Power of the positive

Having listened to the final leaders debate last night I was amazed by Gordon Brown’s insistence to focus on entirely negative statements throughout his concluding speech. There was not one single positive thing in that statement. He missed a glorious opportunity to reinforce all the positive reasons why voters should re-elect a Labour government by sounding scared and desperate – both deeply unattractive characteristics.

Number one lesson in customer engagement and sales – NEVER slag off the competition!!!

Almost without exception it leaves a deeply cynical and suspicious customer behind. It rarely communicates how fabulous you and your services are. It never suggests you’re an innovative thinker. Seldom does it act to strengthen feelings of trust and confidence. In short, you inevitably communicate how preoccupied you are with everything other than the customer you’re here to serve.

There are many ways in which we unwittingly undermine our authority – Gordon Brown gave a master class in alienating potential customers and causing existing one’s to disconnect.

Jobs-worth on the train

May the Lord forgive me ………I simply loathe ‘jobs-worth’ types and I managed to attract one on this mornings train journey to Birmingham.

In my endeavours to reduce my carbon omissions/ get fitter/ enjoy fresh air I have decided to start cycling the 1½ miles from home to station and then station to office……I know, my halo is glowing bright.

However, this morning’s journey was blighted by possibly the worst example of jobs worth I’ve ever had the misfortune to encounter.

Let me set the scene……I get myself and said bicycle safely onto the train at International for the short journey to New Street (approx 7 minutes) and in the absence of any better place I holed-up between standard and first class, largely because the latter was empty and the corridor was wide……then jobs worth strikes!

My first error is to have underestimated the murderous intent of my cycle, something jobs worth identified in a heartbeat when he greeted me with the words “that bike could kill”. My bike? A murderer? Surely a miscarriage of justice if ever there was.

It seems what I should have done was enter the train at the opposite end, through a locked door, which only the absent staff at International could have unlocked for me. And I would know this because ……..???? Aahhh, it seems I couldn’t have known this, for only the man with the key would know.

By now I’m feeling confused (not hard I admit) which is rapidly replaced by a fit of the giggles as jobs worth grabs his mobile, puffs out his chest and complains to some faceless bicycle fascist at HO “we have a bike on the train and I knew nothing about”.

Suitably pleased with himself as he finishes his call, looks me in the eye and announces “that showed ‘em”

What a totally pointless waste of his time & energy! More critically I know see Virgin inspectors as silly, bullying and ridiculous ……more alarming is the murderous intent of my previously benign cycle!