The next decade....what's in store?

Persuasive skills....how good are they?

I've found that in my working life, I've had to be very persuasive, so those skills have certainly developed.

Whether it was getting a guest to agree to stay in a room he didn't particularly want (because we were full), or to get another to 'walk' to another hotel when we were full, I had to employ those skills. It also involved getting employees to do things that they didn't necessarily want to do, and I'd usually get "Is only cause it's you yuh know Miss Mac."

I think it calls for empathy and good interpersonal skills and making a connection with the other person. The feedback I've got indicates I do a pretty good job, and it has also stood me well for the interviews that I do.

So, armed with that, I phoned the supermarket today. My mission? To get them to accept my father's cheque......

We normally go to MegaMart on Waterloo Road to do the monthly shopping. As my mother is away, and I am not a signatory on Pops' credit card, he would either have to (a) come there when I was ready to pay or (b)give me a cheque.

(a) wasn't possible for tomorrow, so asked them if they would accept a cheque. After several backing and forthing, the answer was a big fat no.

"Well, I guess we'll have to shop somewhere else". Dem don't realize that shopping for 6 people is a hefty bill, but anyway.

It's on to Loshushan's......that new BIG supermarket in Barbican Square almost. I go there from time to time because it's never packed and the prices are only just a touch higher than SuperPlus, but less than Sovereign.

My last visit there was to return a bag of dog food that surprisingly turned out not to be good. So I called today, spoke with Mrs Kinghorne. I explained the situation to her, but she said they don't accept cheques.

ME:"Are you the lady who refunded me for the dog food?"
SHE:"Oh, yes. The one where the bag was open?"
ME:"Yes. Well that's me, and I really need to come to the supermarket but my father can't come blah blah blah blah"
SHE:"Oh, you remember mi name!"

I told her that we also shop at Sovereign, owned by another Loshushan. She said call her back in 1/2 hour. She was going to call Sovereign and see if they could vouch for us.

Half hour later......

"They say they have so many Yamfoot's that they can't say about your Yamfoot family".

But I was not daunted. I explained that this was monthly shopping ($$$$$$$) and that I have been in this new supermarket several times and the prices are very reasonable ("that's what a lot of customers come back and tell us you know").

"Ok, I'm not going to be here tomorrow, but go to Miss Grant and make sure all the details are on the cheque, and maybe this can be the start of a relationship".

You bet it will be, because I don't see what MegaMart have over Loshushan. After all, I aint looking for patio furniture and all dem tings.

Will let you know how tomorrow's shopping and my encounter with Miss Grant goes.

PS. I really could have gone to the supermarket in the evening when Pops was available, but the preference is to go in the morning when very few people are there. Ask for what you want. They can only say NO, like MegaMart....and be sorry.....VERY sorry.....

Posted by yamfoot at August 2, 2005 11:29 PM