Emeryville, CA

DEAR IKEA MANAGEMENT: I'd like to feel and think that you care enough about IKEA's reputation that you would appreciate someone calling this to your attention: FRONT LINES ARE KILLING YOU!

Whatever goodwill and good reputation you established with your products are being destroyed by extremely poor service..

I love IKEA. They excel in products that maximize efficient use of space at an affordable price. Nearly every room at my house will have an IKEA product and/or accessories. I have a binder of ideas and measurements and plans I paid for using an IKEA designer. I bought and paid for a lot of things -- and still have more in the works.

But what sours and disgusts me about my IKEA experience: EXTREMELY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE

Or is this a case of an attitude that starts at the top and permeates the entire organization? I had an initially good impression of IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad--- and he should cringe at what his employees are doing to destroy IKEA.

You MUST institute top to bottom training on how to provide good customer service. Read the book "In Search of Excellence" for ideas.

It appears I'm not alone, based on online sites and complaints --- and there are many.

1. Floor agents cluster and talk among themselves, and do not stop when a customer approaches. Agents should walk around, offer assistance to people who are looking at the various products. This happened in nearly every department I shopped in: kitchen cabinets, bedroom furniture, office furniture, living room furniture
2. Agents interrupt other agents who are engaged with customers, thus distracting the agents who should give their undivided attention to the customers
3. Agents do not ask probing questions to make sure the buyers know what they're doing, what they're getting, what other options are available. For example, I bought a bedroom set. But it turns out that I need slats for the mattress. The agent NEVER asked me nor told me what else I would need. I had to make another trip to get the missing part.
4. Agents acted like I was interrupting whatever he/she was doing, including talking with other floor agents. They never acknowledged me, asked me my name, asked me what I'm trying to do, show me where I can find things, guided me on what else I should get to complete the set (lost opportunity to sell more items)
5. Not a single person smiled or looked happy. There was absolutely NO positive energy. All looked and acted tired, complained about working, and said in front of me that they couldn't wait to get out of there. Why such sour faces?
   
6. Cashier was inflexible, in spite of the fact that I had to wait in line, and there was a long line behind me. She noted that I was missing one piece (I only got 1 of 2 boxes in the set) and told me to go back and get it before she can ring me up. I asked her to finish ringing up the total, and that perhaps one of the boys assisting people can get the missing piece. She said no.
   
7. Not a single person broke away from their huddlle to offer help when they saw me coming. Agents motioned to each other until one of them reluctantly (!) agreed to handle my paperwork at the pick up and deliver, where the staff was once again clustered.
   
8. Very inefficient set-up at pick up and deliver. I had to fill out paperwork at one station, then move to another station to pay with my credit card. And again, NOT A SINGLE PERSON smiled. Not a single person acted energetic. Everyone moved with so much apathy it was appalling
9. Chewing gum like nanny goats. Service personnel --- from various departments ---- were chewing gum non-stop. Disgusting to watch! And very disrespectful to the buyers

I was so disgusted with my encounters that I asked to speak to a manager to register my complaint --- this is NOT the first time I experienced what I am writing about. It's EVERY TIME I've gone there.

P.S. I did get good service, finally, and that’s from the delivery men who cheerfully delivered my furniture order, and didn’t complain about taking the stuff up the stairs.

December 23, 2011 Mixing Business with Pleasure

We’ve said over and over again: serious buyers are seriously looking, regardless of the time of year.

I planned to take time off to go to IKEA and look for a new bed and a new sofa --- after all, since we’re installing new bamboo floors and we’ll have to move our stuff around. perhaps it's better to just get new ones since the sofa and the bed are looking sad and ratty anyway.

Then my client called: he wants to see a condo, newly listed at the mixed-use residential/shopping area in Emeryville’s Bay Street Shops. Since IKEA is next door, we planned to meet at the condo.

Bingo! Business with pleasure.

We see the condo. He measures the rooms. Looks out the window -- it doesn't overlook the shopping street, but rather the highways, with a little bit of view of the Bay. We walk around the complex, and note the well-designed and very feng shui landscaping.

Then back to grind -- analyzed the market value of the condo. It’s a short sale with two loans, but what they listed it for is not realistic nor aggressive. Not for a short sale. He'll think about it.

Evening with clients who have become very good friends.

Received invitation from friends to have dinner with them and celebrate the 4th day of Hannukah. These are clients I represented in the sale of their home in Sunnyvale and to whom I sold a house in Alameda. They have become really good friends. We spend a lot of time with them, and they have introduced us to so many nice people in an ever widening circle of friends.

