

July
15, 2008
Today
we released our first, highly anticipated Green Catalogue.
It's printed on 100% recycled paper with soy inks, of course. This
catalogue showcases our commitment and strength in the recycled
products category. We packed over 2300 items inside, along with
lots of "Eco Tips" and other useful information on the
whos, whats, and whys of this fast changing segment.
We'll be adding the catalogue to orders, and our fantastic account
managers will discuss the new catalogues with our customers. Please
have a look when you get one, or log onto our website and order
a catalogue right now.
All the items in the new Green Catalogue have a suggested price,
and then we put a line thru the price. The reason is, we have discounted
and will continue to discount the prices in the catalogue, so we
did not want to commit to prices that could be too high, and scare
off our customers from trying recycled products. Usually the cost
for a recycled product is about the same as a non recycled product
nowadays! Have a look online for up to the minute prices. More product
keeps arriving in our warehouse every day.
We also launched our new mini website, Costless
Cares, that tells about all things ECO in our business. Have
a look, Erin our designer did a fantastic job.
Thanks for supporting the environment.
Calvin

July
3, 2008
"Girl POWER!" was the call I heard from the warehouse
today. I had just announced we were hiring another addition to our
purchasing department - Marcia who will start August 18.
Alecia is the gal who runs our daytime warehouse operations and
she had shouted "Girl Power" because - as she pointed
out - there were all girls in the warehouse and purchasing!
During the day, Alecia, Sharon, Tina and Chrissy run a tight ship
in the warehouse receiving and stocking, while Sandy, Wendy and
Marcia will run the purchasing and vendor operations in the back
office.
The warehouse is always spotless and organized. Great job girls!!!
Calvin

June
25 , 2008
Some
of you who know the history of Costless Express will know I actually
started the company delivering furniture and appliances for Costco
Wholesale. After ten years and 30,000 home deliveries later, I turned
Costless Express into the Internet and Catalogue retailer we are
today.
We actually stopped delivering Costco furniture for several years,
until recently, when we were approached to start back up the program
for their new downtown warehouse. I decided it was best to keep
the new service separate from our current business model, so a new
company — Costless ToGo — was created. A sign was placed
in the warehouse ,and brochures were printed and voilà,
we were back in the home delivery business.
This week we have added 4 more warehouses onto the service, and
Costco has been very pleased with the results. They are a sharp
organization and see where the service has benefited their sales.
Members spend more in store when there is a way to have large items
delivered. Even when there is a fee, members know they are still
saving over shopping at another store.
Costless ToGo will deliver over $2,700,000 in merchandise this year
in the Lower Mainland, sales that Costco may have missed out on
if there were no delivery service.
I want to pay a big thank you to Vicky Johnson, our inside Costless
ToGo manager, and Tal, our newest Home Delivery Driver.
Great Job!!
Calvin

June
20 , 2008
Right
on the heels of some World Famous Pike Place Market service during
my Seattle trip, I was quite taken aback by some poor service at
Nordstrom's.
Nordstrom's has been known as the pinnacle of customer service in
the retail industry for decades, so when my wife wanted to pop in
to the store, I was all ears, looking to be blown away. You see,
for many years, new employees were given a copy of the famous Nordstrom's
Employee Handbook -- a single 5 x 8 inch grey card containing 75
words.
WELCOME TO NORDSTROM
We're glad to have you with our Company. Our number one
goal is to provide outstanding customer service. Set both
your personal and professional goals high. We have great confidence
in your ability to achieve them.
Nordstrom Rules: Rule #1: Use good judgment in
all situations. There will be no additional rules.
Please feel free to ask your department manager, store
manager, or division general manager any question at any time. |
WOW! I couldn't wait to see Nordstrom's spectacular service.
My wife shopped around, and in short order found something to purchase.
She had been given a Nordstrom gift card and was finally able to
use it, since there were no stores in Canada. Unfortunately, while
making a purchase using the gift card, the teller accidentally blanked
out the balance on the card, and it was now reading as empty. The
teller was not sure what happened, and we assumed there possibly
was no actual amount on the card. We left the store disappointed
the card did not work. As we went back to our hotel, I called the
support 1-800 number on the back of the card and the customer service
person assured me the money WAS on the card and had been debited
to the store. So we now had no purchase, and they had our money.
This is where the service fell apart. The phone operator said I
needed to go back to the store and explain the issue - she could
not help me. I called the store and spoke to the manager who assured
me they would look into it and call back the next day. 3 times people
at Nordstrom called - once from the "Data Center" in Colorado
- to let me know they were looking into it. After a day of wasted
time and cell charges, the manager offered to mail me a new card
in 5-7 days once they were sure the money cleared their system -
whatever that meant.
Humm, how hard can this be? We just wanted our money back on the
card, so we could spend it while we were in Seattle. I decided to
stick to my guns, and after complaining to manager after manager,
I finally reached someone who was able to make a decision. At this
stage, I wanted cash back, and no more gift cards. The manager agreed,
and asked us to come over to the store. We said we would be there
at a certain time, but when we arrived... she was on a 1 hour lunch!
In the end, we received our cash from the gift card, and walked
over to Banana Republic and spent it. Tough luck this time, Nordstrom.
Time to take some customer service lessons from the small shops
in Pike Place Market! (Read my June 19th entry
below)
Calvin

