekend with glorious weather. A party at Dad's on Friday and then bbq's yesterday and today. The pool in the garden is getting plenty of use by the 5 kids and most of the neighbours kids too. Its just as well that Ellie doesn't mind being the hostess with the juice jug and ice lollies.
One down side is that we took Alaska for a walk around the lake and the kids al took their bikes, but one of them left the bike right by a wasp nest. I had to play the hero to save it and got stung on the head and above my eye. Wasp stings bloody hurt, let me tell you!!!
I have some exciting stuff going on at the mment with some really leading edge ECO technology for call centres. really excited about the opportunity as this will lead to high quality customer service at a much reduced cost to serve for the provider and a global benefit in terms of carbon footprint. If anyone is interested email me at davemdarcy@aol.com or callencustomer@blackberry.orange.co.uk or via my website www.callen-cm.co.uk
I have had my eldest daughter staying with us for a little over a week, its been great to haveher around. On Thursday she was joined by her sisters and we have all had a great weekend with glorious weather. A party at Dad's on Friday and then bbq's yesterday and today. The pool in the garden is getting plenty of use by the 5 kids and most of the neighbours kids too. Its just as well that Ellie doesn't mind being the hostess with the juice jug and ice lollies.
One down side is that we took Alaska for a walk around the lake and the kids al took their bikes, but one of them left the bike right by a wasp nest. I had to play the hero to save it and got stung on the head and above my eye. Wasp stings bloody hurt, let me tell you!!!
I have some exciting stuff going on at the mment with some really leading edge ECO technology for call centres. really excited about the opportunity as this will lead to high quality customer service at a much reduced cost to serve for the provider and a global benefit in terms of carbon footprint. If anyone is interested email me at davemdarcy@aol.com or callencustomer@blackberry.orange.co.uk or via my website www.callen-cm.co.uk
Sunday, 9 August 2009
glorious
What a beauiful weekend we are having. The sun is out, I have filled the small pool in the garden for the kids and last night we had a bbq. Who would have thought th possible in England in August lol.
Amazing how positive I saound now that there is money in the bank... Although Ellie will help me rectify that. There is a list of things that we "need".
Fabulous customer experience from Orange again yesterday. Jackie O'Leary has to be very pleased with the ongoing performance of her team. I visited the Aylesbury store and was first served by Michael, to deal with the infamous faulty Blackberry. He made a quick call and arranged for a replacement phone to be delievered today after 6pm. Thats right on a Sunday. How's that for a service. Then spoke to Gemma about adding my wifes phone to my account. She spent 10 minutes agreeing a tarrif and advising on handsets. Ellie left the shop with a fancy touchscreen LG and a smile. I was pretty pleased too as the move away from a PAYG vodafone account has saved me £30 a month and as I've added it to the business account, its tax deductable.
Positive Positive stuff. Shame about the bloody cricket team
Amazing how positive I saound now that there is money in the bank... Although Ellie will help me rectify that. There is a list of things that we "need".
Fabulous customer experience from Orange again yesterday. Jackie O'Leary has to be very pleased with the ongoing performance of her team. I visited the Aylesbury store and was first served by Michael, to deal with the infamous faulty Blackberry. He made a quick call and arranged for a replacement phone to be delievered today after 6pm. Thats right on a Sunday. How's that for a service. Then spoke to Gemma about adding my wifes phone to my account. She spent 10 minutes agreeing a tarrif and advising on handsets. Ellie left the shop with a fancy touchscreen LG and a smile. I was pretty pleased too as the move away from a PAYG vodafone account has saved me £30 a month and as I've added it to the business account, its tax deductable.
Positive Positive stuff. Shame about the bloody cricket team
Friday, 7 August 2009
The time it does fly
My god, I cant believe that it is a week since I last updated the blog. I must be busy? Well..... actually I am. I feel like I am right back in the real world. The diary is full and the work load is growing. But will I complain? ..... Of course I will, I am human after all. In seriousness, though, it is great to be getting my teeth in to some serious task's. So far I have negotiated a substantial contract extension at a reduced cost and have agreed a project plan and budget and am now starting on the delivery. Also outsourced the IT management and saved another circa 20k a year. I am good :-)
On the mention of teeth... had two visits to the dentist this week. That is the best job. You sit someone down, inflict pain, ask them inane questions, when you know they cant answer and then to top it all you charge them a bloody fortune.
Seen some extreme's of customer service this week. I have been dealing with a company who know that they are not trully prepared for a market launch and know what they should do. But are going to launch anyway, because the milestone report target date say's they have to. Incredible... The message is "Its better to be on time and crap than to get it right and be a bit later" Its like the first picture phones at VF all over again. Is it better to be first to market or best to market---- Discuss
Also had the joys of First Great Western on Wednesday. Now this is a company that really could use www.callen-cm.co.uk Talk about make a customers journey difficult, no flexability, no customer communication, no smiling staff. Why do people keep going to work to do a job they so clearly hate. Life is too short.
The Nuffield thing has gone quiet. I've been too busy to chase it and they clearly dont give a stuff about their customers. I will get around to dealing with it, but I suspect it will be by taking my custom elsewhere.
As for good service, well regular readers will remember me praising the chap in the Orange shop some 6 weeks ago. Ah well, the phone broke, has to be replaced, lost all the data. Something there about the lesson learned to back up data!!!!!! And to top it all, the store cant provide a loan phone, even though I have spent over £1500 with them this year. So not a great repeat experience after all.
Of course I should point out that I believe the phone fault may have been linked to my walk with Alaska yesterday. I got caught in a rain storm. very wet. My shirt was stuck to everywhere it touched (don't dwell on the mental image). I suspect water damage. And the phone wont be great either.
Till next time cheers
On the mention of teeth... had two visits to the dentist this week. That is the best job. You sit someone down, inflict pain, ask them inane questions, when you know they cant answer and then to top it all you charge them a bloody fortune.
Seen some extreme's of customer service this week. I have been dealing with a company who know that they are not trully prepared for a market launch and know what they should do. But are going to launch anyway, because the milestone report target date say's they have to. Incredible... The message is "Its better to be on time and crap than to get it right and be a bit later" Its like the first picture phones at VF all over again. Is it better to be first to market or best to market---- Discuss
Also had the joys of First Great Western on Wednesday. Now this is a company that really could use www.callen-cm.co.uk Talk about make a customers journey difficult, no flexability, no customer communication, no smiling staff. Why do people keep going to work to do a job they so clearly hate. Life is too short.
The Nuffield thing has gone quiet. I've been too busy to chase it and they clearly dont give a stuff about their customers. I will get around to dealing with it, but I suspect it will be by taking my custom elsewhere.
As for good service, well regular readers will remember me praising the chap in the Orange shop some 6 weeks ago. Ah well, the phone broke, has to be replaced, lost all the data. Something there about the lesson learned to back up data!!!!!! And to top it all, the store cant provide a loan phone, even though I have spent over £1500 with them this year. So not a great repeat experience after all.
Of course I should point out that I believe the phone fault may have been linked to my walk with Alaska yesterday. I got caught in a rain storm. very wet. My shirt was stuck to everywhere it touched (don't dwell on the mental image). I suspect water damage. And the phone wont be great either.
Till next time cheers
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