Page 15 – SQM Pick

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Guelph takes me by Storm

June 11, 2014David Lipton Comment

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to pay a visit to a good friend of mine, down in Guelph Ontario. Amidst the century old Victorian buildings that call Guelph home, exists one of the cities most prized possessions…the Guelph Storm hockey team! During my visit, I was fortunate enough to take in one of their games at downtown’s Sleeman Centre, and what a great experience it was. Despite the fact that the Guelph Storm are just a Junior A team, the atmosphere and fan devotion clearly rivals that of any major league team.

As a child, I remember when my dad used to take me to Toronto Marlie games at Maple Leaf Gardens. Little did I know at the time that what began as the original Toronto Marlborough’s hockey team, back in 1904, eventually would become the Guelph Storm hockey team in 1991! Since then, the Storm have gone on to win a number of Ontario Hockey League (OHL) championships, and are presently the second ranked Junior A team in the country. They have even seen several of their players rise to the ranks of the National Hockey League (NHL) over the years.

What I found quite remarkable was the vibe and spirit that I witnessed firsthand, as soon as I walked into the Sleeman Centre, with roughly 3,500 fans covered head-to-toe in Storm colours, standing behind their team. I’ve been to a few hockey games in my time, but it was really impressive to see this level of commitment for a hockey team in what could still be considered “small town” Ontario. It really goes to show you that the glitz and glamor of the big leagues can’t outshine the core community aspect of small town hockey. What was even better (unlike big league games) was the fact that the tickets were reasonably priced. This allowed anyone from families and children, to hard core hockey nuts to come out and enjoy a game without putting a hole in their pocket book.

If I want to escape the madness of a big league hockey game, I now know where to go! With their devoted fan-base and hardworking team, the Guelph Storm truly embody what hockey means in Canada!

If you would like to get tickets for the next Storm game, or want to see a full season schedule, check out their website: www.guelphstorm.com for more information.

Guelph Storm- Sleeman Center
50 Woolwich St.
Guelph, ON
519-822-4900

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Teach me how to fish

June 9, 2014David Lipton Comment

Sometimes, I like to take a break from my regular articles to highlight some important issues. At the moment, this has been weighing on my mind…

During my high school and university days, I used to run a small valet parking company with a close friend of mine. The business involved parking cars at house parties, weddings, corporate events, and charity functions.

Many of the events we worked at involved some of Toronto’s wealthier residents, holding fundraisers and galas at their own estates and homes, and while I admit that I was wowed by the big homes and fancy cars, what really caught my attention was how these people were so willing to open their doors, wallets, and hearts to a variety of important causes. Even though I was very far from making that kind of money, I knew that eventually I wanted to give back to the community in a similar way.

Fast forward to today and I still have the same drive and determination to help others as I did several years ago. However, there’s one road block I can’t get passed, I don’t have the kind of money some of my previous clients did. Whatever money I do make, I end up investing back into my business to help it grow. This makes it difficult for me to really “give”‘ on the scale that I would like to. I always say that I would rather invest $500 back into my own business now, so that I’m able to give $50,000 to a charitable cause further down the road. There is also the issue of time. Just as my business requires constant monetary reinvestment, it also requires me to reinvest a sufficient amount of time into its growth. These two factors have made it increasingly difficult to take the steps necessary to bring my philanthropic vision to life.

In an effort to meet my goals, I have attempted to reach out to some of the “big givers” who may be able to provide me with some advice and direction in order to help me grow my business. I always say that if you want to be the best, you have to learn from the best, and that is exactly what I’m trying to do. I’m not looking for money, but rather the opportunity to speak with successful business people who can help me get to the next level of giving by helping me grow my business.

Unfortunately, it seems that while many of today’s philanthropists are very generous with their wallets, there are no mechanisms in place (by these individuals or their foundations) to assist in developing the next generation of philanthropists….the big givers of tomorrow. Given that many of today’s philanthropists are also today’s visionaries and leaders, I’m somewhat surprised that this is the case. As a result, if anyone knows individuals or organizations that could provide me with the assistance I am looking for, I would really appreciate hearing from you.