June
19 , 2008
Today,
Friday and Saturday, I am in Seattle. I drove down with my wife
for a meeting with Starbucks, and I decided to stay for a few days
extra.
Costless has been a Preferred Starbucks supplier for many years,
and strong supporters of the brand. While in town for the meeting,
we had to stop by the First Starbucks store near Pike Place Market.
As we walked close - there it was, complete with its original logo
of the bare-breasted mermaid. Starbucks changed the logo from brown
to green and went with a PG mermaid when the company began to grow.
Amazingly, the store was jam packed, with customers spilling out
into the street. A jazz band was blasting away right out front on
the sidewalk.
I
love visiting Pike
Place Market for another reason, and if you have never been
there, it's truly a world in itself for the best of the best in
retailing.
I'm sure you've heard of the World Famous Pike Place Fish Market,
where the guys toss the fish to each other. It was another location
where people packed in just to see the show and take pictures with
the staff and some giant fish or crab. How did a bunch of fish mongers
become so famous?
John Yokoyama purchased Pike Place Fish in 1965. At that time, John
was one of several employees of the quiet, unassuming little fish
stand. After numerous unsuccessful attempts to sell the business,
John’s employer offered him the opportunity to purchase Pike
Place Fish. As a young man of 25, John was at first hesitant to
buy the business.
The first step was for them at Pike Place Fish was to decide who
we wanted to be. In the words of John Yokoyama: “In one of
our early Pike Place Fish meetings with Jim (our coach from bizFutures),
we began an inquiry into "Who do we want to be? We wanted to
create a new future for ourselves. One of the young kids working
for John said, “Hey! Let's be World Famous!” At first
he thought, “World Famous…what a stupid thing to say!”
But the more they talked about it, the more they all got excited
about being World Famous. So they committed to it. They added “World
Famous” to their logo and had it printed on the shipping boxes.
Amazing how things turned out!
I've seen John and some of his staff do an inspirational talk about
their company at a conference a few years bac,k and I have to say
they are a true inspiration to me. I have a World Famous Pike Place
baseball hat in my office that brings me great confidence and inspiration.
If you have time in Seattle it is a must see as are all the retailers
in the market. The "game" has really been set at a new
level.
Before I wrap up I must give mention to a fruit stand not far from
Pike Fish. They too are world class in my books! You can't step
foot in their store, because all the staff is right out front waving
you over to sample their fruit. "Hey you, check out these Fuji
Apples, just picked yesterday! Have a slice! You ever tasted anything
so juicy?" The staff just carve off samples with a small knife,
and pass out the best fruit you have ever tasted. If you want to
buy something, they insist on running in the store and bringing
it back to you. Although the front of the store is jammed, nobody
is moving, they are either sampling and or buying. The energy is
awesome! There is no way I can walk past without buying some fruit.
OK, I also love the way the guys in the Magic Shop and the Bookstore
on the second floor go to market. So grab a coffee from the original
Starbucks, and head over to Pike Place Market for some World Famous
retailing the next time you visit Seattle.
Calvin

June
11 , 2008
Staples
buys Corporate Express.
The "paper clip wars" was what Wall Street called it.
How
does this affect Costless Express? After running this company for
almost 20 years, I can tell you, it's great news!
Whenever a large competitor makes massive changes in their organization,
our company grows in market share. We pick up new customers, and
also add new employees that find themselves squeezed out during
the merger. Also, the cost of our products usually go down
in price. Really!
Here's why. It is expected that there will be significant vendor
rationalization with the two companies, which could leave some vendors
badly needing the business from the independent channel. I will
be assessing the vendor strengths with Staples and Corporate Express,
and will be actively approaching the "fall out" vendors.
What does this merger mean for you, the customer? It shows you
are very smart to have chosen Costless as your supplier. No drama,
just consistent fantastic customer service, and products at the
lowest prices. We beat Staples prices, day in and out. If you didn't
know about our price guarantee, then ask your sales rep to do a
cost comparison. You'll be amazed at our catalogue prices vs. Staples.
Click here to see a few comparisons we've done:
Here's one
for Customer M.
Here's one for Customer R.
Fun Fact: Every time we steal a Staples customer,
we run over and whack the Staples Button: "THAT WAS EASY!"
It sure was :-)
Click the link below to read the full story:
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/06/12/ap5107876.html?partner=alerts

