by Ric Raftis on April 24, 2012
As you would probably gather from reading this blog, the Black Dog Ride is something that is very important to me. One of the main purposes of the ride is to dispel the myths surrounding mental health issues and to destigmatize mental health in our society. Another important function of the Alice Springs ride is to raise money for the Black Dog Institute so they can carry on their work in the area of mood disorders and their community mental health programs. It is in this second area that I am getting some great leverage through Bartercard in raising money for the ride.
A good friend of mine, who is a Bartercard customer, Wayne Mansfield, has generously donated 5,000 Barter Trade Dollars towards the ride. Wayne is in Western Australia and I know very little about Bartercard and how it works. I went into the Bendigo office of Bartercard and met Ian Furze, the local principal. It turned out that I knew Ian from several years ago, so it was great to catch up.
I explained to Ian that Wayne had donated the Barter Trade Dollars and asked his advice about what I could do with them to convert them to cash for the Black Dog Ride to the Red Centre in August. Ian came up with a spectacular offer for which I am extremely grateful. Ian offered to take the 5,000 Barter Trade Dollars and trade with them in order to increase their value. The increased value would in turn be converted to cash for the Black Dog Ride. Given the wide range of contacts that Ian would have through Bartercard I am both excited and confident that the final outcome will be a very substantial amount that ends up going into the Black Dog Ride sponsorship coffers.
I would like to thank both Wayne Mansfield and Ian Furze for their generous offers in assisting and supporting the Black Dog Ride. If you would like to help sponsor the ride and donate to the Black Dog Ride, simply contact me via the Contact Page. If you would like to help Ian with his trading, you can call him on 03 54412388.
by Ric Raftis on April 19, 2012
If you’re into motorcycles and helping a good cause then here’s a great chance to satisfy both of your inner needs all at once.
On the 29th April, over 100 motorcycles will depart Bacchus Marsh and ride to Maldon in Central Victoria in order to raise money for Lifeline. Lifeline is an exceptionally worthy cause and fits very well with the concept of the Black Dog Riders whose aim is to prevent suicide, raise awareness about mental health issues and destigmatize them in our communities.
The Victorian ride is but one of the rides taking place all over Australia. Many of the riders will be carrying a Winston mascot, a black dog to symbolize depression, a mental illness that will affect one in five Australians in their life. All the proceeds from the ride will go to Lifeline.
Now if you can’t ride for some reason or other but would like to join in the fun, why not meet the riders and ogle the bikes at either the beginning or end of the ride. The Victorian ride will start in Bacchus Marsh from the Morrabool Hall at 207 Main Street. The event starts at 9.30am with a mental health expo as the riders register and gather for the ride which will commence at 11am. The ride will then wind its way through the Central Highlands to finish at Maldon at around 12.30pm. With over 100 bikes already registered, it will be a great bike show in its own right alone. You can attend either the beginning or end of the ride and say hello to the riders, donate some money to the cause and wander around the bikes.
Now if you’d like to ride then there is still time to register by going to the Black Dog Ride site. Oh, and if you can’t attend but would like to donate to support Lifeline, then you just need to go to the Everyday Hero site.
I’ll be at Maldon when the ride finishes so come up and say G’day. You can’t miss me, I’m the big ugly bloke!
by Ric Raftis on April 3, 2012
I’ve already posted about looking for a campervan or motorhome for the Black Dog Ride to Alice Springs in August. I suppose my thinking got a bit clouded because last year Dave Livingstone brought along a Jayco motorhome and towed a motorcycle trailer.
The reality is of course, we don’t need a motorhome or campervan (whatever you want to call them). We just need someone to tow a trailer capable of carrying a motorcycle or two should the need arise. Obviously we hope this won’t be the case and riders will prepare their bikes to handle those kilometres, but sometimes the unforeseen happens and it’s helpful to put the bike on a trailer to get it to the next town.
If you have a motorhome or campervan of course, that means you are bringing your accommodation with you. Otherwise if you just want to come along in a car, then you’ll have to organise either to bunk in with the riders or camp in an unpowered site. The decision is yours.
So, whatever you have, a motorhome, a campervan or simply a car that can pull a trailer, you will be a welcome addition to the ride. If you can help out, then simply contact me and let me know how you would like to do the trip.
by Ric Raftis on March 20, 2012
The Victorian contingent of the Black Dog Ride are looking for someone with a campervan to join us on our trip to Alice Springs in August. You will get to join a great bunch of motorcycle enthusiasts who will be riding to promote awareness of depression, suicide and mental illness. The Victorians will be joining riders from all the southern States in Port Augusta before travelling up the Stuart to Alice Springs.
This is a great cause and you can be part of it. A support vehicle towing a trailer makes everyone that little bit more comfortable when travelling such long distances. Don’t worry if you don’t have a trailer, we can arrange that separately.
