The business intellect of kiwis

[Gremlin]

That said, I like to walk away feeling that both parties benefited. No one likes to feel thazt they have just ripped someones guts out.

mmm perhaps you haven't dealt with enough big business... there are some out there that will screw/wring the price to the very bottom dollar. Sure, few and far between... but they do exist (and generally not a customer for long)

On the whole, most are good businesses tho...

[Lucy]

. Not unlike the childcare books written by people who've never had kids of their own.....

my $0.02c

Please, name one. I'd love to read it.

[Max Headroom]

Please, name one. I'd love to read it.

We had one such book on the shelf for a long time which we purchased after our son was born 23 years ago. Unfortunately I can't lay my hands on it right now. It was written by an Aussie clinical psychologist (surname Green???)who wrote in his preamble something to the effect of "my apologies to those who took my previous advice prior to my having two sons of my own." He then went on to explain the paradigm shift his two kids had effected for him, along with new-found respect for parents he had previously held low regard for.

His earlier approach had been more rigid, and regarded child-rearing in a similar vein to raising a pet animal. And *perhaps* there are *some* parallels....... but his subsequent publication acknowledged that a different approach was preferable!

[buellbabe]

OK its my turn to have a whinge.
A month ago I took my bike into the shop so that they could remove the shock and send it to the shock dude to fix (under warranty) and cos he said it would be a couple of weeks I asked the shop to warrant the bike while they had it (at that point it was due in a months time). All good except I needed a new front tyre, no worries, chuck one on says I.

Well the shock repair took a MONTH and if it weren’t for the fact that I have ‘done a deal’ over a mates Firebolt I would have bikeless all this time...but I digress.

The shock was at the bike shop yesterday and I reminded them about the tyre...the response was "oh yeah..."

The bike shop rings me just now to say that they have to order the tyre in and they don’t know if it will be here by tomorrow which is when I have arranged to pick the bike up...

WTF??????????

They knew a FULL MONTH AGO that the tyre was needed. Plus NOW they are saying that my rear is only just warrantable... HUH?

I am gobsmacked.

Anyway I did some phoning around and have purchased a set for $499 form the friendly helpful people at Cycletreads (Barrys Pt Rd). Kudos to Paula, the very efficient staff member who sorted it all for me and has guaranteed delivery to the R&S no later than midday tomorrow.

[vifferman]

OK its my turn to have a whinge.

Woah... an actual bike-related post.
They're just way too casual. Judging from posts I read on UK and US biker forums, I don't think it's a kiwi thing so much as a bike-shop thing. I can understand the "coupla weeks" for the shock stretching into four, as they probably didn't check with the shock guy, it's dependent on parts availability, blah blah, but it sounds like they run a pretty sloppy shop. How hard would, "Oh - it needs a new tyre - I'll just check we've actually got one... No - I'll order one right now!" be?

[buellbabe]

Well guess what???? The saga continues (all on the phone!).

Further to my above post...when R&S realised I had gone elsewhere for the tyres SUDDENLY they had a deal on the Pirellis I previously couldn’t afford and are now matching Cycletreads price.

So rather sheepishly I talked to Paula, and cancelled my order. She said “no worries”. I told her I had sung her praises on KB and she was chuffed :-)

And that folks...is how its done LOL.

[Lucy]

We had one such book on the shelf for a long time which we purchased after our son was born 23 years ago. !

Good God, that's unbelievable. I thought the original post was hyperbole.

I think I'm going to go write a 'how to succeed at mountain climbing and car racing book' in that case.....

[nodrog:Me]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JfMCBh1sJQ

[ManDownUnder]

That's some in depth buyer behaviour analysis right there! Pointless on KB ... no use to use mere mortals...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JfMCBh1sJQ

[Mikkel]

Nice thread.

The US is a very good example of how to do things right - domestically I might add and it doesn't stop at retailers and distributors. My brother & I were leaving his house just outside San Fran for a few weeks and had to pop into the local municipal office (Council, police and other public SERVICES in one office - well duh NZ) to pay vehicle reg. A cop overheard us say we were overseas for 3 weeks and asked where we lived. We told him and he said he'd keep an eye on the place for us and even asked what day / time we were coming back. 3 weeks later we arrived and within the hour there was a knock on the door. "Everything okay sir?"

Another example this morning. I had a breakfast meeting with a supplier that has let me down in my business (funny that) and parked in a Wilson parking building. Upon leaving, the machine wouldn't accept my credit card. Out of service. I call the number, it says "Our office hours are 8:00am bla, bla. It was 8:50. I tried for 15 more minutes to make contact then broke the barrier.