May
29, 2008
What
a weekend!
It was a busy time at the BC
Children's Hospital Miracle Weekend. The end total raised was
an amazing $15,607,607.
The
show on Global TV Saturday night started out with the presentation
of our Retail and Wholesale cheque. It was great television, as
Steve Darling rode on the side board of one of our Costless Express
Trucks wearing a super hero cape as we drove into camera view (that's
me driving).
On
the side of the truck was a huge cheque for $3,527,022!
This
money was raised through out the year from all sorts of fund raising
efforts. The main supporters included Costco, Overwaitea Food Group,
Thrifty Foods, Best Buy and more.
My other highlight was sitting on the Miracle Maker phone panel
and raising money on live TV. This was my second year, and it was
a privilege to be hand-picked to raise money for the hospital. Sitting
on the panel was my friend Robin Ross from Costco, Glen Antonuk
from Sleep Country, and others. We really had a great time, and
raised some good money towards the weekend's total.
It was an amazing experience to see the effort and coordination
from everyone to pull off this incredible event.
Watch
for some fun things Costless will be doing over the next year to
raise money for the (NEW!!!) Hospital.
Calvin

May
29, 2008
I
received a call today from a dear friend. He was in jail!
His name is Robin Ross from Costco Wholesale, and his crimes are
being too aggressive with his wit and silver tongue.
Actually Robin was at the Port Coquitlam Costco, locked up in a
makeshift jail until he raised $4,000 for BC Children's Hospital.
I have known Robin for years, and when he rang me to come bail
him out, I couldn't resist stopping in to see Robin actually standing
still for any period of time. He recently was promoted to the Costco
head office in Issaquah, Washington to run something important for
the corporation, we're still not too sure what. We just know that
when you fly on the Costco jet with the CEO, then you must be important.
Robin was the one who invited me to sit on the Retail Wholesale
Council for BC Children's Hospital, and I am grateful for the opportunity.
He was in town for the big Miracle Weekend fund raiser that the
hospital and Global TV put on each year.
Although we email each other, it was great seeing Robin in person
again. I offered him a choice of a Costco hot dog, or a nice donation
to bail him out. He choose well, and met his goal.
All the best!
Calvin

May
23, 2008
Recently
we sent out 55,000 flyers to businesses in the lower mainland.
I'm happy to say the response has been exceptional, with over 190
new customers in the past few weeks. Welcome to all!
Our staff does a fantastic job of tracking all sorts of statistics
in our business, and I wanted to know the main reason customers
were joining Costless Express. All new customers to us come from
a competitor, since businesses will always buy office supplies.
It is just a question of from whom do the buy from.
During a brief meeting, my sales staff explained there were several
factors as to why customers switch to Costless Express. Factors
such as our environmental position as Carbon Neutral, being local
and BC owned for 18 years and more. But the number one factor, unanimously,
was our prices. Customers love our low prices. But there was more.
It was us showing them proof they will save money in a cost comparison
that the new customers enjoyed the most.
When
a customer switches suppliers, they want to know they made the right
decision, so we have a program where we will take a customers top
10 items they have been purchasing from their current supplier,
and match them up with our Costless prices. We show them how much
they will save, and offer alternative items to save them even more.
We also give the customer a free one pound bag of Starbucks Coffee
as a thank you for their time.
Once we show customers our prices and they get to experience our
fantastic customer service, I see why we have so many new customers.
Thanks so much to all our old and new customers, we promise to never
take your business for granted.
Regards,
Calvin

May
14, 2008
We
try hard to differentiate ourselves from our impersonal big box
competition. How we do that is with long lasting real life relationships
with our customers. Customers get to know us, and we get to know
them over years of service. Some customers we have had for 18 years!
We get to know the names of their children, their pets and their
personal ordering preferences. I love seeing our sales people read
their caller ID on their phone and answer the call with the customer's
name. Thats a relationship!
Kathie, our call center manager, recently shared this lovely poem
from one of her customers. The customer was leaving her company
for other opportunities, and wanted to show her gratatude for the
years of wonderful service Kathie and Costless had provided. Kathie
welled up with tears, if I recall, from the emotion. To understand
the last line, Kathie had sent over a giant cake on the customer's
last day to say farewell.
Here
it is:
On My Last Day
What can I say?
It is my last day.
It has been almost two years,
I really have to shed tears.
My colleagues and friends
who have helped me along the way,
You will never be forgotten,
This is a promise that I make.
For it has been a pleasure working with you,
It's truly inspiring;
It seems I have been working hard and felt down and yet
others are still very caring.
And now as I move on, I wish you all well.
What an unforgettable experience, in my heart this will dwell.
I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart.....
And hope that this is not the end, but just the start.......
Good luck! (THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE CAKE!!!)
Jenny

