eKourier Jan 2010

Skillbuilder II 09 - Launching Storman V8

Brooky Passes 1000!

October saw the start of the second SkillBuilder for the year. This training was focused around the new features and functionality of the long awaited V8 version of Storman. 131 team members attended 18 sessions in Sydney, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia. As always, it was great to receive your ideas and suggestions during training. Skillbuilder gives me an invaluable insight into opportunities we can capture for on-going training and development and of how training can constantly be improved. It was a result of the feedback received from the Victorian centres last year that prompted a change in venue this year to the conference room at the Self Storage

Association.

Thank you all for your active participation and constructive sharing; as these are critical in making training effective and relevant. Some feature requests for V8 enhancement received during Skillbuilder have already been incorporated into Storman V8. Keep those ideas flowing! HOT TIP: Before putting in a Support Request: Remember to use the Technotes on Kosmo and check the ‘Known Issues and Change Requests list (IT & Storman Help/ Support & FAQ/Technotes – Storman Version 8). The Storman ‘Learn More’ feature is also a terrific aid to help with your questions and queries. Delna Dugdale

TSM Sarah Hopkins with our 1000th storer at Brookvale, Kate Potter.

Brookvale reached 1001 units rented in December, with the help of storer Kate Potter who took out a half garage and a wine cellar, tipping the number to 1001! Well done Brooky!

NEV’S NOTES...

“Being a Good Customer” We are all customers. We shop, we buy things, we are consumers. As customers we experience a range of experiences. Sometimes our experience as a customer is good, sometimes it is less than good. Sometimes it may be excellent – exceeding our expectations. When we get some excellent service it raises the bar a little and we start to expect such service from other stores and suppliers. This is good, this rising level of service; if we can support and encourage it, our experience as a customer will be enhanced; we will be more likely to go back to that store, and to find shopping as an enjoyable experience. It is nice on such occasions to compliment the employee, the manager or the owner. Staff don’t get a lot of compliments so they are delighted to get a pat on the back, and it will help to lock in that level of service for the next customer.

When our experience is disappointing, it is easy to just not go back. I suggest that as customers we have a duty to complain when things aren’t up to our expectations. If we don’t complain and bring our disappointment to the attention of the sales clerk, the manager or the owner then we deserve what we get. So how to complain in a positive way? You don’t want to be a whinger or to get angry – that’s not likely to get results. When we have a problem it needs to be calmly and rationally brought to their attention. We want their attention and we would like to get satisfaction. Be polite, be respectful, be positive, perhaps with a suggestion. You may even be complimentary about some part of the shopping experience or the product, and then be objectively disappointed about the problem you are having. You won’t always get satisfaction. So then persist, try again, go higher, speak to the manager, write a letter or email. I find putting things in writing is a good discipline to calmly express and suggest. A written complaint is a document that the manager or owner can use to address the problem with his supplier or staff. So in summary, to be a good customer, compliment, be courteous, complain positively, persist – don’t be thwarted. Behave as you would like one of your customers to behave. Nev Kennard

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Kennards Kourier January 2010