Service Industry

Who has ever left a store and went wow, they were so unhappy, or disinterested in me. Sure, they say, "how are you?" but do they mean it? I mean, if we are expected to be polite and smile at strangers as customers, what is expected of the people who are paid to serve us? Not much now-a-days. I remember a time, where customer service mattered and I am only in my 30's. But this is getting ridiculous. How many times this month have you gone home and went wow, that was excellent service, they were so polite and went out of there way for me? Can you count them on one hand? Has our service industry gone so far by the waste side that we are generally surprised when a company calls a week after service asking how their business was. I am shocked when my dentist calls me 'personally' and asks how my teeth are after a filing or root canal. But isn't the service we should expect? Most service people I bump into look so miserable, or barley say what is 'necessary' to me and nothing more. The eye contact is miminal if best. I try to engage them sometimes, just to wake them up. Prompting the cashier with questions about her day, but usually it ends with them complaining about something, as if to justify why they looked miserable in the first place.

I leave you with this, what will you do tomorrow to spread a little cheer, a little love, a message of kindness... and not to strangers, but to the ones we love and care about. With such crappy customer service, why not try to bring some joy into the world... maybe it will spill out to the people we don't know.

Today, I got a note in the mail from a friend. It wasn't my birthday, or valentines or anything special. It was in a simple envelope with a simple small note paper that said, "...as you undergo the many transistions in your life, know that you are loved, supported and admired..." It was signed, 'I love ya, happily yours'... and had a cute sticker on it. That's it. It wasn't anything termendous or earth shaking, but it rocked my whole day and gave me such a great feeling of love and happiness... I felt the need to spread my joy to anyone I met in my day.

Next time you feel like being 'grumpy' at work, or just out of 'gas' remember, your smile and kind words, your extra minute of attention, your kind thought or words, can truly change someone's day.

Take care,

Amanda

Baby Shower Trade Show

I am in the Baby Shower Trade Show through Welcome Wagon. So for the next month, it will all be about this Trade Show. I am a little nervous. I don't want to spend 200 bucks and not advertise or present well. It won't be worth the money then. I am so glad I have this government grant from the SE program to be able to jump on opportunities like this. I wouldn't have done it otherwise. Plus, I get first dibs on each show presented there now. It is in Abbotsford and so my clientele will be my target market. That is good news.

Amanda

Rain Saturday

Three words.... Reno's Reno's Reno's

James is working on the drywall and I am working on painting, in between taking care of baby and puppy.

Baby Sign Language

Would I have known how smart Geran is without sign? I think not. He shows me everyday, what he wants, what he is thinking about and how he plays... most through sign. He reads in sign and talks with sign. He pretend plays and uses sign. It is so natural for our family to communicate. It keeps peace within the family. There isn't a lot of crying, yelling, or frustration because what is the need? All the babies needs are met because he can ask for what he wants and needs.

We grow closer together because of sign. Geran can ly in the bed between daddy and I. He looks out the window and signs airplane, moon, trees, owl... whatever he is thinking about or hearing or seeing. We have whole conversations about it. What an enriched life he has. The advance vocabulary and discussions we have WITH him, not around him or at him, will make help him in his future. I am sure of it.

Amanda

Days Like This

I am so blessed with such a lovely family. Geran is starting the sign words for things he doesn't have signs for. He is eager to learn new signs for everything now. Plus, he is trying to say everything. Each day is a new word, signed and or said. Today was hockey. He tries everything we teach. We are working on the alphabet now. I of course sign all the letters and he tries to copy me... so cute, while saying the letters.

So sweet.

Baby Sign Language

I am pushing hard to get my classroom reno'd and up and running for my first set of classes in February. I am a littler nervous that I won't have enough people joined up for then. But as long as I am up and running for my March Trade Show Baby Shower with Welcome Wagon on March 2nd.

I am overwhelmed and going crazy right now with deadlines in mind, financial crunches etc...

All I want to do is play with babies and perhaps scrapbook and write kids books...

A friend of mine set me up with my own website address... www.stickyhands.ca

I am very excited. He rigged it so it will forward to my existing website, until I have time to create my own, I am using the one provided by Baby Signs®.

Got to go eat while babies sleep.

Ciao for now,

Amanda

Survived

I survived the self employment version of the Dragon's Den. Which wasn't at all like the den. Yes, I did have to pitch my idea to a panel of business men, hand in my business plan and convince them I knew what I was doing and my business idea was lucrative; but they were SUPER nice and helpful. They told me where to put my advertising money and more important where not to.
They believed in my company and agreed that baby sign language is not only a great business idea, but that it has great importance to the babies growing up in our society. It was so great having them back me up and having them avocate for me.

My loving husband made these stainless steal mugs with baby signs logo on it to give them for gifts. I went into the room looking totally pro and fun. They really liked the way I positioned myself in my business plan and thought this niche on the market was perfect timing.

I got great reviews from my advisers and from the business men. So overall... it was a great experience!

Got to go moonlight my other job, full time mom.

Amanda