Someone once said….if you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, but if you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime. Can someone please teach me how to fish?

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Exceptional service in every corner of the Fairmont Royal York

June 6, 2014David Lipton 1 Comment

A few days ago I was attending an industry function at the beautiful Fairmont Royal York in downtown Toronto. Having stayed in this world renowned hotel before, I knew that the level of service offered by its staff members is second to none, however, it still took me by surprise when one of the washroom attendants went above and beyond his required duties to meet a casual request of mine.

It all started when I was washing my hands and noticed that the soap and hand lotion was the same fragrance as the shampoo and conditioners that they provide in the guest rooms. I casually mentioned that I really enjoyed the fragrance and quality of the product and joked that they should have some in the public washrooms. Thinking nothing of my remark, I was completely caught off guard when the attendant told me to return later on so he could give me a few bottles of the items that I liked. I thanked him for the offer, but generally thought nothing of my own request, nor his desire to meet it.

Later that day, when I returned to the washroom, I was surprised to see that not only did he remember me, but he also came through with his promise and had brought me several small bottles. I was truly amazed because here’s a guy, who to many, it would seem as if his main responsibility is simply to provide hand towels and keep the washroom clean, yet he embraces the “customer first” spirit of the hospitality industry and displayed a genuine desire to go above and beyond what is normally expected. Rarely have I experienced such a display of customer service from higher level employees, let alone from line staff.

My experience couldn’t have come at a better time seeing that I was attending an award ceremony celebrating the excellent customer service found in Canada’s hospitality and foodservice industry. In my opinion, this gentleman was just as deserving of a Pinnacle Award, as any other person in attendance! Not only is he a representative of the great customer service found at the Fairmont Royal York, but he is also a great representative of the hospitality industry as a whole! If management is listening, this gentleman is definitely a keeper. Perhaps, like other senior executives with the company who started out in such positions, he too is a future leader.

Fairmont Royal York
100 Front St. W.
Toronto, ON
416 368 2511

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Little business knows how to do it right!

June 4, 2014David Lipton Comment

This past summer, I was in need of a carpenter who could build me a door and a portico. I ran across a man named Greg Aboud from Greg Aboud Woodworking who has completed projects in my neighbourhood and was recommended to me. Greg is truly a jack of all trades, and handles such work as: fencing, sheds, doors… you name it and Greg can build it. He charges a reasonable price and has a great reputation.

Despite Greg’s extreme flexiblity and wide scope of abilities, during the course of the summer, Greg ran into a few challenges. After ordering the wrong pillars for the portico, family members falling ill, bad weather, and hurting his back, what was supposed to be a 4-8 week job turned into a 7 month ordeal. After the job was finally completed, I received an invoice and noticed that a significant amount of money had been deducted due to “unacceptable delays”. Since I hadn’t asked Greg to reduce his fees, I was completely astonished with his generous offer. Not only did he own up to the significant delays, but he exceeded my expectations by adjusting the bill.

What’s more amazing is that here is a small, independent businessman who understands that exceeding expectations will lead to new customers, referrals, and repeat businesses. Larger businesses could learn from a guy like Greg. As an example, Greg has no idea that I am writing a blog about him, but because of his excellent customer service and great public relations, I’ve already spread the word about him to dozens of my friends, colleagues, and neigbours- not to mention everyone who reads the SQM blogs.

In this day and age when it has become increasingly difficult to find a good trades person, let alone a good trades person, at a reasonable price, here is one that doesn’t just meet, but exceeds his customers’ expectations. Greg is truly a class act and I would strongly suggest you consider using him for your next project.

Greg Aboud Woodworking
Greg Aboud
416-505-0999

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At the RIM of customer service

June 2, 2014David Lipton Comment

In lieu of all the news surrounding the smart phone industry, I wanted to put the spotlight on a company that seems to have been receiving more than their fair share of negative press and criticism as of late.

