Some days you just can’t help but think customer service is all but dead. This morning I encountered what could only be described as a comatose operator at a Woolies express checkout. I was doing my bit, on hearing the words “Next in line” I fronted up to the counter. On arrival I smiled and said “How are you today?” – there was absolute silence. So in an effort to see if the person serving me was actually alive, I repeated the question, this time in a tone that required her to display some form of basic manners and the ability of speech. She was obviously annoyed that I had engaged with her and appalled that I had an expectation of customer service. Read the rest…
Contributed by
Lynette Palmen.
Lynette Palmen AM is the Founder and Managing Director or Women's Network Australia. She started WNA 20 years ago to offer support, inspiration and services that would inspire women to succeed in their career and business endeavours. WNA is now the Nation's premier networking organisation for business and professional women. T: 1800 052 476.
Sitting in a doctor’s waiting room this week I got a wake-up call about how quickly everything electronic is breaking down the networking barriers as we once knew them. Let me set the scene.
The doctor was running late – what’s new? I was leafing through a magazine whilst Maddison my 12 year old daughter played on her Nintendo. There were about 20 patients in the waiting room and I noticed that when the doctor called a particular patient’s name, the mother who also had a young girl the same age as Maddi seemed to make eye contact and smile as the doctor lead them away. Read the rest…
How insignificant the economic woes of the Nation become when one considers the tragedy that’s unfolding in Victoria. Today you would be hard pressed to find anyone anywhere in the country complaining about their loss of employment or weeping over the hit they’ve taken on their investment or superannuation funds. It’s a sobering time for all of us and we should take the opportunity to work through what we truly value and the things we hold close to our hearts.
In life the best laid plans often come undone and none of us are ever privy to what’s around the corner, even for the Nation. In saying this, I hope the Federal Government has the vision to revisit the use of the country’s current surplus through their $42 billion stimulus package. Can’t we drop it back by $5 – 10 billion and, as of today, make the Nation’s top spending priority caring and supporting Australians who, over the last 48 hours, have found themselves displaced, homeless or mourning the loss of loved ones? I know where I would rather see any bonus I am entitled to channelled. How do you feel?
It seems ages since I have updated my blog – the reality is it has only been a week or so but it feels like a life time. I’ve had a whirlwind couple of weeks with the launch of WNA into both Hobart and Perth.
I know you have missed me reporting in but I have to admit I’ve been having fun networking with women across the nation and noshing up on way too much food. But what’s a girl to do? I am either on a plane, in the Virgin lounge or hosting yet another fabulous WNA Networking Event. Mind you, it’s fabulous that WNA is expanding so rapidly during the recession but sadly so is my waistline - it’s all doing my model-like figure absolutely no good at all.
But I have a solution – the other day (whilst tucking into some cheese and crackers in yes the Virgin Lounge in Melbourne) I read about a Parisian airport terminal where they’re now holding dance classes. I might have to have a chat to Richard about his priorities and instead of worrying about sending passengers into outer space what about he uses some of that spare floor area in his Aussie lounges to hold Latin Dance Classes? I must remember to mention it when I catch up with him!
Lynette Palmen AM, Founder and Managing Director, Women’s Network Australia. Stay in the loop with Lynette’s network of 40,000 women in business join the WNA eSubscriber list for FREE.
My daughter Maddison (11) astounds me with what she picks up on. Whilst in Melbourne recently we visited the Melbourne Zoo. We had a great time, it’s an amazing experience.
But at one point we were standing beside a couple and their two children, a boy maybe 5 and his older sister around 6. Maddison was in her usual form, she had her eyes on the lions feeding, with her ears flapping listening to what was going on around her. The child doesn’t miss a beat. This particular couple had caught her attention. She had been watching them intently for some time. Apparently the mother had placed her daughter up on the fence to get a better view of the lions feeding. The husband had then quickly grabbed the little girl from the fence and protectively placed her on his hip, giving his wife a look of complete disapproval.
This had intrigued Maddison. I might point out there was double fencing around the lion cage and the child was in no danger at all. Maddison starts digging me in the ribs wanting me to take note of the dynamics going on within this family of four. Unbelieveably, two mintues later the husband lifts his younger son up and places him in exactly the same position on the fence from where he had just removed his daughter. Read the rest…
