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wmzRioo cumulus-Wednesday. May 13.2011 -9 1 WM...) ,‘ ,, '.‘ ‘ 1.1;] 1121.5 [0 1m; (Murmur. . . ' LRT debate has been the actual cost of building and then ing a billion dollars on a train to Hall to Klng I maintaining this white elephant. l increase core intensity is like giving ‘ . ‘ biased and botched have yet to see any open public a patient open-heart surgery when i s it too much ofa bother for our debate'on this issue whatsoever. all he needs is_an aspirin. .Core 1 I leaders to show some leadership? The region offered information ses- intenSification is better achieved t's one of the founding rules of retail: the customer is king. i lt is difficult to relay the level of sums mum") real 'qfwmauo." through aiming and financral devel- IBut at one particular grocery store. many customers : frustration l feel as a taxpayer as l except at ey are but ding a train opment incentives. including myselfagree that a l7~year-old bagging clerk is I watch our community make anoth- no matter what anyone says. This The tax increases themselves theking : er huge financial mistake. I won't arrogancgigjnust stosgif there is ill be may be enolzregh loudnvelput devel- Kyle m to be exact He might just be the hardest working. i even get into the RIM park fiasco. genuine ogue. me counc ors opment to n Se ing’s ometown most helpful person We ever encountered in retail. so his regal ' Suffice it to say i was right to ave'even-sugge'sted that anyone of Elmira and other parts of the sumameisveryfitting. i oppose that project just as l am who is arti‘tiâ€"LR'I‘ is not informfid. l regiongiheremthiejgx rate wont be A [”8897 at Zehrs Beechwood. Kyle recognizes that cus- ‘ right to oppose this LRT project. 3'53““. I fat taxpayers are per aps impact by e .' tamer service is an integral part of the job, not just an added ' Our community has faced soar- etter in ormed as to how much The people arguing for LRThave bonus. 1 ing tax mes on our already inflated filmy Ewan“?! Inflou'P0Cke‘tfih' done a very poor 10" (at l‘ and :11”? “l would never want a customer to walk away feeling any- 1 property values. We can ill afford ievef mat care I? can? on e some daCI'fOSS as I'll e In t err thing less than welcomed and appreciated.» Kyle recently told another huge bump to satisfy the state 0_ e economy in e many eman s o mgmoney. me if!” I 3‘3“!me his exceptional service SW5 1 pi e-in~th e» sky dreamers at regional recent Jumps I? the mi rate and the The recent ebacle regarding the Store manager Paul Rektor says hearing praise from cus- i council. There are a vast majority of vast variety 0 local infrastructure mayor and the leaders of the two tomers WENT-“"8 Kyle hasbecome aweekly occurrence. residents who have not been heard needs would make any-reasonable opposing LliT groups has left me “I.“ get a call from a customer and they'll say. 1 was in your 1 on this issue. person doubt the Viability of this disgusted With the lack of leader- store today and when I went through the till, there was a very I l have watched as councillors ”we“ 1".“de at ""5 time. 5.}.“p being shown byourlocal Polm' friendly young man named Kyle packing my bag." Paul told 1 who lobbied for this project suds The dialogue itself needs to be crans.Theyneedtogetofl'the fence. me. _ denly declare conflict of interest at Sliglfled befire any msianingful pickaSide andfotpuen somede‘linttia “And they say, 'He was so polite and so sincere. and he just 1 the 11th hour and I am disgusted. l e ate cant ‘e p ace. metimes h A project 0 s magrutu e t made me feel really good when l was ___Afi‘_‘ . have watched as every other reason- proponegésgmt to the project as a . as so‘rinuch 03an surround} leaving the store.” .‘ . . . \ . able option has been discounted gay“)? i sba “3'33"“??‘133‘15‘5 gig." eman Sc; r? eggmm‘ I Paul added. “Chatting up the cus- ‘ i \ i * i i ‘ i i and shot down with no logical rave celalr y cent enti 'e as a tsnottoo mu 0 a ‘ tomer. that's what Kyle doesverywell. l] j \ explanation. I have watched as the ihnanCia yjsuptenor way to meet Even in the parking lot. I've seen him numbers themselves have changed ‘ 95° nee 5'. e i‘rgup‘em we" ml'm bringing in the carts, customers are leaving most of us bewildered as to shifts to core mtensrfication. Spend- Waterloo walking by and he's saying, ‘Have a ~. nice day! Have a great night? You don't ‘ . . get that from all of them, so he defi- * a Trans ortation l s l m “Wm“ - ‘ - p S “cs 00 An employee of Zehrs since 1980, ‘ Paul says the role of front end clerks is e all have to get where we are going. no believe most people want to park their vehicles in asignificant one. Wmatter where. so here are some thoughts the driveway and i also believe the ban on street “it’s a last chance to make an - on some transportation issues. parking is nothing more than a revenue grab by the impression with a customer as they in a few weeks. the region will make a decision city. in my humble opinion. increasing revenue leave the store." he explained. MARSHALL on our transit system â€" and the next 20 or 30 years. should never be a reason for a municipality to pass Kyle takes that responsibility seri- WARD . Even after all the reading We done. i still don’t a bylaw. Bylaws ShOUld be for 330'an problems, 00‘ OUSlY- ‘ i think I have enough information to . 