Our problems with Virgin Media have almost become legendary, amongst the twitter community. While the dust settles and we now not only have no business phone, we are also without a home phone for nearly a week!
The next post will cover the trouble with Virgins very poor customer services communication, and total inability to comply with disability legislation, but lets save that for then. This post is about Three. Yes, the people at three.co.uk , the unassuming excellent service, slightly smaller telecommunications company that I predict in the next decade is going to kick the arrogant butt of the really big guys.
Three has the most affordable and cost effective solutions at prices that make the other telecoms companies look like Dick Turpin and his rip off gang.
I have become a Three convert over the last six months, and in all honesty have only one gripe - There is no signal is the tiny Norfolk village of Methwold Hythe. That said, they really do make the difference.
As of tomorrow we will have been in our premises for three months. We run a number of business activities that especially require the services of a phone and broadband provider, one of our backoffice activities includes web presence for creative people and introducing small business people to social media marketing. No internet - very hard to do business.
Of course we also market our business online, both by having an online shop and by using and maintaining social media relationships with our target client base.
In South Africa there is a saying "'n boer maak 'n plan" - translated it means a farmer/afrikaner makes a plan. - basically no such thing as cant. So in true South African style, we looked for a solution.
I already had a Three dongle that came with a special offer on my daughters netbook, which made a perfect gift for her. While having a dongle that provides 15G of interent juice at a time,it was only keeping one of us online.
Step in the Three MiFi dongle. I must be honest, I had my doubts - this is essentially mobile phone signal internet - not fibre optic. How wrong I was. We bought a Mi-Fi on pay as you go. It does exactly what it says on the box. It connects up to five wireless devices to the internet at the same time. The only time, there is any strain is if several people try to stream video at the same time.
I honestly feel that not only do I get what I paid for, the value is fantastic. I can control the access to the wifi from a small dashboard on my computer, and my customers can have their free wi-fi access.
Now after my misery with the 02/BT/Virgin giants, I have noticed Three, and Three you shine! Over the next six month my iphone contracts will end and guess what 02 - we're leaving you! I'm going to Three. Not only am I leaving you, I am taking, my friends, family and client base with me. so the £200 a month that you will lose (a seeming drop in the ocean extrapolates. You will be losing what would have been 120 retained and new client every month. That works out at £24000, now over a year that becomes over £280 000. That may still be a drop in the ocean to you, but when those clients spread the word, in this economic climate surely that must make you uncomfortable.
Three it's your gain and you didnt even have to try very hard. Your staff are courteous and friendly, your deals are the best on the market and your equipment works. I bought an ipad for my partner to use for business and all going well we'll be getting more.
Friday 25 February 2011
Saturday 19 February 2011
#Virginmediafail
Bloody Virgin Media ! A bunch of flowers, however well meant, is no compensation for your total and absolute cock-up over our services installation.
They did the site survey, assured us that there was no problem and it was a pretty simple job, even phones us subsequently with an installation date. So far, so good ? Too good. Something had to be wrong...and, well, No shit, Sherlock, it sure did.
Installation day came, and no sign of Virgin. Phone calls and email elicited no response. Now being ignored realy winds me up...badly. So we started tweeting about this cock-up and poor service using the hashtag #Virginmediafail. And lo and behold, Virgin have a very nice and helpful team of folk who tweet, and aparently, watch out for tweets about their business. These guys picked up on our tweets and tried their best to sort shit out for us. We finally made contact with their business instalation department who gave us a load of old fanny about our installation.
The upshot is that we weren't told the whole story. Seems our sales account manager had ommitted to tell us about a problem, tried to put the blame onto Glasgow City Cooncil, and generally flipped about like a fish speared on a gaff.
So now, we won't get our installation until March, week 2. No internet (for free wifi) no landline and internet either, which of course means no credit card machine operation either. And over Valentine's weekend, which as the more savvy of you, dear readers will no, is a very busy time for people who sell jewellery and other gift-like products. So its cash or cheque only here..lost business galore too.
We got the very nice and very helpfuk folk at 3 to sort us out with a dongle which allows up to five internet users, and this is quite good for now, except that it costs quite a lot of money to use...
And so the compensation claim is mounting, people at Virgin, if you are watching. Going up.
So no more flowers please, however well intended. Just better service.
#virginmediafail
They did the site survey, assured us that there was no problem and it was a pretty simple job, even phones us subsequently with an installation date. So far, so good ? Too good. Something had to be wrong...and, well, No shit, Sherlock, it sure did.
Installation day came, and no sign of Virgin. Phone calls and email elicited no response. Now being ignored realy winds me up...badly. So we started tweeting about this cock-up and poor service using the hashtag #Virginmediafail. And lo and behold, Virgin have a very nice and helpful team of folk who tweet, and aparently, watch out for tweets about their business. These guys picked up on our tweets and tried their best to sort shit out for us. We finally made contact with their business instalation department who gave us a load of old fanny about our installation.