I have been dealing with RIM for several years now, and they have equipped myself, my wife, and even some of my colleagues with great wireless devices. Through this period, I have come across issues with my Blackberry…just like most users of wireless devices would with whatever product they were using.

The issues that I have faced with my Blackberry have usually been technical issues, some of which require repairs. Whenever I contact RIM, the technical support staff is always very knowledgeable and extremely patient. In other instances, I have also had issues with my Blackberry when it was no longer under warranty by my service provider. While my service provider would not do anything about the issue, I have always found RIM to be helpful in finding a solution and correcting the problem, quickly and efficiently. They have never disappointed me and they always go above and beyond what I expect from such a company in terms of customer service.

I distinctly remember one time, when I was trying to trying to find somebody at RIM to speak with after calling their customer service line. After trying repeatedly to contact the right person, I asked to be connected to the President’s office, and I found myself with the option of leaving them a voicemail message. Within thirty minutes of having left a message, I was contacted by someone who helped me right away.

Many companies in the wireless industry have been battling head-to-head for market share and it often seems as if they have abandoned the concept of providing great customer service, but I believe that RIM has kept that at the forefront of their vision. I should mention that I also own various Apple products and their service has been just as great in terms of efficiency and correcting any problems.

We have reached a point where companies seem to be disregarding the true needs of their customers. It’s great to see RIM still knows how to take care of their customer, by going above and beyond the call, every time I contact them. It would be nice if more businesses followed RIM’s lead. I know the company continues to experience unprecedented challenges but if everything else is equal, regardless of the product or service, I will always support the company that provides better customer service and a better experience.

RIM (BlackBerry)
2200 University Ave. E.
Waterloo, ON
519-888-7465

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A slamming deal on a side door with Tru Tech

May 30, 2014David Lipton Comment

As you all know, think it’s very important to mention any company that exudes excellent customer service and that consistently provides the public with quality products.

Just recently, I was out shopping for a new side door. I live in an older home and our doors are not a regular, standard size. I was having a lot of trouble finding a door that was the right size and the right price. I had been to several retailers and none had what I was looking for. Frustrated with the retailers and their “one-size-fits-all” solutions, I decided to go straight to the manufacturer.

After doing a bit of research I called Tru Tech Doors. I was surprised as the President himself, John Careri, was featured on the website and was accessible to the public. There was no secretary screening his calls, no unlisted number, and no beating around the bush. I left him a personal voice mail outlining my challenges and he got back to me within two business days, stating he was able to help me with a solution at a reasonable price. The manufacturer does not sell to the public, but he was able to assist me with the help of one of his retailers.

For anyone looking for interior or exterior doors; Tru Tech, a Canadian manufacturer, is the way to go. Their products are always of high quality and their customer service, when needed, is impeccable.

Tru Tech Doors Canada
20 Vaughan Valley Blvd.
Vaughan, ON
905-856-0096

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J. A. Henckels stands behind their knives

May 28, 2014David Lipton Comment

Every once in a while I come across a company, product, or service that is simply remarkable. Recently, I had such an experience that covered all three areas; a company that not only stands behind its products, but offers amazing customer service.

My wife and I both use J. A. Henckels International Knives in the kitchen. We love them because of their high quality, and their durability.

A couple of weeks ago, when I was taking a load out of the dishwasher, I noticed the blade on one of our paring knives (maybe 10 years old) had cracked off the base. I called J. A. Henckels’ customer service line, and they immediately offered to replace it- no questions asked. I didn’t have to wait while they reviewed and processed the incident. I didn’t have to provide proof of purchase or a receipt. I didn’t even have to answer a million questions. I was simply met with fast, helpful, customer service people and a new paring knife. This had actually happened once before, when a knife we owned broke at the tip; and we were met with the same level of service.

