Moving on....

Moving is sometimes momentous

Looking back on my time in Singapore, it’s amazing, quite amazing that I’ve been here almost 8 years already. 

I recently celebrated my 40^th birthday, as if you didn’t know, and while I haven’t managed to update my blog since then, it was a truly wonderful affair – and I hope I’ll get time in the near future to do just that – and perhaps share a photo or two.  I know many of you are not on facebook and didn’t see the pics yet.

At my birthday speech in Singapore, I listed out a long list of changes since I landed on these fair – if ueber-hygienic – shores.  And there were many.  It seems the place hasn’t slept for a second in the intervening time and upwardly-mobile buildings are testament to the ongoing development of a relatively tiny plot of land on the nub of the Malaysian peninsula.  And more is planned – unstoppable?  Undeterred?  Certainly, unabashed..!

And it is amongst all this continuing change, which I, too, find myself crossing a Rubicon of my own that will bring about a huge transformation in my life.

I’ve had the blessed good fortune to travel the world, to work in many different places and meet marvellous people from all walks of life.  Working in Paris was beautiful beyond belief; living in Tokyo, tantalisingly unique.  Then came Singapore and travel from a very doable base to places of exotic superlatives such as Bali, Langkawi, Borobodur, Angkor Wat and Chiang Mai.  (Indeed, I’m zipping off to Burma in a couple of weeks’ time to wonder at the temples of Bagan.)

I’ve sipped tea in Beijing, guzzled gyoza in Kyoto, scoffed dim sum in Hong Kong, built houses in Mongolia, been awestruck at fireworks in Sydney, discovered a charm oft-hidden in Manila and still yearn to know and see more about Asia.  And yet....

And yet, the time has come to move.  And move quite a distance.

There is a place in the world that is actually growing faster than China, believe it or not.  There is a place that holds great promise and potential.  A place where corruption and state kleptomania rob its own people of health and prosperity.  A place that holds the most beautiful sights on earth; I’m moving to Africa.  Kenya to be exact and will live in Nairobi.  I will stay at Synovate and take on an operations role covering 10 markets.

Business will take me to incredibly legendary (and sometimes infamously so) places across sub-Saharan Africa.  Where I once would say, “I’m boarding the plane for Delhi”, or “I’m about to zip to HK and BKK for a few days”.  I will probably find myself quipping, “About to board for Lagos”, or “Just got back from Tanzania & Mozambique.”  My excitement is almost tangible.

Am I nervous?  Why of course, I am.  I think that’s natural when I’m over-turning, up-rooting my current way of life in such a radical way.  But I feel that trepidation is mollified by the wonderful adventure that awaits me.

So there you have it: I’m off on a new journey; off to write a new chapter of my life; off to find new challenges, new friends & new traditions.  I might even pick up a bit of a new language – they speak Swahili over in Kenya ;-)

I suspect that my blog will get more updates from now on as I discover a whole new world: a world that is AFRICA.

They came good

It's not often a company turns things around - I mean, can take an unhappy customer and make him positive again.

But following my electronic altercation with Rubicon Wines, that's exactly what has happened here.

They have come good....Here's the email trail so you can read for yourselves....

This is a great example of customer "centricity" in action:

From: Platinum Wine Club
To: smith@yahoo.com
Cc: darrenfrommaryport@yahoo.co.uk
Sent: Sat, 26 March, 2011 22:01:50
Subject: RE: Platinum Wine Club - New Orders Received - Order Ref No. 983

Darren

Apologies for any potential misunderstanding, but vouchers do not apply to
the Moet & Chandon Champagne . (I have requested of my marketing and IT staff
that the potentially confusing wording be changed.)

As a compromise, we can offer the same champagne without gift box at SGD64/
btl or SGD256 for 4. This saves you SGD20. Alternatively we can void this
order and you can order from the selection of wines that are eligible for
coupon utilization.  Please let me know you preference and we will process
the order accordingly.

Best Regards
Stephen 

_________

From: Darren Smith [mailto: darrenfrommaryport@yahoo.co.uk ]
Sent: Sunday, 27 March 2011 4:11 PM
To: Platinum Wine Club
Subject: Re: Platinum Wine Club - New Orders Received - Order Ref No. 983

 

Stephen,

That's a bit annoying.
Why does your online ordering allow it then?

Void the order.
I can get Moet cheaper elsewhere.