You can see the route that the Victorians will be taking on the main Black Dog Ride 2012 page of this blog. You can read more about the overall concept on the main Black Dog Ride site. If you would like to be part of this awesome adventure, then contact me to discuss the matter further.
by Ric Raftis on March 8, 2012
The Black Dog Ride, National 1 Day Ride – Victorian Leg will be held on the 29th April 2012. This is the first year this one day event has gone national. For Victorian riders, the purpose is simply to gather as many motorcycle riders as possible to ride from Bacchus Marsh to Maldon. If you are from other States, you can find out what’s happening in your State by checking the Black Dog Ride site.
More specifically, the purpose of the ride is to:-
- Raise community awareness of depression and suicide prevention,
- Help reduce the stigma of depression and suicide
- Raise funds for Lifeline.
As a part of your registration for the ride, you can get your own black dog to carry whose name is Winston. One of the features of the ride will be a world record attempt for the most black dogs on motorcycles. Seriously, how could you resist such an exciting day out.
The ride will begin with a mental health expo at Bacchus Marsh in conjunction with a breakfast organized by the local Lions Club. The ride will then leave at 11am and wind its way some beautiful back country before arriving in the historic township of Maldon for lunch. The lunch in Maldon will again involve the local Lions Club. They are doing a great job supporting the Black Dog cause and the rides.
As a bit of a by product for the weekend, the All British Rally is on at Newstead that weekend. So after your lunch, you might like to meander back to Newstead and view all the British bikes on display. It is the largest gathering of British bikes in Southern Hemisphere I’m told and well worthwhile a look. Entry is only $5 to wander around and enjoy the bikes.
Now to get going on the Black Dog Ride for Lifeline you will need to register. Simply go to the Black Dog site and you can register online.
I look forward to meeting you all in Maldon.
by Ric Raftis on November 4, 2011
There’s an old saying that goes, “The meaning of words aren’t in the words, they’re in the people”. Such is most definitely the case with the term mental illness and I believe that such meanings are the cause of much stigma in our society today. There is so much myth and misunderstanding surrounding such terms that’s it’s no wonder people can be afraid and mistrusting, but that isn’t really an excuse for inappropriate attitudes in these days of information availability.
Much of the problem is with the origin of words. In the case of “mental illness”, my dictionary defines that the origin of the term is late Middle English: from late Latin mentalis, from Latin mens, ment- ‘mind.’ In turn, the mind is said to mean “the element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and their experiences, to think, and to feel; the faculty of consciousness and thought”. As we understand it though, and by definition, the mind is that part of us which cannot be seen, touched, smelt or felt, in other words, it’s intangible.
I don’t know of anything known by the term “mental illness” that isn’t treated with drugs. By definition, it is not possible to treat an intangible object with a physical substance. It just can’t be done. In reality, these illnesses are by and large chemical imbalances in the brain which makes them physiological illlnesses just the same as diabetes or heart disease. If society can grasp this fact, then we are long way down the road to overcoming stigma.
A great example of misnomers is the term “malaria”. Again, derived from the Latin, the word literally means “bad air”, but we all know that malaria is a sickness caused from a mosquito bite. It has as much to do with bad air as mental illness has to do with a sick mind.
Changes in words are always difficult. So what to call “mental illness”? Psychiatric illnesses is one term that comes to mind, (no pun intended), but syphilis used to be a psychiatric illness until it was discovered the “madness” was the result of a sexually transmitted disease. Whatever term we apply to “mental illness”, it will go a long way to reducing stigma if it reflects the physiological nature of these disorders and health issues.
by Ric Raftis on October 31, 2011
How I wish the title of this blog post was untrue, but sadly that was a comment made to me when I recently rang a business outlet. Let me tell you what happened.
I had been in the business the previous day and had to phone back some particulars to organize the completion of an order. I phoned the particular business and the phone actually rang out on two occasions. Now being the persistent person I am, I decided to try for a third time and after the phone almost rang out yet again, it was answered by a female voice who gave her business name and her name in an extremely hurried manner. It was patently obvious from her voice that she was both under pressure and quite flustered. I checked I had her name correct and then told her who was calling. Now she didn’t know me from a bar of soap, however I believe it is courteous to announce yourself if people give you their name. I then asked how she was. I love doing this as it catches most people completely by surprise. Perhaps it’s not just businesses that need to have a bit of customer service training. Perhaps customers could do with some courtesy training themselves.
She replied that she was well and then I told her what I was calling about. I also told her I knew that the particular person would be busy at the moment, but to leave a message to call me back when they were able to do so. She said that she had all that and would pass the message on to them.
Then I told her one of my pearls of customer service wisdom. I said, “You know Anne (name changed to protect the guilty), customers in the shop can see that the phone is ringing, but customers on the phone cannot see the customers in the shop”. I just left it at that and waited.