A very small percentage of companies stand behind their product this way without wasting the customer’s time, or putting them through the ringer. This level of customer service and quality is so rare today. With J. A. Henckels International Knives I was given immediate results and am confident that if something ever happens with their products, they will be there for me. I recommend J. A. Henckels International Knives for every cooking enthusiast I know, and I am most definitely a customer for life because of each and every positive experience that I have had with them.

Zwilling J.A. Henckels
171 Saw Mill River Rd.
Hawthorne, NY
1-800-777-4308

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TheraPearl chills me out with great customer service

May 26, 2014David Lipton Comment

Have you ever had a nagging ache or pain in your body that just won’t go away? Well, I often get them and I found TheraPearl to cure all my ailments. Therapearl makes hot and cold therapy packs that provide relief for aches and pains. These can include bruises, joint soreness, and my personal ailment – migraines. Basically you get a pack and you can throw it in the fridge or microwave depending on what you need.

I recently bought a TheraPearl at a large retailer in Toronto. Shortly after getting it, I noticed the “pearls”, which are the little temperature beads, were beginning to fall out. I returned to the retailer, but had misplaced my bill and they would not exchange the product for me. The retailer was giving me the run around, sending me from one location to the next. As a customer who was getting the run around, I became increasingly frustrated and decided to call the actual manufacturer. Upon calling TheraPearl’s customer service line, I spoke to a lovely young woman named Candice. Candice apologized and took full ownership for the issue and sent me a replacement right away through UPS. She even sent me additional products to try including a frog and a pig TheraPearl pack for my daughter, who Candice heard in the background while we were talking. TheraPearl stood behind their products and did not make me jump through any hoops. I was sent products specific to my needs and thus my expectations were exceeded. While I had an unfortunate customer service experience at the retailer, TheraPearl took care of the whole situation to ensure that I was a happy customer.

Awesome customer service will keep me coming back for more and will also tell my friends about the great experience. Now if only the retailer could take a page out of TheraPearl’s customer service book!

TheraPearl, LLC
9305 Gerwig Lane, Suite Q
Columbia, MD
1-877-PEARL09 (73275)

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A Landscaping Nightmare: How Land-Con Saved The Day

May 23, 2014David Lipton Comment

Back in the summer, I decided to re-do the driveway and front garden of my house, so I had 12 landscaping companies come to my house to quote my relatively decent-sized project. Of the 12 companies that came by the house, not one was professional enough to follow-up with me and provide an actual quote as I was a potential customer.

I was starting to give up all hope in my hunt for a suitable landscaping company when I stumbled upon the Land-Con team. The Land-Con team was completing some work at the office building I worked in when I asked an employee if I could speak to someone about a residential job. Immediately, I was introduced to both owners who happened to be on site and they arranged to have their planner come to my house. The planner, Cristel, showed up on time and even provided me with drawings and a quote within days of her visit. Talk about speedy customer service! The price that she quoted was certainly close to what other people in the neighborhood have paid to complete similar work, so we decided to go ahead and have her re-do our driveway and front garden. An added bonus was having our amazing planner, Cristel, who patiently provided us with guidance and ideas every step of the way. She added to the awesome customer experience that Land-Con provided.

The workers arrived on the prearranged date and despite the fact that they were working on a residential project, they were all appropriately outfitted with all of their required safety equipment. They worked quickly, efficiently, safely, and always tidied up after themselves. The few minor, and I stress minor, deficiencies were taken care of quickly. Everyone, who has seen the work that was done by Land-Con, thinks they did an amazing job and added value to our property. Land-Con’s amazing customer service has kept them fresh in our minds and with a bit of luck, we hope to work on the backyard next year!

Land-Con
163 Bowes Rd. Unit 3
Concord, ON
416-504-LAND (5263)

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St. Clair Nissan revs up the standard for customer service

May 21, 2014David Lipton Comment

Unlike many Nissan dealers these days, St. Clair Nissan is located downtown and occupies a smaller building space. My understanding is they are family-owned and operated. In my experience with car delarships, big dealerships can never seem to take care of problems in an affordable timely fashion, whereas St. Clair Nissan is always friendly, efficient, accommodating, and reasonably priced to their customers.

