Buckling Down the Best Customer Service

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From time to time, I’ve purchased various products, either online or at one of their few retail stores in Canada, at The North Face.  The company has anything from casual clothes, outdoorsy-type of clothes, sporting equipment, camping gear, and more. 

Back in 2016, my wife bought me three pairs of shorts. They were all stylish and comfortable and came in various different colours. While the shorts currently look as good as new, I had a slight problem, last year when part of the plastic on the belt wore down, resulting in the buckle no longer staying connected.  I called up The North Face to see about purchase a new buckle, but it turns out they’ve changed the style to a different buckle that would no longer fit my shorts. In fact, even when I first visited the store, one of the employees I talked to was willing to replace the buckles right then and there, until we realized it wasn’t going to fit. 

Because it was near the end of the summer, their parts department didn’t have my type of buckle stocked but told me to keep in touch and when the parts came, they’d send them to me.   As time passed, our interactions turned into quite the comedy, as on three separate occasions they sent me the wrong type of buckle.  At one point, I even sent them pictures to describe exactly what I needed, however, I would still end up with the wrong items.  In the end, they finally figured out what I needed, and sent me two of the three buckles (because they only had two).  While that would have been more than enough (I could always take off the belts to use with the other pair) they went one step further and offered me a free pair of shorts for the long delay and the inconvenience. 

The moral of the story is that I had often heard The North Face has great products, and as often with companies with good products, they stand behind their brand with great customer service.  Whether it was in-person at one of their stores, speaking to their Canadian head office in Montreal, connecting with their call centre or online exchanges, I’ve had a consistently good experience from them.  All employees have a can-do attitude and truly aim to please. 

If you’re looking for great customer service along with great clothing products, check out The North Face. 

The North Face Canada 
514-404-4896 
https://www.thenorthface.com/en_ca/homepage.html

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Taking Customer Service Into Account

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Sensors Quality Management Inc. is coming up to its 26th year in business. Many years ago, when we first started out, I was fortunate that a few of my friends in accounting assisted me from time to time when we needed help with the books….the dreaded financial books!

When we got to the point where we needed an actual accountant, I had initially reached out to my good friend and lawyer, Mitchell Rose, who immediately recommended a colleague of his who he had met during university: Brian Bossin.

Brian’s accounting firm is named Bossin, Tin Yan Chartered Accountants, and right from our first meeting 20 years ago, I knew that Brian was going to be the perfect fit for both myself and SQM. Brian was clearly experienced and knowledgeable enough to deal with larger corporations, but also patient enough and willing to work with smaller, local businesses.

Unlike the bigger firms that often nickel and dime you as soon as you pick up the phone, Brian and his colleagues are more understanding, and are willing to take calls without running the meter, or meet from time to time to provide advice and direction.

In addition to doing the accounting for SQM, over the years, Brian has also taken care of my personal income taxes, done taxes for other family members, worked on other business-related projects, assisted me with various government applications and paperwork, and played a role in providing me with advice on tax and estate planning.

During the 20 odd years that I’ve known Brian, it’s become increasingly clear that he is knowledgeable and experienced with many facets of both personal and business accounting, and for areas in which he is not an expert, he can often direct me to somebody who is. I know that his advice and expertise are just a telephone call away.

Whether you’re looking for somebody to handle personal matters or your business, I highly recommend you consider Brian and the team at Bossin, Tin Yan Chartered Accountants for all of your accounting needs.

Bossin, Tin Yan Chartered Accountants
416-492-8484

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Good Customer Service is Only a Phone Call Away

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My story starts out a number of weeks ago, when I was having problems with my cell phone….had encountered the black screen of death! 

I took the phone to one of my suppliers and he indicated that I was having a software problem.  When I got the phone back, it seemed as if he had corrected the issue, and the screen of death was gone, but I now noticed a pressure crack on my screen.  After speaking to someone else, I was told that the LED bleeding was only going to get worse, and eventually take over the entire screen unless I fixed it. 

With that in mind, I took it to the neighbourhood store, called UBREAKIFIX, where I met Steve.  Steve was a nice fellow and told me that he would only fix my screen if he could also clear all of the remaining software issues.  He took some time to run a diagnostic, and with my approval, decided to reset/wipe my phone. 

After he did all of this, I decided to make a call to Rogers (another blog) before I spent the money on a new screen, because replacing it is fairly expensive.  My contact at Rogers managed to get me a new phone, at no charge, and as a result, I did not have to incur the costs of putting a new screen on my old phone. 

