Read one Irish entrepreneur's blog as she operates a business in Dublin
eircom Broadband Woes
March 31, 2005
I felt like I was getting my Leaving Cert results all over again this morning on the phone to eircom.
I recently discovered to my horror that my new abode wasn't capable of having broadband - this is something that all new home buyers should consider before paying over the money. Rather than simply accept the eircom party line (sub text: you are a customer we can't help you), I pursued it and have successfully had a new line installed. That was a 10 day wait.
Then I had to wait 3 more days for my new line to be on their system. Once that was done, I had to apply for a test on my new line to see if it was capable of carrying broadband. 10 more days later (working days mind you, and remember we've had St Patricks and Easter to contend with) and today was the day....
I rang, was on hold for a mere 17 minutes, gave my details and waited to see if my line had indeed passed. There was a bit of a delay, I coughed nervously, I really felt like I was getting my Leaving Cert results over the phone. The implications for my business if I couldn't have broadband would be serious. My future would be at stake...
"Congratulations Miss Lyons, you have been successful."
Relief flooded through my system, my nervous tummy did a mini-flip. Thank God.
With that, I began to give my details in order to place the order for the broadband itself. When I said I was a Mac user, there was a bit of a problem. Put on hold. Then they came back and said I couldn't have broadband. I said NO, that is not true, go and ask your supervisor.
I'd love to see the eircom training manual - is it policy to state categorically that something is not possible if you don't understand it?
Supervisor confirmed that Macs are able to take broadband, I was given a date, and now all I have to do is wait another 2 weeks....Actually it's more like a pregnancy test - I was successful and now I have a long wait!
Meanwhile I have taken up almost permanent residence in The Morrison Hotel which I love because the coffee is good, the home-baked biscuits are addictive, staff are friendly and they give free wireless broadband!!
IT Are A Different Breed
March 29, 2005
I'm not saying they're all aliens, but I am positing the theory that they're definitely a bit different.
Over the past few weeks, I've had the joy of working closely with rather a lot of IT people. I've even started socialising with some too, but those ones claim to be more 'business focussed.' They shun the IT title like it's some form of contagious disease or something.
People who don't understand what I do often think that I'm 'real technical'. No I'm not. I'm 'real marketing' and that means I'm good with words and getting in the minds of target customers - oh and taking ownership and responsiblity for things that I do.
IT people, on the other hand, like to keep us all mystified as to how they do. And they're not that into taking responsiblity for things. No. That's because usually in a project there's a whole lot of their type involved and that makes it easy to pass the ownership load along the way. I know this because I came up against it time and again in my corporate days and because I'm faced with it now again. When you're working in a large organisation, you get the IT team shuffle. "That's not our area, you need to ring the helpdesk, log a ticket and ask them to get someone from XYZ team down to you."
When you're in a small business, you get the same thing, only with different companies involved. So there's one IT company doing one thing, another providing another service, and still 1 other offering another IT service. This is maddening when something goes wrong, because there are 3 entities to pass on the ownership to.
The above is a toned down version of a rant that really wasn't all that fair to IT people and was also classifying them as cliches, which is wrong. God, using cliches shows a lack of creativity that that's the last thing I want to show here!
Post St Patricks Day
March 18, 2005
It was very quiet this morning. Only a handful of us on our way to work. The rest of the city was fast asleep. Yesterday was a beautiful blue skied Saint Patrick's Day, not so unusual anymore thanks to global warming. The people of Dublin were out in their thousands on the streets to see the parade as it passed from the north side of the city for the very first time.
It all sounds great until you realise that Easter is looming just around the corner! This means 3 short weeks in a row. For the small business this means hard yakka - as everyone wants everything yesterday when there's a short week to be had.
So if that passes as an acceptable excuse for this relatively short entry, so be it!
Quality of Living Index
March 10, 2005
At last! I found the report that puts us Dubliners up in number 1 position for quality of life. I've been quoting this report left right and centre but haven't had a chance to properly peruse the results - until now.
Found this on the IDA site today: Ireland best in the world for quality-of-life, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) for its The World in 2005 index report. Ireland comfortably tops the league out of 111 countries. Ireland wins because it successfully combines desirable elements such as having the fourth highest GDP per head in the world in 2005, low unemployment, political liberties, stable family and high community standards.
My take on that is that Dublin is the best place to live because it is still the most friendly city around. The 'all back to mine' culture is alive and kicking, and sure you only have to take a taxi to get a taste of the genuine nature of the true Dub. As well as that, you don't have to put in the long hours that are expected in most world class cities. 14 hour days are a rarity for most. In cities like London and New York, they're a given if you want to move up the corporate ladder.
That said, the serious attitude to fun can be a bit tiresome sometimes. Like next week - Wed is out for getting stuff done as most people will be having long lunches. Thursday is St Patricks Day, national day of celebrating the removal of snakes from our island. And Friday is the Day After. Most people will take that day off, or will be taking it easy in the workplace. So it's a 2 day week when the workload should be dictating a 12 day one.
Cheap Contacts
March 03, 2005
No, not referring to low class people I've met recently of which there are, admittedly, some! It's to do with ordering contact lens' online. I had been making my orders from a contact lens co that I don't want to name because there is nothing wrong with their service....I've just switched though to a very unexpected source - VHI.
VHI have a nifty online shop which is being marketed very well using pay per click on Google. That's where I found it. The order process works well, remember you have to get your prescription in to them, they've got that well covered. And the prices are rock bottom. I even checked a US supplier and VHI beats them on price.
So if you're a contact lens wearer like myself, go to VHI. You don't even have to be a member.