May
8, 2008
If
you have ever received a letter from a lawyer, you know whatever's
in the envelope is probably not good.
Recently, we received a letter from a lawyer representing Starbucks
Coffee. Of concern was how we used the Starbucks logo. I was quite
perplexed, since we have been a Starbucks Preferred Supplier for
10 years, and never had a problem. I worked with the lawyer, and
we agreed on how the logo can and cannot be used. I received a nice
response from Starbucks that they were now a happy corporation,
and can continue their quest for global domination of every street
corner. (I hope I don't get a letter for that!)
Something still didn't sit right with me about why Starbucks' lawyers
came calling. I made some calls throughout the coffee industry,
and found the reason. One that made me so proud to own Costless
Express!
It seems there are several of our office coffee competitors who
called and complained to Starbucks that we sell our coffee "too
cheap" and this makes them look bad. Hey, its true; We sell
our case of Starbucks Coffee for as low as $49.99, while my competition
charges $69.99 (up to $79.99!) per case for the same thing. I guess
the only way to get to us was by complaining about our use of the
logo.
Well, it didn't work. I'm glad to say Costless still has the lowest
price on Starbucks in town. I think I'll put it on sale for $45.99
soon. Keep an eye out!
Having fun and saving customers money, one cup at a time :-)
Calvin

May
1, 2008
During
my research on water bottles for the April 27th Calvin's Corner
I found some interesting ECO info on the bottles. Consumers seem
to feel torn that these bottles are bad for the environment. Here
is some stats to help "quench your thirst" for knowledge.
- Did
you know? A water bottle may become your new living room carpet...
or it may keep you warm as your new coat or sleeping bag on your
next camping trip.... PET bottles are easily recycled into many
polyester based products...
- Bottled
Water is an environmentally friendly product in British Columbia
and Alberta for two reasons; There is a recycling system that
has kept up with consumer demands, and that system has a proven
track record of keeping used beverage containers out of the landfills
by supplying post consumer plastics to manufacturers that make
non-food-related products, like carpet or polyester fibers for
clothing. Recycled plastic containers further reduce the demand
for new petroleum based resins.
- In
2006 in BC, 813 million non-alcohol plastic beverage containers
were returned to recycling depots last year, 72% of the total
containers distributed. Alternative recycling systems including
curbside blue box and office recycling programs could increase
that number closer to 90%.
- Beverage
Container Stewardship Program awareness campaigns continue to
improve the recovery rates. (In some US markets it is estimated
that fewer than 15% of plastic beverage containers are recycled
...boooooo!)
KEEP
ON RECYCLING!
Calvin

April
27, 2008
Sunday,
and here I am in Denver waiting for my connecting flight from Dallas,
Texas to Vancouver. Sandy, Darrin and I were at a conference on
our company software. I was sipping a bottle of water, and started
thinking about the recent news on the chemical BPA that is found
in some plastics. Was this one of the unhealthy bottles? What is
the story here, and how does it effect our customers?
I'm sure you have all seen the news about BPA and how some retailers
like The Bay and Mountain Equipment Co-Op have removed product from
their shelves. What I have found is there is ample evidence that
North American human exposure levels are approximately 100,000 times
below (TDI) Tolerable Daily Intake levels established by various
authorities. The big news recently is the
announcement by Health Canada that they are ready to become
the first jurisdiction to take the unprecedented step of listing
BPA as a "dangerous substance".
At Costless Express we sell over 3,000,000 recyclable containers,
and many are plastic water bottles. I am happy to report that plastic
water bottles are not made with BPA. Feel safe and chug away. It
does raise a concern for me though. What is on the list of nasty
things we are consuming that is on Health Canada's Tolerable Daily
Intake list?
Calvin

April
23, 2008
You
will soon see one of our "Healthy
Planet, Healthy Office" flyers in the mail over the next
few weeks. We sent one to over 55,000 businesses in Vancouver.
Our
flyer has 16 pages of eco and healthy products, such as recycled
paper, eco-friendly cleaners, and tasty, healthy juices and fresh
fruits. All the flyer products are found in our large catalogue,
but I think customers like seeing what we offer that is healthy
and eco-friendly.
The
highlight for me has to be the back cover of the flyer. It shows
a neat diagram of why Costless is the eco-friendly choice for ordering
office supplies. Thanks to Erin, our graphic designer, for a very
engaging diagram. Erin, you always do great work! Respect!
Calvin

