Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Return to the Village

By Pam Hadder

Recently, Wendy j. asked me where I thought things would be headed in the next ten years. Wow! I instantly knew she wasn't talking just about SWJ - she meant humanity and business in the larger sense.

We have seen two years of increasingly tough economic conditions, with the result being a complete re-write of how we define our company and what we must do to be successful! So, I was quiet for several long minutes and, for those of you who know me, I am seldom short of words. After fast-forwarding through significant experiences from the past months, I responded, "I see a return to the village."

As with our team at SWJ, everything we achieve as people is a result of our combined energy and talents. None of us can perform at an acceptable standard of quality and continue to thrive and grow without the support of others or without an exchange of information and ideas.

Humankind is learning, through rather desperate means, that the same holds true for the well-being of our local communities, our national business and trade, and for international relations as well. We are inextricably inter-connected.

So why the return to the village? When my ancestors came to Canada from Europe in the 1880's, they settled on uncleared land in the middle of nowhere. They had to clear the land for agriculture, and they had to grow food on that land not only to make a living, but to feed themselves. They quickly struck up relationships with neighbours, exchanging goods and services, and over time a small community grew. Together, they all moved forward, improving all the while.

Today, we have become much more detached from our neighbours and even our own families. As a society, we live with the consequences: increased crime, widespread anxiety and aggression; increasingly longer hours of work, higher taxation, and higher financial debt. As we move outward from our immediate community relationships to government bodies, distancing trends have resulted in a lack of accountability, inadequate consultation, and patronizing behaviours.

In the villages of yesteryear, when a woman lost her spouse, families nearby would rally to help her feed her young and work her land. Those with goods to spare would share what they had to relieve her burden. Today elaborate social service arrangements attempt (and frequently fail) to fill human needs such as these - our daily papers bear grim testament to their inadequacy.

We need to reconnect as villagers. Self-sufficient family units who do not fear their neighbours, but value and celebrate the strength and value of their interdependence. In the modern village, the basic needs of each citizen are factored in first - food, shelter and their part in the group dynamic. How will the modern village look?

1) Community gardens; green and smart technologies
2) Shared transport and shelter
3) Community schooling and childcare
4) Shared, multi-purpose facilities for community and business
5) Bartering of goods and services
6) Working as needed, versus putting in designated numbers of hours daily
7) All basic needs located in one's local community, within walking distance
8) Community security, requiring each citizen's awareness and involvement
9) Increased green space; less vehicle traffic
10) Increased leisure and recreation time

Friday, December 10, 2010

Fresh Picks - December Edition

We've been dashing through the snow to make sure our clients experience abundant good cheer in the holiday season and beyond! Here are some of the projects we've been working on as we prepare to say "so long!" to 2010!
  • City of Winnipeg Assessment and Taxation - 2012 assessment mail out and display materials, as well as media planning and buying services and print ad design.
  • Jason Topnik, REALTOR® - Award-winning realtors are not born, they are made over time and with proven results! Our team has been enjoying our work with top Manitoba REALTOR® Jason Topnik, including print ad design, thank you card and stationery design, presentation materials, client service support, social media and marketing consultation work. Watch for our great new web site to follow early in 2011!
  • Lakeside Global Grains - it's ready to roll! After much consultation and refinement, the Lakeside Global Grains web site enhancement with content management and user profile applications is live and working wonders for these progressive grain merchants. www.lakesideglobalgrains.ca
  • Manitoba Electrical Museum and Education Centre - SWJ has enjoyed working on the 6th Annual "All That Glows" exhibition of holiday lighting. Our services included the new look for 2010-2011, print ads, and new 1920s and 360 Portage Avenue display graphics! www.hydro.mb.ca/museum
  • Manitoba Hydro - the "Go Underground" program we branded is alive and well! Recent additions were display graphics and print advertising.
  • Mercedes-Benz Winnipeg - T'is the season, and why not do your shopping in a shiny new SLK, GLK or eco-friendly smartfortwo?  We continue to support MBW with print advertising, web maintenance and consultation services. www.mbwinnipeg.ca
  • Schriemer's Home & Garden Showplace - SWJ developed concepts and secured the media for Schriemer's Customer Appreciation Day as well as for the "Everything Green" Christmas campaign. Still need a beautiful live Christmas tree, wreath or poinsettia? Visit Schriemer's Home & Garden Showplace, 1505 Molson, off Lagimodiere at Grassie.
  • TOPIGS Canada - Leading the way in swine genetics, recent work for TOPIGS has included new releases, the "Insider News" newsletter, and every swine producer's favourite - the annual Gestation Calendar! www.topigs.ca

T'is the Season

The holiday season - and all it represents, regardless of your faith or type of celebration - is supposed to be filled with love and peace. However, the anxiety that comes with all the shopping and expectations related to the holidays, can be tremendous. Don't get overwhelmed this year! Stay away from the mall. Keep in from the cold. Don't visit the relatives. There now - doesn't that feel better?

The pressure that we put on ourselves and each other can detract from the joy of the season. Keep it simple if you can. Take pleasure in the little things. And enjoy the company of those you love.

We wish you and yours all the very best for the holidays, and for 2011, good health and sincere happiness.

- Wendy j.

Comfort and Joy

By Pam Hadder

What do you give the person who has it all, who has had it all and/or who has just plain had enough? Individualism reigns, but topping most wish lists right now is the need for more time, closely linked with personal contact and sincerity. But how do you package that?

Recently, I overheard two women talking about their retail shopping forays. The first complained how over-attentive the staff were on her last visit to her favourite book store: "...they were swarming around every corner like locusts and the clerk asked everyone the same series of questions - did you find everything you needed today... blah, blah, blah! I was expecting someone to frisk me at the door!"

Following this, the second woman described how she had been at a trendy chain store and had been "invisible" to the staff working there: "There were ten of them milling around in their cute Santa hats, but they were all too busy talking to each other to notice me... the girl on cash kept me waiting several minutes while she chatted to a friend about her new car!"

This vignette illustrates the conundrum faced by companies who offer services - the solutions may seem simplistic at first glance, but in actuality they require highly individualized approaches to address complex cultural and regional preferences. And, there is the fine line that must be walked between over-attention and inattention! 

No, you can't please them all, but you need to be attuned to generalities of experience. Want to monitor the pulse of your customers but aren't sure where to begin? We can help you put the comfort and joy back in both your customer's and your daily experiences.