Subject: SKEETERVILLE GAZETTE
08/30/04 MONDAY grp. 3
===early edition===
The current temperature is 54 (est) degrees (above zero) The weather
man is not forecasting a rain event for today.
Today is garbage day one and school day three. (in Canada)
We are rapidly approaching the almost, just about, time of the year.
Skeeter season is almost over, and frost bite season is just about
hear.
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"Profanity makes ignorance audible."
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The Maltese Cross represents the ideals of saving lives and
extinguishing fires. The emblem was borrowed from the Knights of St.
John of Jerusalem. The Knights were an organization that existed in the
11th and 14th centuries that helped the poor and the sick. The Knights
of St. John later assisted the Knights of the crusades in a relief
effort to the island of Malta, the island for which the Maltese Cross
was named. The Maltese cross came to represent the principles of
charity, loyalty, chivalry, generosity to friend or foe, protection of
the weak and dexterity in service. (taken, without permission, from the
April page of the "Firefighters calendar".)
P.S. We also have a 4½ pound Maltese puppy. (Sami) Although I don't
think there is any connection.
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The list of participants in Graftons Firefighter calendar draw
continues to grow. Thanks Loren, you are the first from Arizona. I'm
hoping there will be more. Thanks Gail, it's great to have the
"Floridians" involved. Melvin and Patti are the first out of the shoot
from Oakwood, and, I know the rest of that community will be well
represented as well. Thanks also to Jessica and Gayle, both daughters
and grand daughters of Grafton Firefighters.
The Arnesen's from Rocky Point also are part of the program as is Toby
and Merle, two of Rocky Point's summer residents. Thanks for your kind
words Mary, I too hope Tom is lucky (in the drawing). Norman, Roger,
Aurel, Lynn, George, Vernon and Joanie all signed up at Granny's. Thank
you Jean, It's wonderful have someone from summit Avenue on our list.
All these wonderful folks are from last week alone.
Thanks again to those that have already "signed up". Thanks also to
those of you that "will be" in the next few days. 365 chances to win,
for a dollar less than eleven gallons of gas. ($ 20) If you can find it
in your heart. Find a firefighter and enter the draw, OR drop me a short
note and I'll make certain you'll be part of the fun. I wonder how many
states we will hear from?
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I received the following note from former Graftonite Tom Watkins. Tom
and his lovely wife Julie are among the list of local folks that left
town and made good. I have a healthy respect for Toms writing abilities
and his business opinions. Some of which he has graciously shared with
me today. Tom wrote: Gary and Patti,
Greetings from Colorado! I am sure you are getting ready for Grandma
Demester's 95th birthday bash. Give her a couple of hugs for us!
(it's next Sunday)
I would like to share a couple of thoughts with you about everyone going
to the big city for their goods. The car business is drastically
changing and we do everything to change with the times as well. Some
of the things we do are: Acknowledge everyone when they walk in the
store. Have parking available for all of our customers (our employees
park 1-2 blocks away from the store). We have everyone wear nametags.
We subscribe to a cross-sell report which lists every dealerships sales
monthly in the state of Colorado by manufacturer and then we
send surveys to our local customers who purchased our products
elsewhere and ask why they didn't do business with us!!!! WE WANT TO
KNOW! We try to show everyone how easy it is to do business with us
and more importantly we practice being friendly to everyone!!! Small
Town Service
Even though we are in a metro area of approx. 1/2 million people we try
to offer SMALL TOWN SERVICE. We have even ran ad campaigns stressing
Big City Prices with Small Town Service. Maybe the people/businesses
you refer to in the gazette lose sight of this. I have attended many
seminars over the years and they all say the same thing. Price really
isn't the most important factor in the buying process. I tell the
story in sales meetings about how Gilman Lykken & Eddie Sherick used to
bring the cars over to our house to show mom and dad and then they would
go meet at the bank to finish the deal. I always tell customers that
I grew up in Grafton, North Dakota. Small Town Service
We try to establish common ground with our customers. How many times
do you go to local businesses and they acknowledge you or other family
members right away? It makes you want to do business with them when
they do this. Why do people go to Hansen Ford to buy their
Fords? It used to be fun going to Hoffman's and have Johnny guess
your pant size when you walked in the front door even without buying
anything rather than going to another store and not even being
acknowledged at all. Isn't it amazing that people hire SALESPEOPLE
that don't even want to talk to customers!!! I heard a sales quote
years ago that I still follow today "We can get anything in life that we
want as long as we help enough people get what they want". The small
town businesses need to follow this practice. If we don't have what
you want we'll get it for you. We have gone from Miami to Seattle
to get specific vehicles for our customers. If we don't someone else
will! Small Town Service
Have fun at the Birthday party.
Tom & Julie
Thank a million Tom, for caring to share. I think you hit the nail
right on the head. Business is changing. Small Town service ISN'T what
it used to be. To often folks in small towns take folks in small towns
for granted. To often small town folks think they know folks so well
that they don't need to recognize, AND, respect them for their business.
To often, small town folks think they are treated better in large towns.
And, unfortunately, too often they are. Or so it seems to me.
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Often I have wished the salesperson I was dealing with was wearing a
name tag. Sometimes, because I was not totally pleased with their
"service", then again, sometimes because I was.
The old adage, "tell me if I'm doing it wrong, and tell the world if
I'm doing it right", no longer applies in todays business world.
Besides, few people will truly listen, to constructive criticism. Or so
it seems to me.
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We would like to welcome Jackie Lee to the Gazette family. As I
understand it, Jackie is requesting the Gazette without even being
forced to do so. That's great, thanks for giving the Gazette a shot. If,
at some point, you should find it is not worth you time. Please let us
know and "puff' you will no longer be bothered.
Just last week I received the third formal request to be
"unsubscribed". If at any time you would like to share a thought, or
something, please feel free to do so. If you would like your thought to
go out to the group. I will give your message every consideration. If
you would prefer I keep it confidential (just between you and me) I will
honor that wish as well. This venue is to exchange ideas as best we can.
I encourage everyone to share that thought.
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I have also received another request to be included in our group. That
from an individual that only gave two initials. I would really prefer,
when people request the Gazette that they include their name (so I know
who I will be exchanging ideas with) and, if possible a short note on
where they are from.
From my early years at ACS I was always frustrated when someone would
call to "complain" about someone else and wouldn't tell me who was
calling. Often the call would go something like. You know theres a guy
out here (my neighbor he would say) that isn't following the rules. Who
is it? I would ask. I can't tell you that or then you will know who I
am. He would say. Then how do you expect us to correct the problem? I
would ask. To which they would often say. How the heck (I cleaned that
up a bit) do I know, that's your problem, I've done my part by reporting
it. And so it goes
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GOTTA GO WORK ON MY DASH
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P.S.
Please give the Grafton Volunteer Firefighters Calendar draw your every
consideration. ----- Keep in mind. It requires the same equipment and
man power to put out a fire in a three bedroom home in Grafton North
Dakota, as it does in New York City.
Write if you can, call if you can't, and, tell your loved ones they are,
before it's too late.
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