April
22 , 2008
Happy
Earth Day Savings!
I
wanted to celebrate Costless Express going Carbon Neutral, so we
held a super sale on a few recycled products for our customers.
I
lowered our 30%
recycled paper from a great price of $39.99 per case to an incredible
$29.99 per case. Our recycled
single fold towel went from $29.99 to a crazy price of $19.99.
I
wanted to spotlight a few recycled items and have customers try
something new, and think about recycled products as an alternative.
We sell over 2500 recycled products, so have a look in our catalogue,
or call your fantastic account manager.
I
hope you took advantage of our sale!
Calvin

April
22 , 2008
Happy
Earth Day!
Earlier
this year, our company set a very lofty goal of being Canada's first
carbon neutral office supplier. Today on Earth Day, we met that
goal! Costless Express is now a Carbon Neutral Company.
Darrin
and I attended our final Ecotrust Canada workshop and purchased
our first carbon offsets. Costless Express will continue to lower
its CO2 emissions each year, and our goal over the next
12 months is to remove 40 tonnes from our carbon footprint.
I
wanted to spotlight Alison Cretney, Magdalena Szpala and Michelle
Bonner at EcoTrust
Canada. They were exceptional, supportive, educational and very
professional in how they ran the workshop.
Calvin

April
20, 2008
After
visiting the EPIC show today I met up with my great friend Peter
Frost. If you recall in my November
12th entry, it was Peter who really kick-started my interest
in becoming environmentally aware.
Peter had just landed in Vancouver from London, and we met up for
dinner to catch up. Peter is internationally known for his forward
insight of the Office Products industry, and does public speaking
on topics such as marketing to women in business, competing against
the big box retailers, and most notably, his experience on all things
Eco and Green.
We had a great dinner at Morton's Chop House downtown (fantastic
service, but that's another story) and Peter filled me in on where
the industry is heading. He says it was a real tipping point year
for Eco awareness in business all over the globe, but was specifically
impressed with the knowledge and commitment Canadian businesses
have continued to show. We discussed Costless Express going Carbon
Neutral on Earth Day at the graduation of our EcoTrust 3 month workshop
on Carbon Neutral companies. He had not heard of another Canadian
Office Supply company being Carbon Neutral - so we could be the
leader.
By desert and coffee I had all the motivation needed to complete
our process and become the First Carbon Neutral Office Supply Company
in Canada!
Peter, you owe me dinner next time.
Cheers
Calvin

March
19 , 2008
Today
I went to see George Metrakos, the executive director of United
We Can. His organization is well known on the downtown east
side for all sorts of programs to assist people in the area who
are challenged with numerous obstacles. He operates a bicycle repair
shop, a computer shop, a house plant rescue center, and one of the
busiest Encorp Recycling Centers in Vancouver. The goal at United
We Can is to create jobs and skills for those who want to have an
opportunity to get clean and a reason to get up and show up.
I came across George because of a fantastic new program he has started.
Its called UBU, short for Urban
Binning Unit. What is an UBU? Its a mobile cart custom designed
to collect recyclable containers. He works with "Binners",
people who make a living collecting recyclable containers from trash
bins, and turns it into a reputable business opportunity to connect
the Binner and corporate customers. He has taken digging in trash
cans and using shopping carts into a sustainable, modern, eco friendly,
business opportunity.
Here's how it all works. All a "Binner" needs to do is
show up at United We Can's office in the morning and sign out a
UBU cart. George will give them a route of predetermined companies
who have stored recycled containers for a scheduled pick up. The
Binner will then walk or attach the UBU to their bicycle and make
their rounds collecting throughout the downtown area and as far
away as Broadway. When their UBU is full, they return to the United
We Can recycling depot and sort their cargo. Each UBU Binner is
dressed in a sharp uniform and visibly shows a ID badge identifying
himself.
Each Binner can make money from the recycling refunds, and as well,
United We Can pays the Binners by the hour. It was a great project
to see in action and a very clever way to connect the downtown east
side with the corporate side of Vancouver. The SFU Psychology class
has been so impressed with the project that each day one or two
students accompany the UBU collectors on their routes to assist
and immerse themselves in the lives and stories of the Binners.
It seems a natural fit for Costless Express to support George and
the UBU project. We sell over 3,000,000 recycled containers per
year and a portion are delivered to downtown customers in George's
area. I thought we could help set up some customers to have scheduled
UBU pick ups. I will continue to work with George to roll out the
program from the current 10 UBU's to a target of over 40 UBUs.
Great work George, and all the staff at United We Can!
Calvin