7 . for raising cash. There must be penal- "lfa customer were to walk into the store and maybe had a i i make a qualified decision. I wonder how ) , . ties for breaking a bylaw. but the deci- hard day. i just want to treat them nicely and with respect. so 1 i the councillors will do the same. i i i‘,( i i )i sion to keep one in place should not be maybe they can leave a bit happier than when they came in." ' 1 L The only thing l know for sure â€"~ our BO” R Kl driven by revenue. he said. "My parents always taught me that when you're out 1 transit system doesn't work right now. ‘ The city's transportation master there in the work world. espectally when it comes to retail. 1 there needs to be some change. And . . plan also calls for a big change in the people want to perceive you asa happy person. 1‘ . change, with vision. will probably take us _ way roadways are constructed. with an "I would never want someone to think i wasn't having a I a long way. But it could be pricey. and it’s . ' eye toward drivers, pedestrians and good time when l'm working. And besides. I've been happy i definitely risky. ‘ cyclists. and the completion of more working here since the first daylstarted.” Waterloo also has a couple of interest- , bike lanes. Good manners and respect go hand-in-hand. Kyle said. mg recommendations in front of it One 1“ . Up until a few weeks ago. l thought “l'll refer to a lady customer as ‘Miss.’ and she may say. is to bring in the plowing of sidewalks in r -- bike lanes were a waste of time. But ‘Wow. i haven't been referred to as ‘Miss' in a long time. Thank . the wintertime. i J now. I am riding a bike (actually. pilot- you!‘ Then l'll say, ‘Well. you'll be hearing more of that!” This is not something of particular 1 t‘ ing an electric bike which looks like a As a loyal customer of Zehrs Beechwood for the past 15 i imponance to me. I can shovel my own j '1 i scooter). Bike lanes are a pretty big years. I've met numerous associates â€" Cindy, Bill. Valerie. i iltlit‘ hit of sidewalk. but I knOW there are l comfort. When you're riding some- Amanda. Kim. Carla. and many more â€" who show a high 1 1 some people who can't and others who i BRIAN j thing that can be launched into the regard for customers. } . inst despise doing the job at all. 3 BOURKE ‘ stratosphere if it‘s clipped by a regular “And customers pick up on that morale when they walk into : . It really won't makc much difference 1 . vehicle. that little lanc can make you a store. That‘s why we have the ABCD (Above and Beyond the i to me. Mostly because it usually takes a “W, W .. â€" A ’4 feel a lot more secure. Call of Duty) program to acknowledge employees.‘ said Paul. I i couple of days for a snowplow to come down our l'm rather hard to miss as l scoot around the city. referring to a drop box located at the store exit. where cus- i ‘ . we” at all. i figure the sidewalk snow has a better The vehicle is bright orange. And l'm wearing a tomers can fill out ashort form to shareapositive experience. I j (hang- of melting before that machine shows up, goofy bicycle helmet, And i have an enormous "When a customer takes time to praise an employee. it's l . ()n the other hand. i was particularly pleased to moustache. Any one of these three things is enough always appreciated.” 1 i \(‘l‘ lhc suggestion of allowing on-street parking in to make you stand out. Together. they turn me into I asked Kyle what advice he may have for anyone new to a i i the City during the summer months. something akin to an Oktoberfest Parade float. job in retail. mlust always try your best." he said. ‘Because that's 1 l have often railed against this ridiculous bylaw. But. you don't have to put any gas in it and at what really counts“ 1 i and successive councils. with a variety of different 5'30 a litre. that's easy to take! Yes. Kyle, it really does count. 1 ‘ perwnalities have steadfastly refused to change. We ; are one ofjust a handful of cities with such restric- “° tions. Bn'an Bourke. a memberofthe1063 KOOL FM .. Although some councillors like to disagree, I morning new can be reachedbye-mail at Marshall Wand is a visual ants-rand wrestling reporter _ bbouriaeG’lmolfmwm Eâ€" mail is welcome at mmhalLuwthormaime.