RELIEF DRIVE

Cardi’s Furniture and Arpin Van Lines will be collecting items to be brought down to New Jersey & New York for immediate distribution to families who are in need.

Accepted items include:
• Winter Clothes (New or Like New) Women’s, Men’s, Children’s, Boy’s, Girl’s
◊ Jackets, coats, hats gloves, socks, sweatshirts, sweatpants.
• Blankets
• Baby Clothing (Infant & Toddler)
• Canned Goods
• Bottled Water
• Baby formula
• Diapers
• Toiletries (Please bring donation in Clear Zip-Lock Bag)
• Personal & Feminine Hygiene Products

Smaller-Based Drives are invited to bring items collected (similar to list above) to any of the Cardi’s Drop-Off Points this Friday from 7am to 2pm for inclusion in delivery to New York & New Jeresy.

Monetary donations will also be accepted for the American Red Cross designated for “Sandy Relief Efforts”.

Still learning

Now that I wrote about flipping out at the dinner party with a neighbor concerning grouping people.
I can reflect and say that I handled it all wrong.
Rather than point things out in a civil tone I got loud....still learning.
I did realize this though the next day, with some help from my wife, and I called the host to offer my apology. She was very gracious and said that she did not even notice the heated conversation.
Even though I know that I could of been so much better and communicated a much better argument if I had kept my cool.
I did exactly what you are not suppose to do. I spoke loud and lost control of my breathing. My heart rate escalated and therefore so did the rest of me.
Dam
At least I do recognize now when years ago I probably would still be heated.
Oh well....onwards and upwards...another lesson.

Grouping people

One of the things that annoys me the most is when people group people. You know when they say- those people. It can be race, politics or even some one's choice of music.
I was recently at a dinner party at a friend's house and this guy started to talk about country music and how the artist are all drunks and the fans hicks. The same guy was bragging a few minutes before that about how great the 60's and 70's were. I agree that the music was great back then. I grew up on it but I also enjoy country music today. I enjoy music...period.
Why do we have to categorize?
People automatically do not not give a sing a chance only because someone tags it as country, or rap or hip hop or pop or jazz or blues...it is all music people.
This guy was talking about how one of the artist at the awards show went up to receive a award and said he had a few drinks before that and was not expecting to win...are you kidding?
Compare that to Jim Morrison stoned out of his gourd on stage or Hendrix or Joplin.
Sure country has it's fair share of artist that smoke, drink, shoot up and do coke. It is amazing how many artist have done drugs and alcohol.
I actually believe that something about a person's upbringing helps feed the hunger and then the music in them and most successful artist have a torn past.
But it is the grouping of people that bother me.
It just shows a arrogance in people. If you do it in music you probably do it elsewhere.
I try not to judge anyone and I certainly do not think that just because one person does something it certainly does not mean that the entire rest of his gender, nationality or race is all wrapped up in the same tight little ball.
How small to think that way.

GUMP

Forrest Gump

Forrest: Momma always says there's an awful lot you could tell about a person by their shoes. Where they're going. Where they've been. I've worn lots of shoes. I bet if I think about it real hard I could remember my first pair of shoes.

Drill Sergeant: Gump! What's your sole purpose in this Army?

Forrest: To do whatever you tell me, Drill Sergeant!

Drill Sergeant: Godamnit, Gump! You're a goddamned genius! That's the most outstanding answer I've ever heard. You must have a godamned I.Q. of a hundred and sixty! You are godamned gifted, Private Gump!

Bubba: Anyway, like I was sayin', shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. There, uh, shrimp kabobs, shrimp creole... shrimp gumbo, panfried, deep fried, stir fried. There's pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp... shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich... that's, that's about it.

Lt. Dan: What's wrong with your lips?

Bubba: I was born with big gums, sir.

Lt. Dan: Yeah, well, you better tuck that in. Gonna get that caught on a trip wire. Where you boys from in the world?

Bubba & Forrest: Alabama, sir!

Lt. Dan: You twins?

Forrest: No, we are not relations, sir.

Forrest: Hey, Bubba...

Bubba: Hey, Forrest. Forrest, why'd this happen?

Forrest: You got shot.

Forrest: (voice-over) Then Bubba said something I won't even forget.

Bubba: I wanna go home.

Forrest: Bubba was my best good friend. And even I know that ain't something you can find just around the corner. Bubba was gonna be a shrimpin' boat captain, but instead he died right there by that river in Vietnam.

Jenny: Hey, Forrest, were you scared in Vietnam?

Forrest: Yes. Well, I, I don't know. Sometimes it would stop raining long enough for the stars to come out. And then it was nice. It was like just before the sun goes to bed down on the bay... There was over a million sparkles on the water. Like that mountain lake. It was so clear, Jenny. It looks like there were two skies, one on top of the other. And then in the desert, when the sun comes up... I couldn't tell where heavens stopped and the earth began. It was so beautiful.

Jenny: I wish I could have been there with you.

Forrest: You were.

History

Our operations had a day for the Arpin history books yesterday. We had our first day without paper dispatch tickets. For our entire existence Arpin has printed tickets and dispatched from that, as of yesterday we are all on the computer.
We embraced change.
It was a lot of work behind the scenes by about a half a dozen programmers and for about 6 months worth of programming but we did it.
It took that long because we wanted to build something that was all connected so that when a agent in CA registers a move it would flow directly on our boards and from there we could assign it and move it right to a trip card and email out all the information to who we had just assigned the move. This plus many other neat features that will expedite what we do and communicate much better.
There will be glitches and bumps in the road but overall we will continue to build this product so that everyone will benefit from it, drivers, employees, agents and every dispatcher across the country associated with Arpin.
Pretty cool...history making stuff....embrace change.

Embrace Change

The Times they are a Changing

Because of the invention of the Internet the way we do things are changing in warp speed.

Both personally and in business.

You can dismiss it , ignore it or hate it but it is changing none the less.

Embrace it. Run to it. Be a part of it.

You really have no choice. It will happen with or without you. It will run you over and just keep on going.

The cool thing is when you lower your shoulders and try it you will actually like it. It can be a wonderful tool to not only communicate with but also to gather and distribute information.

Embrace change

A message from our COO

Thanks for your efforts with quality! 

 

We finished October a point and a half better than last year for military business. We are committed to raising rates and the only way we can do this is by maintaining a competitive Best Value Score through quality work and good scores. We struggled a little this summer when volume was high, but we are back doing what we need to do. Everyone of us has a role in making this happen:

 

·         I need to ensure we have rates where drivers and agents make money, and we have enough authorities to keep booking all year.

·         Operations needs to put the best drivers and agents available on every job. We work together to provide feedback to agents and drivers who are not meeting standards.  If you are not sure of your quality scores, go to the  Service Quality Evaluation Scores website or contact Steve Filonow.

·         Customer Care needs to ensure information is passed between the drivers, packers, and the customer. Removing surprises equals quality. If Customer Care representatives are calling, it is because someone has a question. We are not bugging … but we are filling in information. 

·         Lastly, our drivers and agents are performing the blocking and tackling.  Winning every job starts with the basics. Too often we rush and forget the basics and a customer is dissatisfied. 

 

Professional development is a cornerstone to winning in sports and business. Arpin provides this in several ways. Our compensation schedule and rates gives you the opportunity to do the job right. Secondly, we provide the feedback for each agent and driver to assess performance and make the improvements necessary to win every job. Lastly we give you the tools through the Arpin Moving Academy and Arpin PrimeSource® to go on every job with the best training in the industry and the best technology available.