March
12 , 2008
Yesterday
Darrin and myself attended our first of three workshops hosted by
EcoTrust Canada. The course is three months long, and we meet once
each month to learn how to measure our carbon footprint and reduce
our footprint.
Surprisingly, there were only 10 companies in the workshop. But
in the end the smaller group worked well, as we all had tons of
questions. The EcoTrust staff was well prepared, with a fast paced
agenda, a catered lunch, and a guest speaker from the past workshop
- King Pacific Lodge. We all rolled up our sleeves and immediately
began drawing out our own company's "Emissions Scope Map".
From there, we learned what Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions were, and
what emissions were directly controllable by our company. As you
see, we were not the greatest artists.
We
left with homework on measuring our carbon emissions, and we are
to collect the data and enter it into the EcoTrust calculator to
determine the amount of tons of CO2 our company is emitting
per year.
Over the next month we will look at our trucks, gas and electricity,
and even how our staff commute to work. Darrin and I both felt the
workshop was well done, and we look forward to the challenge of
measuring our footprint.
Calvin

March
2, 2008
Today
is the last day of the Vancouver
Green Living Show.
The Green Living Show is Vancouver's premier consumer show dedicated
to all things green. Information...Innovation....Inspiration...everything
you need to green up your life is right here, under one roof!
It
was a last minute decision for us to have a booth in the show. Kudos
to our staff for pulling together on such short notice. Our booth
theme focused on 100% recycled copy paper. We had over 40 paper
boxes at the show and every single one came back empty. We sold
a single ream for $5.00, and 3 reams for $10.00. Our booth was very
popular, as people commented having a tough time locating quality
100% recycled paper. Our paper is also Green-E Certified, which
means the actual mill the paper is made runs on clean energy. Something
that did not go unnoticed on the crowds.
In
our booth we also showcased some of our over 2500 recycled office
supplies, cleaning products and janitorial paper supplies. I had
several new potential customers comment that they were specifically
at the show looking for a single source supplier who had recycled
products. All in all the show was a bit long, spread out over three
full days so the crowds were fairly soft in the evenings but the
quality of attendees was exceptional, well educated and environmentally
conscious.
Sometimes
it's quality not quantity, and that was the case for Vancouver's
first Green Living Show.
Calvin

March
1, 2008
Time
for our Staff Christmas Party!
Today
was a busy day, juggling the Green Living Show and our annual staff
Christmas Party. We traditionally have our Christmas party in late
February for a few reasons. First, we decided there are too many
parties and people are too busy in December. Second, February does
not have a stat holiday, and can be quite the dreary month. Finally,
our suppliers usually are able to donate better prizes for our staff
games in February. Most suppliers are flooded with prize requests
at Christmas from their customers. Our staff loves the timing of
our party and looks forward to it every year.
I
wanted to tell you about our yearly "IRON MAN AWARDS"
we have during the staff party. Here is how it works. Any staff
member who does not call in sick once for the full year wins Ironman!
The prize is a plaque and $100.00. Any staff who can make it two
years in a row receive $200.00 and if they go three or more it jumps
to $400!
I
was pleased to hand out 5 Ironman Awards tonight. Two were for $400!
The
party was full games with memorable prizes like helicopter flights,
airline flights, golf bags, kitchen appliances, movie tickets and
the always present golf balls and golf shirts.
Special
thanks to our staff for juggling time between the Green Living Show
and preparing the party. Well done and very memorable! All I can
take credit for is paying the bill.
Calvin

February
21, 2008
Today,
I went to a meeting at one of the school districts we sell supplies
to. Over 30 schools attended, and the main topic was healthy foods.
Costless Express was invited to show what new healthy snacks and
beverages were available for the schools to sell in replacement
of the current fare.
This school season is the last for any products that don't meet
the new, strict Government health guidelines. I have been closely
working with our suppliers and schools to stay aware of the newest
products that will meet the requirements. Today was a chance to
show what will be available for next year, and actually what is
available right now.
We brought in a sampling of our overall selection, and let the teachers
sample everything. Some were surprised that items such as potato
chips (baked not fried) and pudding cups (made with skim milk) met
the guidelines. One of my personal favourites was soon a teacher
favourite too - the Fresh Cut Apples and Baby Carrot individual
packs. A great way to get fruit and veggies into kids' hands! The
teachers seem to be adapting, and it looks like the start of the
2008 school year will be full of healthy alternatives. But, will
the kids buy them? Or will they walk off school grounds and head
over to the closest corner store for their candy fix? Only time
will tell.
Calvin