Disgruntledly,

Darren

PS You may want to read just how disgruntled I am on my blog...!

__________

From:	Platinum Wine Club ... Add to Contacts
To:	Darren Smith
Cc:	Natasha Ford

---

Darren:

 

I appreciate your disappointment. Our arrangement with AMEX is that we manage and sell wines via the Platinum Wine Club. We try and offer AMEX customers value. To do so, some of the products offered are not eligible for further discounting.

 

(I won’t bore you with the technical details, but changes to the wording on the site must be agreed upon etc. This takes time. In looking into this situation, I’ve notice several things that arguably could be clearer to the customer.)

 

As a business person, I’m sure you appreciate our need to manage this line of our business profitably. (Making it up in volume by selling it at a loss doesn’t work!)

 

I want to challenge you – find Moet & Chandon in Singapore (duty paid lah!) at less than SGD64, delivered to your door and I’ll pay you the difference. But the difference won’t be much and probably won’t convince you to work with us in the long term. But by all means feel free to do the due diligence and let me know!

 

Our business has been built one customer at a time. So I need to do something to make you happy. Rubicon Reserve Wines recently did a promotion with Groupon where for SGD38 people received a bottle of wine and were invited to attend a Sabrage course (using a saber to open a bottle of champagne.)

 

The marketing guys will get upset with me for mixing sales channels, but I’m inviting you to attend this course the next time it’s offered. I’m cc’ing Tash who’ll be in touch once the next session is confirmed. I’ll offer you the promotion price of SGD38 dollars for a bottle of wine & a bottle of sparkling wine, but you have to pick up the wine and attend the course to get the sparkling wine! Or just attend the course, gratis and I’m sure you’ll get a glass or two of bubbly!

 

(BTW, we won’t be using the Moet for this course, but if you find a bottle for less, you’ll have a great story to tell as you expertly pop the top with your saber – or carving knife!)  

 

I look forward to hearing back from you and I hope you are slightly less disgruntled

 

Best Regards

 

Stephen 

___________

From: Darren Smith [mailto: darrenfrommaryport@yahoo.co.uk ]
Sent: Monday, 28 March 2011 4:09 PM
To: Platinum Wine Club
Cc: Natasha Ford
Subject: Re: Platinum Wine Club - New Orders Received - Order Ref No. 983

 

Stephen,

I work in market research and do a huge amount of customer loyalty work.

It is not often that "dissatisfied" customers are tackled head on and even less so that their disappointment is transformed into delight.

I am impressed that you took the trouble to answer my points AND offered something over and above to regain my loyalty and, potentially, my renewed trust.

I will take you up on your Sabrage offer - gladly - it sounds like fun.

I will of course be updating my blog to put the record straight on how Rubicon Reserve Wines recovered this situation in an innovative and customer-centric fashion.

THANK YOU.

Darren

PS The search is now on for Moet at less than S$64....!  Will keep you posted.

________

From:	Platinum Wine Club ... Add to Contacts
To:	Darren Smith

---

Darren

 

Thanks for your note. (Most of the notes I get are of the ‘where’s my wine?’ nature.)

 

We’re not perfect, but we’re always trying to improve.

 

I’ll cancel the order and reverse the AMEX charges tomorrow.

 

I look forward to meeting you, and perhaps suggesting a few other champagnes or sparkling wines we carry, that may impress you more from a cost / benefit perspective!

 

Cheers

Stephen  

__________

PERFECT RECOVERY!!!!!

Thank you Rubicon Reserve Wines

Thought I'd beaten the system

When something seems too good to be true - yes, unfortunately, it usually is.

I have vouchers for a wine club here in Singapore (Reserve Wine Club with my Platinum Amex) and they promise S$50 off your purchase providing you spend S$250 or more.

So I checked the price of Moet - yes I like a sparkling tipple or two.  And when I bought 4 bottles applied my discount it worked out at a very nice S$59 per bottle.  A bargain.

Or so I thought...

Nowhere does it say I can only buy certain types of wine.  But then I get an email from the Sales Department stating that the coupons are not valid for this type of purchase.  WTF?


Read the small print - that's all I can say.
And did the company in question (Rubicon Wines) honour my purchase?
Did they hell...!

I feel another boycott coming on.  How dare they make me pay full price for Moet - it's not that bloody good.
Now Bollinger?!  Now that would have been fair.

Don't you all agree?