I distinctly remember a time when St. Clair Nissan helped me out more than any other car dealership ever could. When I was buying out the lease on my car, I had already moved uptown and decided I had such a great experience with St. Clair Nissan that I would try another Nissan dealership near my new house. The new dealership wanted $300 just to do the paperwork, so I went back to St. Clair and they completed the papers for $100. Given the time it took to do it, they likely didn’t make any money off of me; but they kept me as a happy customer, and they kept me coming back. Despite the fact that I no longer live down town, I still go out of my way to visit this location, as well as my preferred service garage (Portugal Auto Service at Dundas and Bathurst). I always go out of my way to tell all of my friends about their amazing customer service because they take such great care of me as a valued customer. The personalized customer experience really goes a long way.

St. Clair Nissan
3275 Dundas St. W.
Toronto, ON
416-762-7537

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Broil King is on fire!

May 16, 2014David Lipton Comment

If you remember my blog from the other day, I wrote about the great customer service that I found at Dickson Home Hardware. Well, just recently Brandon (one of the great guys at the hardware store) was over at my house doing some minor repairs on my BBQ when he noticed that the cookbox was warped. As a direct result, the grills were sitting lower into the bottom of the BBQ than they should have been. Brandon said he would go back to the hardware store to order a new cook box for me, but I was a little shocked as I wasn’t expecting to shell out the money for a major repair or a new part. Naturally, I hesitated a bit as this would be pretty costly.

When Brandon sensed my hesitation, he told me not to worry since the Broil King Brand has a 25 year warranty on the cook box. I couldn’t believe it since my BBQ was over 9 years old! When the BBQ part arrived, I was pretty surprised to discover that they had sent me an entirely new BBQ with everything except the stand. Not only did Broil King stand behind their product, but they also exceeded my expectations and provided me with an outstanding customer service experience. In this day and age when most companies don’t take customers seriously, this was a pleasant turn of events that shot their customer service levels through the roof. Not to mention, they do make a great product that keeps their customers coming back!

Broil King
585 Kumpf Drive
Waterloo, ON
1-800-265-2150

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Pro Hardware, Pro Service

May 14, 2014David Lipton Comment

On Avenue Road lies a small hardware store called Dickson Home Hardware. For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of visiting this shop, they have two sides to their retail business; one that is centralized around hardware and another that is centralized around BBQs. I first visited Dickson Home Hardware 5 years ago when I was buying a friend a wedding present and I had a great experience. Despite the blizzard brewing in the middle of winter, I decided that I wanted to get my friend a lawn mower for his wedding so I started checking around for prices and models. I went to some of the big box stores in the area, saw a few I liked, and asked the manager about any discounts considering the current season and weather. I was flatly declined, so I checked out some of my other options before turning to Dickson Home Hardware. When I settled on Dickson Home Hardware, I was shown a few models and when I asked about the price the owner explained to me that he was unlikely to sell very many lawn mowers in the middle of winter, so he’d be able to cut $100 off the price before I even asked about any discounts.

Aside from this interaction keeping me coming back year after year, they continue to blow me away during every return visit with their excellent level of customer service. Dickson always has the hardware I am looking for even though they are a small store, and in the BBQ section they are all amazing and knowledgeable. When I was having a problem with my BBQ recently, they tried to walk me through it on the phone; and when I was unable to resolve the problem with them on the phone, instead of frustrating me they stopped by when they were in the area to fix it. Not only did they fix it, but they identified a problem which was under warranty. They have never ceased to amaze me and I have had a positive experience with them- each and every time. This just goes to show you that bigger isn’t always better when it comes to customer service.

Dickson Home Hardware
2028 Avenue Rd.
Toronto, ON
416-487-4029

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This ViBE’s got me in the groove!