February
15, 2008
I
saw a funny thing our sales staff did today.
Our staff take great care and pride to ensure every order is perfect.
BUT... sometimes things dont always go as planned, and every now
and then, they need to do a little apologizing and grovelling to
the customer.
The story goes like this: A great customer had ordered some office
chairs and one thing after another went wrong. The typical Murphy's
Law kicked in with - "if it could go wrong, it did."
The
customer received half their order, late and broken. We used a courier
instead of our own driver, and that was where things went down hill.
The customer was not thrilled, nor was our account manager. In the
end, it was all sorted out and the customer was happy, but our sales
department wanted to let the customer know we are much better than
that. Sales felt the service the customer received "really
sucked". This is where they really got creative.
In
our office was a 10 pound giant Chupa Chup Sucker a supplier gave
us as a gift. The sales department took the sucker, made up a card
that said "Sorry Our Service Sucked!". Then proceeded
to get our entire company to sign the card while explaining what
had happened to this customer and the service we did not deliver.
By the time the card was signed, all our staff knew what the problems
were and how to circumvent them in the future.
The sucker and card were sent to the customer. Needless to say they
were surprised and had a good laugh. Great job staff for thinking
outside the box!
Looks like we "licked" the problem! (couldn't resist)
Calvin

February
8, 2008
After
meeting Robert Safrata from Novex on January 28th, I reviewed all
my notes from the meeting. He was a wealth of information about
all things ECO. I am very dedicated to changing Costless Express
to a Carbon Neutral Company.
One
group I decided to contact from my notes was EcoTrust
Canada. Michelle Bonner, Project Planner was very informative
about their services. One such service that caught my attention
was a innovative new program to help small- and medium-sized businesses
shrink their carbon footprint. Ecotrust Canada, in partnership with
The Pembina Institute, the David Suzuki Foundation and corporate
sponsors,is offering The Carbon Neutral Workgroup for Small Business
will help companies calculate and reduce their greenhouse gas (CO
2 ) emissions. Companies participating in the Carbon Neutral Workgroup
will identify cost-effective ways to reduce their carbon emissions.
By helping to save the planet, participants will be saving themselves
money too says Ian Gill, President of Ecotrust Canada .
The
three month workgroup was a very reasonable $1000 so I signed up
Costless Express. To my surprise, only 12 companies have actually
completed the Workgroup and interest was still quite low. I'm sure
that will change as word spreads about their reasonable and quality
services.
I'll post another update after our first session on March 11th,
2008.
Calvin

January
30, 2008
Blizzard
2008!
Hey,
its just snow! Ok, ok..... no jokes, this snow really does effect
our staff and customers. Instead of writing a sob story here, I
wanted to write about the BIG KUDOS we give in our daily staff huddles.
Over the past two days, everyone has been handing out BIG KUDOS
left right and center to other staff, and my note book has a full
page of above and beyond staff! Here they are:
-
Kudos to Kathie in sales, who was first in on the 29th at 7am
and held down the entire call center till 8:15 when Cindy came
in (Kudos, brave Cindy too). Kathie said "Snow..no problemo,
my Honda rules!"
-
Kudos to Mohamed, one of our downtown drivers. Showed up at 7am,
loaded his truck and was gone 2 hours before the next of our drivers
rolled in. He also finished all his deliveries - truly amazing!
-
Kudos to Bill in purchasing. Since both our daytime receivers
did not make it in, as well as Sandy in purchasing, Bill somehow
managed to juggle all the purchasing and receiving shipments in
the warehouse. Bill did the work of 4 people that day! We're not
worthy!!!!!
-
Kudos to Kart, our evening receiver. Kart was left with a whole
warehouse of incoming shipments that were not put away. He was
able to stock and create space for the night shift, as well as
do his regular duties!
-
Kudos to Chrissy, who picks up all afternoon and evening from
our suppliers. In a past life, she drove a tow truck. Her comment:"
Snow, that's nothing......busy day, gotta go!"
-
Kudos to Wendy in accounting. She brought in a shovel and cleared
the front walkway. When asked why she was doing it, she said "I
know the guys are clearing snow out back for trucks, but I want
to be sure the mailman brings me my money!" Ahhh, just how
our accounting department should be - double kudos!
-
Kudos to the night shift guys. They start at 9:30pm and leave
at 6am. Not a complaint, not a peep, just the same great work.
And
a general all round kudos to the remaining staff and customers.
Thanks for making BLIZZARD 2008 one for the books!
Calvin

January
28 , 2008
Today
I met with Robert Safrata, the CEO of NOVEX Couriers. Robert has
been the high energy driving force behind the ongoing success of
this famous Eco friendly company. Robert has met with the Premier
(off to a meeting again tonight), done public speaking to thousands,
and has been trained by Al Gore. I knew this meeting would be informative,
and help Costless Express improve on our Eco initiative we have
embarked on for 2008.
Robert and one of his managers, Andrew Kronquist, gave me a tour
of their facility, followed by a very informative boardroom session.
I could see right away that Novex was a responsible company, run
by some very intelligent people. Their "triple bottom line"
philosophy (People, Planet, Profits), recycling, composting and
electric vehicles had me writing notes. Great stuff!
During the meeting, I bounced lots of unanswered questions I had
built up over the past few months. Robert and Andrew had lots of
answers, and I felt reassured that the things we were doing were
the right things.
I left the meeting with some clear direction, new contacts and a
knowing that although we are doing all the right stuff, there is
an almost limitless amount more we could be doing as a company as
individuals and as a planet. The great news is, these past few years
feel like a real tipping point in environmental awareness. If our
little company can make big changes, what are the big companies
like Staples, Grand & Toy, and Corporate Express doing? I hope
it's a thousand times as much!
Calvin

