Geez you're a hard lot. Don't you know the meaning of the phrase "tongue in cheek"?
:rolleyes:
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Geez you're a hard lot. Don't you know the meaning of the phrase "tongue in cheek"?
:rolleyes:
Of course! We've been catching up on Bubinga's posts!Quote:
Originally Posted by silentC
:D :D :D
P
Should I add Americans to the list? Is being an American a career choice?
No, it's a "calling".Quote:
Is being an American a career choice?
:)
P
You could add farmers to that list.
They are the biggest pack of moaners you’ll ever come across. “The grain crop isn’t big enough”, “cattle prices have dropped”, “there’s not enough water in the dams”, “there’s too much water lying around”, “the government won’t secure cane prices”, “have you seen the price of diesel lately”, “there’s not enough rain to grow grass”, “the mongrel grass gets out of control after the spring rains and before you know it we'll have another bushfire” …. And last but not least…
“Don’t get me wrong, I love farming” :rolleyes::D
Eastie, the non-farming farm type.
My folks are farmers too. I know what you mean about the whinging, some of it is justified and a lot of it is probably a cry for help.
An example of whinging. The Shepparton bypass could go either through swampland (sensitive environment area) and require heaps of bridges or it could go through the east side where there are orchards and flat land. The orchidists frequently tell us how terrible their markets are and we often see on TV the orchidists dumping hundreds of tons of fruit - can't sell it. They rip out fruit trees and blame the government .......poor devils struggling to make ends meet - real aussie battlers.
Where is the bypass going - through the swamps because the orchardists don't want to lose their orchards despite being offered generous compensation!!!!!! Perhaps they are growing crops other than fruit????? The extra cost for the bypass through the swamps will cost millions.
- Wood Borer
A couple of years ago at a party I was listening to a farmer complaining about how he had lost $100,000 that year because prices were so bad. I was feeling quite sympathetic. A hundred grand - that's a massive amount for anyone to lose.
The sympathy didn't last long. One of the other people listening to the whinge was in a position to know what the farmer's profit and loss account actually looked like. When the farmer paused to take a slurp of his beer, the other bloke leaned in and said:
"Mate, you didn't lose $100,000. What happened is you made $100,000 less than you made last year. You still cleared $250,000."
"That's what I mean - I lost $100,000!"
There was then a longish conversation about the difference between making a loss and making a smaller - though still substantial - profit.
The farmer was completely unconvinced. He's not a bad bloke. He's just got farmers' disease - whingeitis.
I guess different types of farming must be better than others.
My cousin is a dairy farmer in south-eastern Victoria. Not so long ago, they were faced with the loss of the farm, their house, and all of their assets. They'd been in drought for a couple of years, were having to buy feed for the cows and on top of that they were getting less for the milk than it cost to produce it. The big dairies have the milk price tied up and so the little guys have no control over what they get for it. My Uncle mortgaged his house to help them out and he was in danger of losing it too. At 60+ years of age, he went back to manual labour (as a builder) to raise enough money to meet the payments because his son was unable to pay the loan.
Maybe it's just dairy farming but I grew up on a dairy farm and I don't remember my parents ever having any money. I'm glad they got out of it when they did. I wouldn't touch farming with a ten foot pole.
Silent,
I’m of similar thought.
My olds have never exactly been well off from working the land, but with a bit of help and the introduction of some technology and new practices life has become a fair bit easier in terms of managing from a month to month basis and predicting what the next 12 months may hold. I found the isolation, never being able to get away from the job 24 hours a day and the anomaly that retirement never really seems to come around for farmers extremely daunting. Not quite as bad as the thought of being Oz's brickies labourer, but pretty bad none the less :D
I agree, my folks have never been swimming in money either. The farm may have been able to make more money with newer machines and technology but perhaps the year after they purchased the new gear they could have been hit with a drought and then go down the gurgler.
My little brother has a farm and he uses more modern ideas and equipment and does OK for himself.
My comments about the whingers related to unwarranted whinging. Most farmers I know and have met are fair dinkum with only a small percentage of farmers being ratbags.
- Wood Borer
I probably gave the wrong impression with that tale. I admire farmers (in most respects - except for the whinging). The uncertainties and the risky nature of the industry would deter me from ever contemplating farming. Most of the farmers I've met are genuinely good people - hard working with a genuine passion for what they do (doesn't stop 'em from whinging, though :) ).