May 12, 2014David Lipton Comment

The first time I dropped my daughter, Talia, off at ViBE’s studio I thought I was seeing double. Marnie and Rena Schwartz, co-founders of ViBE Dance and Fitness Studio, one of the biggest dance studios in Toronto, also happen to be identical twins. Neither are new to the dance floor, having both been members of the Toronto Argonauts Dance Team and Toronto Raptors Dance Pack, as well as qualified dance teachers, choreographers, and experienced aerobic instructors. And if that’s not enough, they’re also Ontario certified teachers and kinesiologists,

ViBE was recommended to us by friends and now Talia attends a hip hop class regularly on Thursday nights. It’s an expansive studio with around 15 rooms, and is surprisingly pristine considering the number of kids filtering in and out the front door every hour, not to mention the sweat these dancers work up. But as ViBE’s motto goes, they’re there to “Sweat and Smile”. The place is packed on evenings and weekends, yet always runs smoothly, no kid getting lost in the crowd or not knowing where to go. I remember how shocked my wife was when one of the sisters approached her and told her how well Talia was doing, despite never having met my wife before. She then proceeded to approach all the other parents, knowing each kid by name, able to make an informed comment on their progress. They take the time to get to know the kids and parents so that at ViBE you’re not just another number to them- you’re valued customer. In addition, they truly want what’s best for the kids. They’re willing to accommodate with make-up classes and even made life easier on my wife and I, by allowing Talia to sit in on the class before hers, when she arrives early some weeks.

The opportunities seem boundless at ViBE, with some of the dancers being chosen to dance in the halftime shows at a Raptors games each year, while others are selected for professional roles in movies and live theatre. At the very least, there are the health benefits from dance as expounded by Marnie and Rena, “At ViBE, we believe that dance is a life skill where people will be dancing through life…..at play dates when they are young, at Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, Sweet Sixteens, at their wedding and at their 50th wedding anniversary! Dance has the ability to improve self confidence, self-esteem, and ultimately, dance makes a person feel good about themselves. We are fortunate to witness dancers of all ages, genders, and abilities enjoy the obvious physical and health benefits of dance but it is SO special to see dancers grow and become strong and confident people. At ViBE, we hope to inspire dancers to become the best that they can be through our fun and challenging classes and in our non-competitive high quality program.” I think that sums up their philosophy perfectly. It’s not about making good dancers at ViBE but about making good people, and this world can use as many good people as it can get.

ViBE Dance and Fitness Studio
1450 Clark Avenue West
Vaughan, ON L4J 7J9
905-763-8423
www.vibestudio.ca

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Roy Thomson Hall sent me to the moon and back!

May 9, 2014David Lipton Comment

Back in January, Colonel Chris Hadfield was being featured at Roy Thomson Hall as part of a speaker series. Most of us are aware of who Chris Hadfield is thanks to his social media presence; the first Canadian Commander of the International Space Station, best selling author, and unbeknown to some, a popular icon amongst the younger generation—and by younger I mean my eight year old daughter. So, when I heard he was coming to Roy Thomson Hall I gave them a call to see whether it would be age appropriate for my daughter to attend.

Normally, with other venues, the box office phone number sends you straight to Ticket Master, who, although generally pleasant to deal with, don’t often have as much information pertaining to the event or venue as you may require. So I was pleasantly surprised when the phone was answered by an employee from the in-house box office. Admittedly, I had a lot of questions and called the box office a number of times, each time answered by a different employee, all of which were equally as pleasant, knowledgeable and helpful. They informed me that Chris Hadfield spoke to a wide audience, and assured me that my daughter would enjoy the evening. They helped me to secure tickets, and even took into account the fact that I was attending with a child, by suggesting cheaper seats, in case she didn’t make it through the whole show. I was so impressed with their customer service that I called up the President of Roy Thomson Hall and congratulated him on his fine employees and the positive experience that I just had.