The upshot is that we weren't told the whole story. Seems our sales account manager had ommitted to tell us about a problem, tried to put the blame onto Glasgow City Cooncil, and generally flipped about like a fish speared on a gaff.
So now, we won't get our installation until March, week 2. No internet (for free wifi) no landline and internet either, which of course means no credit card machine operation either. And over Valentine's weekend, which as the more savvy of you, dear readers will no, is a very busy time for people who sell jewellery and other gift-like products. So its cash or cheque only here..lost business galore too.
We got the very nice and very helpfuk folk at 3 to sort us out with a dongle which allows up to five internet users, and this is quite good for now, except that it costs quite a lot of money to use...
And so the compensation claim is mounting, people at Virgin, if you are watching. Going up.
So no more flowers please, however well intended. Just better service.
#virginmediafail
Wednesday 16 February 2011
Text for Coffee
You thought paying for parking using your mobile phone was a good idea? What about the ringtones and music you order? Well now we have TEXT FOR COFFEE. Yup why struggle for the change in your pocket, or pay by credit card for a £1-00 piece of cake?
Ballito Bay is bringing you Text for Coffee, which means two things - Our customers can come in and pay by text, if they have no cash available, or they can order coffee if the are within a two block radius. Office workers, lawyers in the courts and fellow shop keepers will now be able to text for coffee.
Our text for coffee menu will include a code each for regular priced drinks, large priced drinks, cakes and biscuits. The customers text to the code, and specify whether they would like a Latte, Cappucino, Machiato and/or cake/biscuits. They leave their name and the destination e.g text to xxxxxx latte, Greg, district court no 6.and we turn up with the drink minutes later.
So let us know what you think and go to the website - an example of the text for coffee menu will be up and running by Monday.
The next step will enable customers to buy glass by text. If they want to purchase an item they can and we'll ship it next day or they can come in to collect!
Ballito Bay is bringing you Text for Coffee, which means two things - Our customers can come in and pay by text, if they have no cash available, or they can order coffee if the are within a two block radius. Office workers, lawyers in the courts and fellow shop keepers will now be able to text for coffee.
Our text for coffee menu will include a code each for regular priced drinks, large priced drinks, cakes and biscuits. The customers text to the code, and specify whether they would like a Latte, Cappucino, Machiato and/or cake/biscuits. They leave their name and the destination e.g text to xxxxxx latte, Greg, district court no 6.and we turn up with the drink minutes later.
So let us know what you think and go to the website - an example of the text for coffee menu will be up and running by Monday.
The next step will enable customers to buy glass by text. If they want to purchase an item they can and we'll ship it next day or they can come in to collect!
Sunday 6 February 2011
Verification post
Its not that I usually have to write a blog post, so that it can be verified by the likes of Technorati, but we all know that these bookmarking sites are vital to the appearance and survival of our sites in cyberspace. So I thought that I might add a few notes to those that come to read the blog at least about social media and marketing.
I do not know many people that are not on facebook and even fewer that have never heard of it. I advertise on facebook and my daily budget gets used up very quickly. This simple method of reaching out to targeted audiences has left my google stats standing. That doesn't mean Google isnt any good. Google is great, but for direct targeting facebook is far better.
We use Facebook, Twitter, Digg, Technorati, Linkedin, Plaxo and many others to raise our profile and it does in fact work. But thats the whole idea.
The more the little places are mentioned in cyberspace the bigger the fight against the corporate giants. I love Yelp. It means that I can recomend the really good small business around me and deter people from the places that prevent people from returning to our side of the city.
If youre connected on any or all of these platforms, please look us up, join and of course say hello, we acknowledge you because youre importnat.
ANd for the folks at technorati heres your verification code. PC6DV2FHXXCH
I do not know many people that are not on facebook and even fewer that have never heard of it. I advertise on facebook and my daily budget gets used up very quickly. This simple method of reaching out to targeted audiences has left my google stats standing. That doesn't mean Google isnt any good. Google is great, but for direct targeting facebook is far better.
We use Facebook, Twitter, Digg, Technorati, Linkedin, Plaxo and many others to raise our profile and it does in fact work. But thats the whole idea.
The more the little places are mentioned in cyberspace the bigger the fight against the corporate giants. I love Yelp. It means that I can recomend the really good small business around me and deter people from the places that prevent people from returning to our side of the city.
If youre connected on any or all of these platforms, please look us up, join and of course say hello, we acknowledge you because youre importnat.
ANd for the folks at technorati heres your verification code. PC6DV2FHXXCH
Saturday 5 February 2011
The first of many
While we twitter prolifically and of course use facebook as a fabulous social media source, blogging is also a great way to communicate and get the message out.