Back to the original subject:
Bunnings (in NSW at least) have feedback forms you can fill and post. No stamp required.
The form is titled "How did we do?" and got only eight questions.
Question include customer's opinion on staffs knowledge & helpfulness etc.
So boys & girls, if you happened to go to Bunnings and have something to say about their service or product etc, please do fill out a form and post it (available at the checkout).
Who knows, It may do some good :cool: .
Regards,
Theva
haven't tried the Bunnings cards but I just whacked one of to one of our major supermarkets this morning ... i'm a firm believer in letting organisations know where there are problems ( and occasionally I give them positives). ... if you don't tell them they don't know.
Myer, Big W, Bi-lo, Safeway etc all have the cards.
The supermarket have flavoured tuna on special and removed ALL of the cans from the usual shelf and mixed all the varieties in a big box on the aisle end ... bang went my plan of dive in before work and out again within 2 mins :mad: OK so they will probably ignore my comment but sometimes they don't.
My score so far is pretty good -
- got the post office to move a mail box that was obstructing sight lines when pulling out of a junction,
- had a road junction that was closed off to cars made legal access for bicycles with dropped kerbs,
- got cycle parking installed at a leisure centre,
- got booking software used by a ferry company altered,
- had a ramp installed inside a bank building where a sudden step caused problems for wheelchairs/prams changed
etc etc.
I firmly believe that I can make a difference in this world.
Farmers and a good whine seems an essential ingredient on the land, if they don't whine they are probably ill.
Not enough rain, it's a drought....no income.
Too much rain, it's flooding...no income.
Condiotions are perfect, it's a glut....no income.
And I once parked on a clearway, wasn't a clearway when I started but I got held up in town, running back to the car the parking inspector was standing there, book poised and looking around. I was a good block away and when I arrived he said he saw me running and thought it may have been my car and let it go at that.
I was suprised at a PC who was not a bastard and gladly thanked him for his consideration.
THE EXIT !!!! :mad:
I am surrounded by farmers, grain and a little livestock over summer. I agree with silent that some farming industries do it tough ie the dairy farmers, and livestock farmers in middle NSW. But here they are very well off a bad year could equal a "best" year in other parts of Australia. I don't find they have a lot to winge about, and on the whole great people. They have a lot... lot of money, but I guess if farming is doing well local industry should also (in theory). I do however feel for those who suffer drought, poor yeilds and livestock loss.
I think every time I go to the supermarket an buy milk , homebrand 3l is a around the low $3 mark, a dollar a litre retail.. what then do the poor old farmers make.
regards tony
You're all good for a laugh! From bunnings gripe to whinging about whingy farmers... We humans are funny creatures (not funny ha ha) Still I'm as opinionated as anyone else Stupidmarkets like bunnings and what not are there because we wanted it or fell for it. I just avoid 'em if I can. As much as i hate saying it we're responsible for our sad society.Can't sit on our bums and biitch about it without sounding like a peanut. For me its not about customer service, but ethics. Bunnings is but one of many mass money munching entities. Its the mcdonalds of the hardeware stores. there's only so much "money" (/resources) to go round and once the scales are tipped the side with less can only do what they can to survive. Look after your local little guy they're more likely to do the same for you. Who would you look to at places like bunnings? They know this hence the greeting guy.
Geez ......life's a ditty.
It's people like you who make them apathetic and disinterested. If you were insulted on a daily basis you would be disinclined to offer assistance too.Quote:
Originally Posted by PlanePig
Dan
I always felt sorry for farmers, being a city boy through and through. Until I wnet to Bourke in far east NSW.
Here in WA, here it doesnt rain much, the farmers grow wheat or run sheep. I know some people in cooroow who make a decent living and dont whinge too much.
On the othe hand, if you goy to bourke, where it's as dry as a bone, theyre growing.............................oranges. Enourmous irrigation ditches as far as the eye can see and they're growing water intensive fruit trees in a desert.
Thats why the NSW farmers are always whingeing. They try and take more that the land has to give.
