November 2, 2013

►    Customer Feedback:  A Seasonal Specialty Stores Report Card was received from James R. of Merrimack, NH.  His general shopping experience was rated Excellent.  Did any of our team members do an unusually good job?  “Sorry, but they all always do – few places still offer/provide the high level, friendly service that you do.”  Sales help, operations, communication, and product performance were all rated Excellent.  “Very patient while I scrounged up a payment method – I had forgotten my wallet.  Had to phone home.”  “Except for an intermittent problem with the heater and premature bearing failure in the pump motor – both not your fault.”  Pool School, in-store advice, and free water testing were all rated Excellent.  What do we do really well?  “Advice and instruction for pool maintenance.”

►    All new advertising, weekly specials, and monthly department promotions:  “Entertain at Home”. If I was a store manager, I would have changed everything at 5:00 on Saturday.  That’s when I change the web site.

►    Remember, Daylight Savings Time ends at 2:00 AM Sunday morning, November 3^rd.  Clocks are set back an hour.  So you can sleep an hour later Sunday morning, but the manager needs to come in 15 minutes early to reset the clocks.

►    Trust me, I work here almost every Sunday.  Apparently, I have only missed five Sundays since May, but they have been the days of the One-of-These awards.  Like Sunday, November 3^rd, I will be out for a memorial service for Jeanne’s brother.

►    Submitted by Anne-Marie: Mia discovered that when entering a special order item on a sales order and using a jackpot number, the system allows a manager to enter a part number and description in Description 2.  This was an exciting discovery, as this means not all special orders have to be handwritten; however, it is very difficult for the buyers to realize these items need to be special ordered.  So from now on when entering these items, make sure to check “special order” or “custom order” on the printed sales order.  Also on the printed form, place an asterisk* in the “S.O. column” next to the item, then highlight the item as well.

►    Added by Dennis:

1.  All special orders need to be very clearly labeled as such, even when not adjusting description.
2.  Every special order needs the check, asterisk, or highlight.

►    The FREE stuff box will go out in the lunch room any day now.

►    Submitted by Stephanie:  There is now a book at parts titled “Other Chemical Comparisons”.  We took the labels off Namco and Walmart bottles and put them in a reference book for when customers ask us about them, or for a comparable one.  Please take a look at it and if you have questions, let me know.

►    A correction to last week’s Gull Group News: Our health insurance will renew on December 1^st, not January 1^st.  This means Open Enrollment will begin November 1^st.  All eligible employees, including current plan participants, will receive information in their mailbox about the new plan with instructions on when additions or changes must be made.  Any questions should be directed to Dennis or Jen.

►    Welcome back Victor.  We are no longer dependent on Reader’s Digest: There was a bit of confusion at Ace Hardware this morning.  When I was ready to pay for my purchase of gunpowder and bullets, the cashier said, “Strip down, facing me!”  Making a mental note to complain to my congressman about the gun registry people running amok, I did just as she had instructed.  When the hysterical shrieking had finally subsided, I found out that she was referring to my credit card.  I’ve been asked to shop elsewhere in the future.  They need to make their instructions to us seniors a little clearer!”