While there was no guarantee that if he fixed my software problem, he could fix my screen, Steve spent a lot of time trying to help me out. In a day and age where businesses know what they want and how to get it and have this “what’s in it for me” mentality, Steve took the long-term approach to build a relationship with the customer as opposed to trying to make the quick sale. 

While this situation didn’t result in a sale for Steve at this particular time, I’ve already shared my experience with friends and colleagues and recommended Steve’s store.  Of course, I will definitely use his services in the future as well. 

For any electronic or technical challenges, Steve and the team at UBREAKIFIX are efficient, kind, and a pleasure to deal with. 

UBREAKIFIX 
416-483-3773 
https://www.ubreakifix.com/ca

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Dialling Up Great Customer Service

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Many of the blogs that I write about are based on my own experiences, and while I try to write stories about my travels and encounters outside of Toronto, I do realize that many of my topics are centred on the Greater Toronto Area.

However, this story is about a Canadian company, and while they are here in Toronto, they’re also right across the country. I’ve written about them in the past, but I feel like it is necessary to mention them again.

For many years, my cell phone and cable provider has been Rogers. One of the reasons behind this is because when I ran into a problem several years ago, I came into contact with a customer representative who was extremely helpful and kind. Ever since then, I’ve kept in touch and she’s always been able to help me out whenever I’ve been in a pickle.

In more recent times, she’s taken on another position within the company but has been thoughtful enough to direct me to employees as kind as herself. Back a few weeks ago, I had a software problem with my phone, which then turned into a hardware problem. I realized I needed a new phone and reached out to one of my new contacts at Rogers—John.

I first connected with John when I was looking to reduce some of the costs connected with my services. At the time, John made a few adjustments, so I ended up with more features and services while at the same time, reducing my monthly costs.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago, when my phone had died and I reached out to him in a little bit of a panic, because like many people, my phone was like my life and I needed it to be working for various reasons. On top of that, my phone was fairly new…only two years old…and should have been operational. Even though John works on the west coast, he got back to me within minutes of me sending him an email, asked me what the issue was, and told me that if I could give him a bit of time, he would work on a solution.

In less than an hour, he got back to me and gave me a number of options—all but one of them involved a new phone without any extra charges or long-term commitments. Once I made my decision, I received my new phone just two days later and I was back up and running in no time.

You would expect a company in telecommunications like Rogers to understand the urgency of uptime, and clearly, they do from the way that John and some of his other colleagues work.

To tell you how Rogers is evolving as a company, years ago if I had a problem with my bill, phone, or other services, and I had to call Rogers, the hair would stand up on the back of my neck because the entire process was often quite frustrating.

In more recent times, they seem to be changing with the era and adapting to the growing need for good customer support. I now know that I can count on Rogers to stand behind their services, and support me when I need them.

Rogers
1 (855) 381-7834
www.rogers.com

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Ensuring You Use the Right Insurance Company

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This week, I’d like to write a blog about Intact Insurance, however, I’m going to take a slightly different perspective on the subject.

Insurance is one of those industries that touches just about everyone, whether or not you own a house, rent an apartment, drive a car, or run a business. As one of my colleagues says, “you can never have enough insurance”. Most people deal with an insurance company or a broker on a somewhat regular basis, and while buying insurance typically comes down to the cost, I would think that it’s always better and easier to be dealing with an insurance company that has a good reputation in the industry.

Oftentimes, I hear stories about insurance appraisers and adjusters that try to pay as little as possible for claims or make it very difficult for one to resolve their claims or issues. That said, this story is meant to look at an insurance company from a different angle….

A couple of years ago, my 90-year-old aunt tripped on a mat, fell, and broke her hip while shopping at a grocery store. As a result of this accident, a lawsuit was filed as my aunt was incurring a number of significant expenses associated with her injuries. As the lawsuit progressed, we began dealing with a lawyer for the insurance company that was representing the grocery store.

Although I often hear horror stories about dealing with lawyers in such cases, the lawyer representing my aunt was pleasantly surprised by the insurance company’s approach to handling the situation. While many insurance companies would have dragged the process out for as long as possible, given my aunt’s advanced age, all parties involved were looking for a reasonable solution so that my aunt could return to normal life as soon as possible. While it’s difficult to put a price tag on such a terrible accident, and my aunt didn’t necessarily feel that she received as much money as she deserved, the willingness of the insurance company to move the process along was very much appreciated. It was truly a breath of fresh air to see both the lawyer and insurance company treat my aunt respectfully and professionally, while simultaneously looking out for their interests as well. After the case was settled, I took the time to call the President of Intact Insurance to acknowledge how their in-house lawyer handled this difficult matter in a professional and respectful way.