Fabulous way to end the evening.

Blogging and commenting --- Be on your best behavior ALWAYS!

During our Active Rain Meet-up today in Emeryville, some of us talked about the power of blogging. Many have experienced and are achieving very good results in some form or another. I can personally attest to successful transactions attributed directly to my blog topics.

I told some folks that I was surprised to hear from one of my clients that he actually read my post about dual agency. It warmed my heart when he said “I saw your post about representing both the buyer and seller. I remember you were very professional through our entire home purchase.”

My client read my blog!
I would never have guessed, especially after one year since we’ve closed our transaction.

And THAT is one of the reasons why we should always be on our best behavior not only when we’re blogging, but also when we’re commenting. We never know who's reading what we write.

And when commenting on someone else’s post, we can disagree, but we can disagree politely and not be disagreeable.

A maxim (that is attributed to so many) is

“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool

than to speak out and remove all doubt.”

Internet is forever.
Once online in some fashion, things you post and comment on are going to reflect on you --- whether your words will put you in favorable light or not is truly up to you.

Let’s remember that written words take a personality of their own. Something said in jest could be interpreted as sarcasm or put down.

Words can cut deeply and the wounds may never heal.
Some of you may have run across a back-and-forth disagreement on Active Rain for all the world to see. Perhaps it’s time for a reminder: internet is forever. If you’re trying to build a brand, create a presence, make yourself easy to find....then

make sure that what people find is what you want them to see.

December 13, 2011 work, Work, WORK...Fun at MEET UP...work, Work, WORK!

Hurried through the many usual things a REALTOR does.

work, Work,WORK!
Answering emails. Call back people who left voice mail message. Make appointments to show property. Follow up on short sales.

But today, we had something special: Bay Area CA’s Active Rain MEET UP of bloggers in the Bay Area. All the holiday decorations and lights put me in such a good mood while walking towards Elephant Bar in Emeryville’s Bay Street for our Meet Up.

Kathleen Daniels had two boxes and a basket of goodies for us. The tables were already put together, and the wait staff already had a plan for service.

We had such a wonderful time. There were nineteen (19) people who came (two of them are not in the photo, but they will probably be in the collection of photos that someone will surely post. I understand David Ames will help put this together.

The goodies? Kathleen had a prize for several categories --- who has the most points, who traveled the farthest, who is the newest member....and who had an accident on the way to the meet up (David was rear-ended).

Everyone received a party favor -- a bag filled with different chocolates. Let the party begin.

work, Work,WORK!
Rushing home, it was back to work. Meet with a client. Write an offer. Submit the offer. Then back answer emails. Call back people who left voice mail message. Make appointments to show property. Follow up on short sales.

EMERYVILLE CA CONDO MARKET REPORT 2011

Emeryville CA Condo Market Report for 2011 shows that the number of days on the market for a condominium has increased by 56% from October 2010 to October 2011. In October 2020 a condo was on the market for about 42 days before it sold. Now in October 2011 condos are staying on the market an average of 65 days.

Currently there are 47 condos being offered for sale in Emeryville ranging in price from $99,000 for a 534 square foot 1 bedroom, 1 bath unit to $605,500 for a 1389 square foot, 2 bedroom 2 bath unit. This Emerville CA Condo Market Report 2011 indicates that this is a good time for buyers to consider buying a condo in Emeryville. Prices are low, interest rates are also still low and a buyer can have their pick of condos.

Emeryville is located on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay adjacent to the cities of Oakland and Berkeley. Emeryville is just over one square mile, small in size but huge in influence. There are important businesses like Pixar, IKEA, Novartis, Bayer and State Farm Insurance to name a few. Emeryville is particularly proud of its bio-tech businesses. Residential living in Emeryville includes work/live lofts, condos, apartments and single family homes. It wasn't always so. In the 1900's Emeryville was an industrial town. The transformation is nearly complete. Another aspect the City prides itself on is its thriving arts community. Emeryville's Redevelopment Agency helped purchase industrial building where a number of artists live and work. The Public Art Committee has funded public art in the City.

Emeryville is a vibrant community and a wonderful place to live and work. This Emeryville CA Condo Market Report 2011 is a good indication that buying a home in Emeryville now is a good choice.

Emeryville is a vibrant community and a wonderful place to live and work. If you would like more information about Emeryville, please contact me at 510-504-5612.