Today I was muttering at the sheer lack of passing punters when in the distance I heard a marching band. I shook my head and rubbed my ears and established that I wasnt hallucinating. Now this is early February and the Marching season is traditionally April to July, so I had to take a look. Yes the Orangemen were out and in force.
I love entertainment and display and while I acknowledge that many view the Orange marches as sectarian, I have to admit that they add some colour to the otherwise grey and dismal Glasgow landscape. But the march was peaceful and the uniforms attractive. It was entertaining to see a few of the younger members in uniforms that were too large and are clearly going to take a few years to grow into.
I have no idea why they chose today to march, but the change of regular bypassers at the very least made the day interesting. No offence to my Catholic friends.
I was wondering why we dont see the Catholics march, although it has been suggested to me that they already do - at every Celtic Football club game.....now now - tolerance please!
Our shop is open to all, protestant, catholic, muslim, jew, hindu, atheist, I only ask that they wipe their feet when they walk in.
All that aside, for a city that has a rapidly declining Jewish population, I am selling more Judaica than anything else! It seems that jewish art is popular, well roll on the customers, more judaica will be finding its way onto the shelves and walls next week. And latte remains the coffee of choice.
Today I was muttering at the sheer lack of passing punters when in the distance I heard a marching band. I shook my head and rubbed my ears and established that I wasnt hallucinating. Now this is early February and the Marching season is traditionally April to July, so I had to take a look. Yes the Orangemen were out and in force.
 |
| Huge hat and long trousers |
I have no idea why they chose today to march, but the change of regular bypassers at the very least made the day interesting. No offence to my Catholic friends.
I was wondering why we dont see the Catholics march, although it has been suggested to me that they already do - at every Celtic Football club game.....now now - tolerance please!
Our shop is open to all, protestant, catholic, muslim, jew, hindu, atheist, I only ask that they wipe their feet when they walk in.
All that aside, for a city that has a rapidly declining Jewish population, I am selling more Judaica than anything else! It seems that jewish art is popular, well roll on the customers, more judaica will be finding its way onto the shelves and walls next week. And latte remains the coffee of choice.
 |
| Freezing Glasgow in February - note the bare arms! |
"Begin at the beginning" - Lewis Carroll
This is the beginning, of a new chapter in our lives. I have driven Jaye crazy, my children were already crazy and I've only made them craier and to be honest, I must be the craziest of all.
Timing was awful but in mitigation, I didnt count on the coldest and most hazardous winter to hit Scotland in 27 years. We were crazy about it though, moving house and fitting and moving into a new shop at the same time. Then the cold struck. I am simply not cut out to be refitting a shop in sub zero temperatures. The draughty shop averaged an ambient -5 while it was -11 outside. I think fate has an evil sense of humour. If the opening scenes of our personal drama were not enough, Jaye and I then had the misfortune to contract both the swine and the seasonal flu simultaneously while trying to fit our shop and unpack and settle into our new home.
But persevere we did and there is still huge scope for triumph so I'd rather be a glass half full than a glass half empty. The conditions in which we worked have been incredible, cold, draughty and then of course the ratty, moody, ill tempered remanats of the flu managed to get under our skins as well. With any other partner, I am rather confident we'd be booking a date in the divore courts by now. But not Jaye - When the dust settled, and the days came to an end, she held me in her arms and washed away the aggravation with that all important phrase - "I love you".
Our little business is not only built on bricks, mortar, hard work and financial anxiety come genius. It is also built on love, tolerance, support, sacrifice and all those things that involve human relationships.
Ballito Bay could not have started without the two of us. And the beginning has now begun.
Timing was awful but in mitigation, I didnt count on the coldest and most hazardous winter to hit Scotland in 27 years. We were crazy about it though, moving house and fitting and moving into a new shop at the same time. Then the cold struck. I am simply not cut out to be refitting a shop in sub zero temperatures. The draughty shop averaged an ambient -5 while it was -11 outside. I think fate has an evil sense of humour. If the opening scenes of our personal drama were not enough, Jaye and I then had the misfortune to contract both the swine and the seasonal flu simultaneously while trying to fit our shop and unpack and settle into our new home.
But persevere we did and there is still huge scope for triumph so I'd rather be a glass half full than a glass half empty. The conditions in which we worked have been incredible, cold, draughty and then of course the ratty, moody, ill tempered remanats of the flu managed to get under our skins as well. With any other partner, I am rather confident we'd be booking a date in the divore courts by now. But not Jaye - When the dust settled, and the days came to an end, she held me in her arms and washed away the aggravation with that all important phrase - "I love you".
Our little business is not only built on bricks, mortar, hard work and financial anxiety come genius. It is also built on love, tolerance, support, sacrifice and all those things that involve human relationships.
Ballito Bay could not have started without the two of us. And the beginning has now begun.