But the customer service didn’t stop there. When my daughter and I arrived at Roy Thomson Hall for the show, besides the pleasant enthusiasm of the ticket collectors, one employee approached my daughter directly. He leaned down and told her that if she had a question she’d like to ask Chris Hadfield she could give it to him and he’d make sure Colonel Hadfield answered it. Well, this sent my daughter beaming….it was almost as good as if Chris Hadfield had approached her himself.

When attending an event like this we often forget that it’s more than just the performance that makes the night. It’s also how you are treated as a guest or fan by the venue. Not to take away from other Toronto venues, but Roy Thomson Hall is one of the few places that seems to remember they are offering a service and don’t just let the event speak for itself. And for that I’d like to thank them for such an enjoyable experience.

Roy Thomson Hall
60 Simcoe Street
Toronto, ON M5J 2H5
416-872-4255
www.roythomson.com/

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FedEx handles SQM with care

May 7, 2014David Lipton Comment

I’ve talked about customer service recovery on this blog before; the act of rectifying a mistake your company has made with a customer. We’d all like to be perfect but a slip up every once in a while is inevitable. It’s how you deal with that mistake that makes the difference, and often you have to do something memorable to win the customer back.

Recently we’ve been doing business with FedEx and we happened to owe a payment, so they sent us a bill. Only problem was they sent the bill to our company’s former address. Obviously we weren’t able to pay this bill because we never received it, so rather then try to track us down through the pick-up and delivery addresses which they have on file, someone decided to send our bill to a collections agency….I’d also like to add that this bill was for something like $25.00. After the issue was brought to our attention, my business partner, Craig, gave them a call to sort out the mistake. Initially, he spoke to the accounting side of operations where he was told ‘the bill was too small for them to deal with so they sent it to a collections agency and it was out of their hands.’. What a blow! Long time customers (over 20 years) and they brushed Craig off like a piece of lint from their shoulders.

Well, Craig’s a pretty mild mannered guy but this really got to him, so instead of calling accounting again, he called customer service to complain. Boy, did they turn over a new leaf fast. Customer service apologized and even wrote off the bill, which was a nice touch, but after what Craig had been through he was ready to stop doing business with FedEx all together. But—and this is the part of the story where customer service recovery comes into play—the next day at work this huge basket filled with chocolates and cookies and all kinds of other goodies was delivered to the office by FedEx. This basket had to be valued somewhere around $50.00, double the bill we’d owed them, and attached to the basket was a sincere and tasteful apology letter. That’s how you do it! They took the time to individually acknowledge that our business was important to them, and apologize for the situation. Sure, it may have cost them a bit of extra money, but they kept a client and a business partner, and truely turned a sour customer experience into a sweet one.
FedEx
1-800-463-3339
http://www.fedex.com

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Anthony Haines- warming the homes (and holidays) of Torontonians

May 5, 2014David Lipton Comment

We knew it was coming, but we didn’t realize how bad it would hit us. The December ice storm caused a reported 130,000 power outages across the GTA. People were afraid to leave their homes, shivering in front of a dismal fire. Even Mayor Rob Ford appeared as a ray of hope during this crisis, because despite his well-known personal issues he looked to be in control and played the part of the leader. But when it comes down to it, the real heat (or perhaps I should say cold) didn’t fall on the Mayor or any other politician but on the shoulders of Anthony Haines, President and Chief Executive Officer of Toronto Hydro. He stood by Ford’s side during each press conference updating the public on Toronto Hydro’s progress. I remember waiting by the transistor radio, all excitement for the holidays channeled into listening to Haines’ voice as he listed off the areas he hoped would have power soon.

No one could have been totally prepared for a natural disaster like that. Haines was blunt, not feeding the public false answers. He was a real, tangible beacon of hope, out there on the streets, away from his family on Christmas, solving the problems one area at a time. And yet, people still weren’t happy. I mean, when you’re getting thousands of phone calls from Toronto Hydro customers each day complaining, you quickly realize your trouble spots, and Haines was not one to cover them up, but instead admitted to them and worked on finding a solution.

