Thursday 11 March 2010 RIA

Hello Followers of this Blog.

Today I want to tell a story of thanks and loyalty.

About 5 years ago I met a woman who came to work for me as a char, Ria. Over the years she became a lot more than just the person who cleaned for me.. We got to know her as a friend and loyal employee. When we opened the store 3 years ago she also came and cleaned the store for us.

Ria weathered the stores ups and downs, never complaining when we hit hard times and we had to reduce her days. Always smiling and always understanding.

In December I had a bicycle accident. I broke my wrist in 7 places. It was a Friday. I could not get to the store to open up, Darryn was having his car serviced and couldn't get there either, so I turned to Ria ... she just took it in her stride. She opened up the store, put the furniture outside and sold almost all the furniture we had on the floor in the next 2 days, the Friday and the Saturday. She was amazing.

Needless to say I have made her my sales lady and have started teaching her about customer satisfaction, sales methods, collecting customer based information, etc. Ria is absorbing all of this with a passion that is incredible.

Then yesterday while I was out of the store, a woman came into and made a purchase. After the purchase she asked Ria if she could have a piece of paper and a pen, as she wanted to leave a note for the owner of the store. This is what she wrote:

"Hello Wayne
I am a shop owner in Kalk Bay and I want to say that I love your shop and that also your assistant is very enthusiastic and informative without being pushy or annoying. A very rare and good combination. She clearly loves the stock. Just wanted you to have the feedback! Good luck!
Nin"

I want to say a heartfelt thank you to Ria for loving my store as much as I do and letting our customers feel that love in how she treats them. She has proven herself as a loyal, caring and insightful friend and colleague.

And then I want to say thank you to Nin for leaving that insightful note. People are quick to tell you the negative things about your store and staff but you hardly ever hear the postive feedback Thank you for that. It was really appreciated.

Wayne

Wednesday 3 March 2010

Hello Followers.

Cape Town is boiling hot today and it feels like we are melting here in Observatory. This has been an amazing summer, it finally looks like the recession is a thing of the past, we have the Soccer ahead and it looks like a positive 2010. So with that a tale with a bit of humor, well maybe tongue in cheek.

In the picture you can see some white lamp shades and some white scatter cushions. Both are unique to Home Affairs Furniture.

A while back I was out shopping for fabric to do some upholstery and I cam across this fabric. It was white bed linen with black writing on it. The writing said "THIS IS THE PROPERTY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE WESTERN CAPE, THE REMOVAL OF THIS IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE".And in 3 official languages, English, Afrikaans and Xhosa.

I just had to have it.

I held onto it for a while and then landed up using some of it to upholster two Queen Anne wing back chairs and the rest I used to make cushions. Well they were a hit and I have tried very hard to always keep a stock of the cushions in the store. We added to the range by making lamp shades from the same fabric.

Last year I also used the fabric to upholster one single little arm chair. The chair was used in one of the first ELLE DECORATION shoots that artist and stylist Tracey Lee Lynch did for the magazine. Then when the magazine had its international Indaba in Milan with all the 27 countries that publish an ELLE DECORATION participating, they used that image of that chair as the cover of their internal magazine for all the participating delegates. WOW! I was happy and congratulations to Tracey.

Also because the store is quiet near Groote Schuur Government Hospital, we get a lot of international and local students doing their internship there, coming into the store. They have loved the humor of the cushions and shades and have taken plenty back with them as mementos of their time in the hospital and because the hospital actually uses this linen on their homes.

Well that is all for today.

Please feel free to leave your comments and suggestions. Always appreciated.

Wayne