Gate latch

This gate has been in constant use for twenty seven years. Probably not for much longer though. The gatepost from which the gate hangs is rotten at the bottom. I suspect it is unlikely to last the year, especially with two teenagers who don't know how to close a gate with anything other than a loud crash of deafening proportions.

Had the pleasure of getting into town with both boys this afternoon. As usual, I got robbed blind by Jonathan for this and that.

Jamie was bemused as I was at Vodafone's pricing strategy. My phone's contract came up for renewal this week and Jamie is trying to get me to change phone so he can have mine while his gets repaired. I do like a change every couple of years but could quite easily simply go to a SIM only deal.

The Vodafone shop wants £239 more over the life of a contract for a phone than does another well known non-carrier owned chain. I've been with Vodafone quite a few years (the frequency that their services operate on penetrates buildings far better than EE etc so suits me better - But O2 is equally as good. I also spend a shocking amount of money with them each year. But, in order to retain my business, they want me to phone their customer support to plead for a better price.

I'm afraid selling doesn't quite work like that. Annoy someone who spends several thousand pounds across a number of services each year and they tend to take their business elsewhere when it is so easy to do so - you don't wait for them to plead with you for a better price when they can go next door and get it on your own product! I'll go next door and speak to a real person who wants me to buy every time. In fact, it annoys me so much, I'm likely to change network and get an even better deal.

Anyone who works in sales knows that it costs a great deal more to get an lost customer back or even get a new customer than it does to keep an existing customer contented.

The staff in the shop thought that when I said I actually the know the CEO of their company I was making it up, they kind of scoffed and went off quite disinterested. Unfortunately for them, I do know both the CEO of Vodafone and the UK and Europe Service Manager - I worked for them for many years. Email duly despatched when I got home. Am awaiting their response with interest :-)