January
18 , 2008

Today
is the first annual Corporate KIDSPORT DAY!
Sport
BC sold wristbands for $2.00 that allows you to wear your favorite
sports gear to work. All proceeds go to KidSport Charity.
At
Costless Express we are a pretty crazy bunch already, so a chance
to dress up was right up our alley. There were lots of Hockey and
Football Jerseys, yoga outfits, Baseball gear and a full jogging
suit à la retro 70’s look.
To
get the morning rolling, I showed up in full snow gear with SNOW
SHOES. Everyone thought it was hilarious, and even more funny was
when I wanted to take it off a few hours later and the staff objected.
Luckily, they showed mercy, and I worked the remainder of the day
in a torque and ski goggles.
It
was a great time.
Calvin

January
17 , 2008
This
morning I went to the BC
Children’s Hospital kick off breakfast for the 21st annual
Miracle Weekend. This year, it will be a two-day celebration held
over May 31st and June 1st. As part of the Wholesale and Retail
Council, our group was there to represent.
As
I looked around the room, I was impressed to see the amount of people
who are a part of making a weekend like this come together. There
were senior people from Global TV across the board to people who
manage the catering, parking, and phone systems during the event,
to name a few. They asked for a show of hands for how long people
had been involved – 25 – 10 – 5, each time they
counted hundreds of hands went up. This is my second year so, under
5 years you had some stripes to earn they said jokingly.
The
theme this year is BE A SUPER HERO and the senior board at the hospital
wore orange super hero capes to draw awareness and roll out the
new look. Of course there was a few laughs and jokes about “where’s
the tights”.
At
our table, we were honored to sit with Amanda and her mother. Amanda
is a recent patient at the hospital and continues to get the care
she needs for her ongoing medical problems. She was quite the brave
young girl, and made us all realize why we are a part of such a
worthwhile cause.
During
the breakfast, there were videos of recent patient stories and a
few words from doctors. At times you could see a few people wiping
tears from their eyes, myself included.
At
the end of the breakfast, the goal for this year's Miracle Weekend
was unveiled: $14,730,000. I hope you can all watch and contribute
is some way. Volunteers are always needed, too.
Calvin

January
9, 2008
Today
I was at an EO (Entrepreneurs Organization) function with my friend
David Chalk. I have high respect for David as he is one of the most
successful and recognized technologists in Canada. He can be seen
on TV, Air Canada Flights and in numerous magazines including my
favorite, the COSTCO Connection.
David
is hired to speak on several topics for large companies and when
he said he was becoming more involved on the topic of Global Warming
and Carbon Emissions I was ecstatic. We had a great discussion,
chatting about the Al Gore movie An Inconvenient Truth. David also
is a close friend with Robert Safrada the CEO of NOVEX COURIERS
and offered to introduce up together. NOVEX is the leading courier
company in Canada for environmental responsibility. I am looking
forward to meeting him. Thanks Dave!
I
suggest for anyone wanting to learn more about global warming, to
watch An Inconvenient Truth. I can see why Al Gore received a Nobel
Prize. Go to http://www.algore.com/
to learn more.

January
1, 2008

Did
you know people who write down their goals achieve them 90% of the
time, and if they tell someone it jumps to almost 100%!
Did
you set any goals for 2008? Did you tell anyone?
Here
are my goals for 2008:
Company:
-
Become
Carbon Neutral
- Hold
our first Eco Expo tradeshow for customers and suppliers
- Continue
our growth of greater than 15% yearly
- Have
four staff parties/events this year
- Upgrade
our computers and servers to the best possible systems
- Launch
Costless ToGo Costco Home Delivery across Canada
- Double
sales in our Printing Business
Personal:
-
Work
with BC Children’s Hospital and create a memorable new event
that will help our Wholesale and Retail Committee exceed $4,000,000
in donations.
- Disneyland
with our kids (1st time)
- “Be
there in the moment” with our kids and just enjoy them growing
up.
- A
“no kids” holiday to just about anywhere
- Learn
Salsa and Swing Dancing (just took our first class)
Well,
my goals are out there, so now it’s time to make them happen.
I
stress to our staff that goal setting is important and so, so powerful.
All our staff is involved in a daily 2-minute “Huddle”
and set goals and overcome roadblocks. This work experience has
carried over to their personal life and most staff have set their
own Company and Personal Goals for 2008.
I
hope all their goals come true.
Calvin
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