Wednesday 13 October 2010

The telephone!

I was sitting quite happily yesterday watching Doctors as I do most lunchtimes and the phone rang.  It was someone trying to sell me yet more advertising.  I've just put an advert in a local magazine to try and get some more business coming up to Christmas.  One of the most infuriating things that happen when you do this is other companies selling advertising ring you to tout for more business that you can't really afford.  So you are paying for other advertisers to ring you really!

One thing I've noticed these days is that no one and I mean no one ever asks if it's convenient to talk.  They just rush in with their sales pitch or questions.  You could be asleep, or having some food, or other activities that I'll leave to the readers imagination!

Part of my job is to ring my exisiting customers and book in a servicing for a house hold item.  I learned along time ago that it is only polite when you are ringing after six o clock in the evening to ask "Is it convenient to talk?".  Nine times out of ten it's okay and people are only to happy to take your call.  I've also now adopted this policy during the day time and found it works just as well.

Of course no one bothers to ask me if it's convenient to talk but I suppose that doesn't matter does it!

So people, as during troubled ecomonic times, peoples down time is becoming more precious, just adopt a little politeness and see how far it gets you.

Friday 1 October 2010

Dogs dogs what would we all do without dogs...................

Something funny happened to me on the way to work one day.  I was walking over a bridge which goes over the railway line, when I nodded at a customer who I recognised from my parents business.  He nodded back and said "Hello darling".  I hadn't seen his mobile was glued to his ear so said "Beg your pardon?".
"Oh, sorry I'm just talking to the wife" he said somewhat sheepishly.  This caused much amusement when I arrived at work - I should also add that I'm 39 years old, male and straight!

Getting to the dogs issue - I renamed our part of town Dogsville.  My next door neighbour has two bratty dogs one called Willie (we think) which is an insult to men and the other called Nugget, which in my view is an insult  to the snooker player Steve Davis.  These two lunatics bark at anything from other dogs, bin men, postmen, window cleaners to fresh air.  If a cat goes by, flipping heck - They are driving me mental.

The problem is, these dogs don't doing anything remotely useful.  They don't have a responsible job, bills to pay, a mortgage.  They can't poo into a toilette or even take themselves for walks.  Someone else has to clean their business up and even give them a wash.  We have one company with a very smart looking van - Dial a dog wash, I mean please, give me strength.

Do Parrots adopt bees and take them for a walk, no they don't!

The thing is these dogs are now just a status symbol -  a way of showing off, I've got more money than you, more, I've got more money than sense.

I went out for a meal on my Birthday. One bloke had four dogs, greyhounds on leads, that is insane when I can barely afford myself.

So, why not get tread mills hooked up to our houses and let the dogs exercise for hours on end and give energy to power our houses, then at least apart from useful dogs like sheep dogs, sniffer dogs and guide dogs, they are not just lounging around doing begger all all day and night.