I like to think quality is a journey, not a destination. Nothing will ever be perfect, but there will always be an unlimited number of imperfections. It takes continuous experimentation and brainstorming to find the glitches, which for most organizations occurs over a long period of time, but for Haines it was a matter of days.

I was impressed with this guy and so I organized a meeting, hoping that we might come up with some type of collaboration. He took the time to meet with me and talk and I saw that none of it was an act. He’s a generally an open-minded person with Toronto’s well being at heart, and for that I’d like to thank him and tell him to keep up the good work. It is because of people like Anthony Haines that I still believe that a positive customer service experience still exists.

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Collecting cold hard cash from freezing guests

May 2, 2014David Lipton Comment

I like to keep these blogs positive, wanting to promote good companies for their excellent customer service rather than tearing down bad ones, but every once in a while I notice an incident that needs to be aired out, and I’m afraid I’ve stumbled across one. So please excuse the venting as I indulge in a moment of catharsis.

Back in December, Toronto was hit by an ice storm which rolled through the city like a biker gang on a destructive spree. Trees snapped and withered, roads flash froze into skating rinks, and we huddled together in our homes for warmth praying that the power would soon be back on. But as the power outage lingered beyond a few days and settled a profound darkness on the holiday season, people began to realize they needed to escape their soon to be freezer box houses. So those who could afford it packed up the family and checked into some of the hotels around the city that had power. But you can’t leave beloved Fido or Whiskers behind, so families brought their pets to the hotels with them. The only problem was that the hotels were charging people to keep their pets in their rooms—and not just dogs or cats but hamsters and guinea pigs as well!

Now, I understand that they’re running a business and are in it to make a profit, but it seemed like they were siphoning money from their so-called ‘guests’ at a time when these people had no other options. A natural disaster strikes the city and here they are taking advantage of it, rather than us banding together and them stepping up to help people during a time of crisis. And for it to happen so widely leads me to believe that this wasn’t an oversight in hotel protocol but a conscious decision made by management on how to deal with the situation. The short sightedness seems almost comical. They shot themselves in the foot for a few extra bucks. By aggravating numerous guests they lost a load of customers as well as all the recommendations those guests could have given to friends or family who visit the city. One act of kindness goes a long way, but just as easily one act of greed can mar a reputation for just as long.

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Feel “at home” at Caffe Brasiliano

April 30, 2014David Lipton Comment

It’s funny the things that stick with you from the old neighborhood. The things we miss and the traditions we carry on. For me, one of those things is Caffe Brasiliano, a cafeteria-coffee shop squeezed between Little Italy and Little Portugal on Dundas, west of Bathurst. The place is a family owned restaurant run by two brothers, Kenny and Brock, and a well-known spot to the locals, taking the place of the chains like Starbucks and Second Cup.

Inside are two counters, the first is a coffee bar with a barista ready to serve you a variety of drinks and types of coffee from all over the world. The second counter is a hot table, set up cafeteria-style, where you pick the foods you want and they carry it over to one of the tables for you. There’s a ubiquitous family attitude to the place, the cashier telling you to sit down and eat before worrying about payment, and often you’ll end up sharing one of the long tables with a fellow customer. Some days you can even find up to ten cabbies on break, crowded around a table, sipping a coffee, or munching on some hot food. In the summer they open up the garage-like windows at the front of the restaurant to let the breeze in and give the place an open concept feel. It’s cheap and the portions are more than adequate, but if you do have an insatiable hunger, you can go back and ask for a bit of a bigger helping free of charge. There’s a couple TV sets showing that day’s soccer game, a good conversation starter if you’re looking for someone to talk to.

I still take my daughter there on Saturday afternoons, and although I no longer live in the neighborhood, when I step through Caffe Brasiliano’s front door I feel like a local. They’re impeccable customer service is delivered effortlessly, with a casual feel and I always have a great experience whenever I stop by.

Caffe Brasiliano
849 Dundas Street West
Toronto, ON
416-603-6607

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