Why I Don’t Support The Customer Service Workshop.
Whilst I most certainly applaud any and all initiatives that QVM Pty Ltd make to improve trade and traders at the Market,I feel compelled to take issue with the scheduled "Free One day Workshop" mentioned in the Traders Bulletin July 2011 - Issue 98. This workshop will be held in conjunction with ARA and AussieHost.
On what basis I hear you ask?
Firstly, a quick check of these afore mentioned associates tells us that in their normal course of duty there is a per person charge for all present at their workshops.So I am pretty sure I am not being presumptuous to suggest that whilst it is indeed said to be "free" to stallholders on the day, the workshop is indeed not "free" at all to QVM Pty Ltd. And since the limited monetary resources available to QVM Pty Ltd (allow me again to be presumptuous) come from guess who? This suggests the "freeness" of the workshop is not so "free" for Traders after all.
(If the workshop is funded by some other generous entity (perhaps the Melbourne City Council) again the yearly profit received by the council from revenue raised from again guess who, makes it again not quite as "free" as the "free" word in our Trader Bulletin suggests.)
However that is not my real objection, my objection is not so much fiscal in nature but is firmly based on reality and priority. Customer Service is indeed essential, but to offer Customer Service we first and essentially need...? Yes, you're way ahead of me again.
So what we have here is the typical "chicken or the egg" conundrum.
Let's be abundantly clear, we need customers, first and utmost!
This is of course no news to you dear readers, and most certainly no news to QVM Pty Ltd, they have in fact been informed very clearly as to the present state of affairs in our part of the Retail World, and have been receiving continual requests and pleas, begging them to address the main issue which will turn around the worsening situation at the Market, and that is to prioritise "Marketing the Market".
That MUST be their priority. That must be addressed completely and satisfactorily, with all their attention and available funds, before other lesser issues are tackled.
So please, please QVM Pty Ltd, give us customers and then by all means help us address these customers politely with diligent and attentive service.
Then and only then can we truly wholeheartedly embrace, applaud and support your initiatives.
A Trader.