Havnig said all that, I could be just an ignorant putz
Quote:
Until I wnet to Bourke in far east NSW
You said it. I know it's in the east to you, but Bourke is actually in North Western NSW :rolleyes:Quote:
I could be just an ignorant putz
No no no, if your reference point is Tibooburra, then Bourke is the far west, I mean east, **** I'm all confused :confused: :confused: :confused:
Sorry, my mind just associates inland with east now I'm back in Perth.
See? It's this 'sun setting over the ocean' bit that's confusing you. It's just not right, I tell you. :D
Well, the big "B" have done it again.
A friend of SWMBO went into the Shepparton branch of Bunnies (which is an apt name for them) and decided to buy a large BBQ, an outdoor setting and a few small items. Value $1000 or so. Not a bad sale.
She gets to the counter to pay for them & asks if they could hold them until she & hubby get back with the ute (1.5hr round trip); as they won't fit in the Barina. Is told "we can't do that". She gets cranky & the staff make a phone call. End result is that, "We don't operate that way, we do not have any storage" SHe rightly cracks the s & go across the road.
Finds a better unit $30 cheaper. Tells the salesperson of the earlier altercation who replies that he will happily take her money and he has a huge storage area out the back. Take your time & I'll see you when you get back.
At least somebody knows about customer relations.
Ken
I didn't leave the last bit out because it wasn't good, I just thought that it would save room, OK??Quote:
Originally Posted by Rebus
I had a fifty-yard dummy spit at bunnings today and went elsewhere. No one was put out other than me because bunnings Coffs Harbour is about $2.00 fuel away from home.
However, the reason for my angst was that I needed to have some timber cut to length and there was only one bloke in the entire store that had the key to the saw, and guess what? he was on his way to morning tea.
I tried to convince him that it wouldn't take long to cut the timber and that he could then have his cuppa - "No way! if I do that I will miss out on my regulation 15 minutes because I have to come back on time even if I go late".
Fair enough, I thought and said, but asked if anyone else could cut the timber "Na! I'm the only one with the key". With that he took off for the tea room.
I asked the section manager could he cut the timber " I could but Jack has got the key and he is at morning tea".
The dummy was pressing against my front teeth, but I tried to remain calm.
"Could you go and get the key from him?"
"Na! can't interfere with his tea break". Pwettttteeew.boing!~ boing! - splatt!
bunnings comes to towns (cities) like Coffs Harbour, sets up shop and tries to ruin all the othr DIY business in the area.
Now the other side of the coin: It is not the staff's fault. You will find, if you ask, that staff are assigned to certain areas and must not go outside those areas. some areas are busier than others so there is some standing around, although, for customer peace of mind the staff could make themselves busy instead of laughing and joking at the two girls on the checkout trying to calm the fidgetting throng.
If we all spoke to the managers about what we think is wrong we may get it fixed, but we don't, we just spit the dummy and carry on as usual.
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ons/icon10.gif
Peter R.
My dearly departed, ex-father in law, who was very Irish in his ways more than in his accent once went to the Coffs Harbour railway station to book a ticket to Sydney.Quote:
Originally Posted by silentC
"How much for a return ticket", he asked.
"Where to, sir",
"Here, of course".
Peter R.http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...cons/icon7.gif
Bunnings are okay.
There 3 within 10 minutes drive. They open early, close late and are open on Sunday - which is darn sight more than I can say for a lot of other suppliers.
General comments:-
If you do not know what you want choose someone in the store who can help you. ie Ask for the resident expert.
If you want something that is not in the mainstream go to the specialists.
Concerned at the time in the line - try waiting at some timber suppliers, just take a packed lunch in case they are in 'slow mode'.
Hi all
Remember not so long ago you could go down to your local hardware store and "bill" the owner would say gooday "jim hows it going" and you would have a little chat and he remembered that he sold you that makita drill that you bought and actually knows what goes where and how to do it and there was a young kid helping on a saturday or after school and he'd help carry the timber out to the car with you and if you just ducked down to get some bolts for the deck and didnt have your wallet and Bill would say drop the money off later............
well the hardware megasupadupa stores come to town and sell us stuff for cheaper so stuff bill we all shop at the megasupadupa and bill goes broke and stargloria coffee shop opens instead.
And now we can buy really cheap power tools like GMC.......are life is much better.....NOT
And we can only blame ourselves!!!!!!!!!!!!
cheers
daazzzzler
No, I am sorry but that was not what I was used to. :( :(Quote:
Originally Posted by dazzler
Before the hardware supermarkets came there were two hardware stores nearby, both were distinctly lacking in service, often had to wait whilst the shopkeeper kept yacking away to his mates whilst you were waiting.