During the conversation, the President mentioned that Intact Insurance attempts to be a different type of insurance company, and treats people the way their employees would want to be treated themselves. While many companies in the industry say this, very few put their words into practice, however, I can tell you firsthand that Intact Insurance really does have this kind of culture and approach.

Again while I realize that purchasing insurance often boils down to price, I highly recommend that you at least look at Intact Insurance for your insurance needs. They are truly an excellent company to deal with.

Intact Insurance
www.intact.ca

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Ten Things To Do During the Canada Day Weekend

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Canada’s birthday is approaching, and 152 has never looked better! If you are unsure of what to do for the upcoming long weekend, look no further.

Fireworks: If you’re in the mood to create your own DIY fireworks show, there are many pop-up locations that will suit all of your needs. Kaboom Fireworks, Phatboy Fireworks and Rocket Fireworks are all good choices. If not, you can check out your local parks in order to see if they are doing their own fireworks show.

Wonderland: The amusement park is fun for the whole family! In addition to the spectacular rides, there will be street performers, traditional Canadian food and a light show.

Harbourfront Centre: There will be paddleboard rides on the Natrel Pond from 3:00 – 8:00 PM. At night, make sure to catch the live indie music that will be playing at the Harbourfront Centre Concert Stage!

Blue Jays Games: There will be games every day from June 28th to July 1stat the Rogers Centre. There will also be giveaway prizes on Friday and Monday. Be sure to grab tickets while they last.

Ribfest: The Etobicoke Ribfest is back for another year! From June 29th to July 1st, there will be many activities run from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Stop by to hear live music, visit the Beer Garden and the Kids Zone, all while enjoying delicious ribs. There is something for everyone!

BBQ: Thinking about having a family barbecue or food with friends? Cumbraes and the Healthy Butcher have a wide selection available both in-store and online. While it is always nice to support a local butcher, you could also visit your grocery store’s butcher section.

Craft Beer: What’s better than celebrating the country’s birthday than cracking open a cold one? Be sure to check out your local brewery, but please remember to drink responsibly.

Ottawa: Planning on spending the weekend in the capital? Events will be held at Parliament Hill, Major’s Hill Park and the Canadian Museum of History. Check out the official list of events.

Parades: In the mood for travelling? There will be parades held at Niagara Falls and in Downtown Vancouver. Both parades will be followed by fireworks over the Falls and at Canada Place.

Concert: At the North Maple Regional Park in Vaughan, multiple live performances will be played. The headliner will be Toronto’s very own reggae fusion band, MAGIC! See the full details here.

Whatever your plans may be, I hope that you have an enjoyable time. I wish everyone and their families a safe and happy Canada Day!

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A Reye of Sunlight at the Gym

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This week, I’d like to talk about a personal trainer who has gone above and beyond the call of a regular trainer.

For over 30 years, I have been a member of the Columbus Centre’s gym / fitness club. Over my time there I’ve gotten to know many of the staff and personal trainers. One of the trainers who I find myself chatting with about anything from sports, to business, to life in general, is a gentleman by the name of John Reyes.

John works at the Columbus Centre part-time, a personal trainer, and has also recently become a registered kinesiologist. While the kinesiology work that he does is at a separate clinic and has nothing to do with the Columbus Centre, he often uses his knowledge, education, and experience in kinesiology when working with his clients as a personal trainer.

A number of weeks ago, I decided to pick his brain as I was having some difficulties loosening up, even though I stretch regularly. It just seemed that despite my ongoing efforts, I was extremely tight, which was impacting my ability to properly complete some of my exercise routines. John suggested a few stretches and within a short amount of time, these stretches seemed to be working, as I seemed to be improving.

A couple of weeks later, I came back to him again because I was still tight…I just couldn’t loosen up completely. Even though John was only there once a week, he would try and line up his times with mine and take me to one of the fitness rooms where he would help me stretch. These kinds of stretches were challenging in that you need a second person to help do them properly.

We figured my loosening up would take a few weeks of stretching on my own, in addition to his assistance. True to his word, after some time I was once again making good progress and returning to normal. While I’m sure other trainers could have assisted me with the stretches, I believe that John’s background in kinesiology very much helped get me moving in the right direction.

If anyone is looking for a personal trainer, or someone to help them with their stretching and range of motion, I highly recommend John Reyes.

John Reyes
J-rey636@yahoo.ca

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