That story from the US is exceptional! I must say I enjoyed the short time I've spent state-side as well. Although I must disagree - the way they handle public services is archaic, perhaps not as archaic as here in NZ, but still very far from how it's done in Denmark. (at least that was the case on Hawaii, it may vary from state to state)

As for Wilson's Parking - scum of the earth! I'll never use one of their parking lots ever.

Of course, as time gets on the proposal gets worse until you eventually get to the position that potential founders of tech companies in Wellington get i.e. "make my own company and maybe become unspeakably rich" vs "contract out to the government doing some awful .net shit and make $100/hr for no risk whatsoever" in which case you'd need to be either (over) confident of success or completely barking mad to start a new company.

Being paid by the hour is not exactly what I'd consider a solid position. If you were in that situation and had a good idea for a business model it would make perfect sense to develop said model besides whatever contracting you'd manage to secure.

Now, if you had a secure position with a $100,000+ salary a year. Indeed why would you bother? Unless of course starting new businesses is your hobby.

The real difference is that uni brainwashes them into thinking 1, they're THE shit, 2, with the degree, they can walk into a cushy job with little work. Everybody older knows that your first job was a slog, you had at least got your foot into the industry, and you started from the bottom.

Uni... pfff... my degree is a flash bit of paper, they taught just about zero stuff I use day to day, all the programming languages aren't used, and I have taught myself others that are more practical.

Obviously the university you attended was quite a bit different from the ones I've been involved with. There has certainly not been any pep-talking or attempts at elevating our self-esteem. If anything there has been a few lecturers here and there who enjoyed making us feel stupid and worthless.

But then again, if you're going to uni because you want to become rich you're wasting time. There are faster and better ways to make a fortune than reading books. However, if you wouldn't mind having a lot of opportunities and the chance to work with something interesting of your own choosing a university degree is not a bad idea. ...especially if you can get it for free!

Maybe we make it too easy for the wrong people to get into business in the first place.

How can you make it too easy for people to get into business? I mean, you want MORE red tape?
To start a business you need capital, you are not very likely to secure that capital without a sound business model. As such we can only really change the amount of bureaucratic hum-ho associated with getting something started.

[Usarka]

Just had an NZ customer service experience with a major bank... I won't name it but it's the one with that's milked it's annoying ads for far too long.

Friday - we need your credit card sir for security reasons (some card #'s stolen in USA). We'll upgrade your card and some one will call on Monday. OK, but I need it next week. Yep no problem. LIE

Of course no one phoned monday.

Tuesday I was told it was on its way to the branch LIE

Today I'm told it takes 10 working days and the application has just been processed. LIE?

It's not like i NEED it tomorrow to pay for a car repair.

Thanks

[rphenix]

Company I work for has an office in melbourne went over there to assist with rennovations. I organised things months in advance with specific date/time contractors would turn up, allowing extra time for screw ups.

Some of the tradesmen would turn up the next day (and even then late) only after you have phoned about every 30 minutes asking where they are as they are holding up other tradesmen they all acted as if they were doing us a favour we are the fricken client!

I couldnt wait to get back to NZ Although bikes parking on the footpath without parking wardens ticketing you is pretty neat Auckland could learn something there.

[Mom]

Just had an NZ customer service experience with a major bank... I won't name it but it's the one with that's milked it's annoying ads for far too long.

Friday - we need your credit card sir for security reasons (some card #'s stolen in USA). We'll upgrade your card and some one will call on Monday. OK, but I need it next week. Yep no problem. LIE

Of course no one phoned monday.

Tuesday I was told it was on its way to the branch LIE

Today I'm told it takes 10 working days and the application has just been processed. LIE?

It's not like i NEED it tomorrow to pay for a car repair.

Thanks

You're a Kiwibank customer eh?

[vifferman]

Just had an NZ customer service experience with a major bank...
Friday - we need your credit card sir for security reasons (some card #'s stolen in USA).

Our bank contacted us for the same reason, but when I phoned to see what the story was, she said I could hang onto (and keep using) my card unless there was a problem. We'd been back from the US for a few months, so I thought the security risk was low. Customer service? Excellent.

[scracha]

Sorry about your predicament Finn but maybe it's more of a problem in the main centres as I'd have to disagree with you based on my own experience of the last 3 or 4 years since we prepared to live in Coromandel full time.

You're jokin aintchya Jeff? Spoke to 6 garages up your end of the Coro (2 mobile)about checking out a vehicle in Coro town. Told them that of course I'd pay mileage and for their time up front. 1 said too busy, 1 said they couldn't do it for 3 weeks. Fair enough. Of the other 4, typical response was "I'll call you in 10 minutes" or "will speak to the boss". NONE of them called me back. I mean like...WTF?

Good tradesmen around here are like gold-dust. When they're found everybody uses them so they're really really busy. I hate to say it but the majority are utterly hopeless when it comes to customer service.