Never had a large range of goods and an item urgently needed was often out of stock. There was often a lack of parking space on Saturday mornings and they closed at noon. :mad:
One of them increased their prices by 20 % on Saturday, because as he said one day when I queried him "It's Saturday morning it's too late to go elsewhere and I've got it and you probably need it to finish a job". He was amazed when I replied that it could wait untill next week and I didn't buy it.
When he was forced to close from the competition of the supermarket I went in the last day and told him that he is now reaping what he sowed all these years. :D
Long live the hardware supermarkets, you just have to remember that they are not always as knowledgeable as the specialised stores but their range and service is great and at least at ours they go out of their way to try and help you.
Peter.
I remember the same thing when real supermarkets came in and replaced the local greengrocer - it brought about the decline in local shops that supposedly gave better service and better quality food.
All I remember is my Mum bringing home fruit and the greengrocer had always managed to slip a rotten one into the bag when she wasn't looking.
I agree that it is a shame that we lost the well run local shop with helpful service but I think they were few and far between. Probably just as common as a helpful & knowledgable employee at Bunnings - ie they certainly aren't all like that but there are a few.
Simon
I am not sure whether I should be excited or not but there is a Bunnings coming to my town in the not too distant future. My town has about 20,000 people and I am surprised that there would be enough of a market for them here. If they are open Sunday arvo I will be a happy man.
I can go into the local Mitre 10 and they all know me by name...but that might have more to do with me loitering there for hours on end :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
Hi IvorQuote:
Originally Posted by Ivor
I read your post with interest. Although I rarely go to Armidale because I do most of my business it Tamworth it will certainly give Armidale a shake up. Are they going to take over any of the other stores.
It will certainly give "The Other Big Hardware" a shake up because their prices are way over the top especially on power tools but I gather they will be up to the challenge.
The interesting thing is that Bunnings don't really care about the builders market, they only want the retail market and will take the builders only at their pricing and as long as they spend a set amount each month they will let them have an account.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DanP
OF course they know your name Dan.. its on the badge over your right breast pocket! :p :rolleyes:
Barry White.. Bunnings was good for my local hardware stores, with their 10% cheaper (at the time) offer, the local stores just dropped thier prices to match bunnies best offer. This was done without even asking.
Only once did I put bunnies Offer to the test, I was after some "weed mat" for the garden, and was after a specific width.. 1.2 m from memory. The bunnies "resident expert" told me it didn't come in that width. I responded with" the hardware shop around the corner has it at that width and this price."
Guess who went to the hardware store and got it at a price competive to bunnies :cool:
I think it has more to do with the colour of the pocket and the jaunty hat they wear. :DQuote:
Quote:
Originally Posted by DanP
I can go into the local Mitre 10 and they all know me by name...but that might have more to do with me loitering there for hours on end
OF course they know your name Dan.. its on the badge over your right breast pocket!
Barry White.. Bunnings was good for my local hardware stores, with their 10% cheaper (at the time) offer, the local stores just dropped thier prices to match bunnies best offer. This was done without even asking.
Only once did I put bunnies Offer to the test, I was after some "weed mat" for the garden, and was after a specific width.. 1.2 m from memory. The bunnies "resident expert" told me it didn't come in that width. I responded with" the hardware shop around the corner has it at that width and this price."
Guess who went to the hardware store and got it at a price competive to bunnies
I have just bought two "bargains of the year" from Bunnings.....two Bunnings tee shirts at $4.95.
I bought XXXL because at that size I think I can get 35 polishing rags from each!!
:D :D :D :D :D
P
Well Ill raise you one Bunnies store, and see ya for one Bunnies MEGA store.
Thats right folks, rumour has it we are getting a MEGA store not 10 mins drive from here.
Al :p
Dan, you better watch out that some copper doesn't nick you as I believe loitering is still illegal. :D :D :DQuote:
Originally Posted by DanP
Peter.
Loitering, with intent, to buy.:D :D
Al :rolleyes:
Wouldn't that be a Mitre10 Mega?Quote:
Originally Posted by ozwinner
No!!
Bunnings.
Al :D