When the person I was actually after rang me back I related the incident to them. They asked if I thought she had “got it”. I suggested they check to find out if they had “got it” or not. Mind you, I suspect that they hadn’t quite understood what it was I was trying to convey. I must say however that I was quite proud of myself in not giving them a complete “serve” for ignoring my phone calls which had gone unanswered on two occasions.
Now before you go jumping to any conclusions here, I would suggest that the management of the shop are as much to blame if not moreso than the poor young girl answering the phone. This shop has a constant run of customers coming in the door that require attention. Whilst she could certainly do with some training in the importance of the telephone, the same applies to management. They should also be addressing the needs of all their customers and potential customers whether they be walking in the door, ringing on the telephone or sending an email. Prompt and courteous response in a timely manner is absolutely essential for business survival and prosperity.
The questions that need to be asked in a business regarding telephones can be summarized as follows:-
- Are targets in place for phone response? Is there a policy in the business that the phone be answered within two or three rings. If you have no targets, don’t expect staff to prioritize answering the phone.
- Are staff adequately trained in telephone technique? Little things like “putting a smile on your dial” before answering the phone will prepare you for a happy interaction with your customer. Do staff live by the motto that “a customer is not an interruption to their work, they are the purpose of it”? Such attitudes focus staff on the reason for their role in the business.
- Are the telephone systems adequate for the business? Are they easily accessible by staff? Can they carry a handset in their pocket perhaps? Are there enough staff to ensure telephones are answered within set target times?
- Are there message books or systems in place to ensure customers are phoned back. Do NOT use scraps of paper as they are too easily lost and all the good work in answering the phone promptly and promising to ring back will be worthless.
Shortly I will be doing a piece on the telephone answering machines in big business as it’s a separate topic to the above. But what comments and ideas do you have on telephone technique for small business in response to the above. I would love to hear your ideas and feedback.
by Ric Raftis on October 28, 2011
Photo by alancleaver_2000 on Flickr
Well, as a matter of fact, yes, it’s true. I’ve decided to set myself up as a Customer Service Consultant. A beauty of blogs is you can do these things and consult to the world, (or at least think so anyway!).
Maybe it’s because I’m 56 and considered to be a grumpy old man, but I’m sick to death of what businesses these days call “Customer Service”. Actually, they don’t call it that, they don’t have a name for dealing with their customers at all because in many businesses it is simply non existent. Due to the absence of quality customer service in many businsses, I’ve decided to pass on some comments about their service, or lack thereof, in addition to some of the pearls of wisdom that I was brought up on in my business career.
Customer service was always the most important thing in a business when I was being trained. No service, no customers! Oh look, there’s the first of my pearls. Anyway, it’s true. If you don’t service your customers, you won’t have any left. It just seems staggering what some people are prepared to accept for customer service these days. Why do they accept it? It’s simple really, the opposition offer a similar level of customer service and so people really don’t have much choice.
This is particularly true when dealing with major corporates like phone companies, power companies and other essential services. Is it the essential nature of their services that provides them with the ability to offer very little in the way of customer service.
Anyway, I’m getting on a roll here and this is only supposed to be an introductory post. If you are interested in this subject, and you should be if you’re in business, then follow me on Twitter or my RSS feed to keep up to date with these stories. If nothing else, I assure you that they will be entertaining and if you’re in business, of paramount importance to your success.
by Ric Raftis on September 14, 2011
Tomorrow, Thursday the 15th September is RUOK Day. Finally we seem to be getting somewhere with talking about mental health issues and opening up to others. The great part about RUOK Day for me is that hopefully, men will be asking other men if they are OK? They aren’t asking each other how their team went last Saturday or if they saw the car racing last Sunday night, but will be asking each other if they are OK.
So, here is the bigger challenge for men though; after you ask the question shutup and LISTEN to the answer. Men by their very nature are remarkable problem solvers. We can’t help it, we just love to solve problems. But when it comes to how people are feeling, you can’t necessarily solve that. In fact one of the best ways you can solve the problem of your mate feeling down is to actually listen to what he has to say. Women are just naturals at this, it’s probably why we marry them. Men are problem solvers and women are validators.
So how do you validate? The easiest way is to repeat things back to the person making the statement. This does a couple of things. First of all, by repeating what someone has said it shows you are listening. Secondly, if you don’t repeat accurately, there’s a fair chance the other person will clarify. Another way of validating is by saying, “So, what I’m hearing you say is…… “. Again, it ensures you really understand what the other person is saying and gives them the chance to clarify.
You know, as a bloke, if you ask someone tomorrow RUOK, it may be the first time in your life you have listened to how someone actually feels. You’ll be amazed at how satisfying an experience this can be.
RUOK Day is about suicide prevention, but it’s also about depression. Having recently participated in the Black Dog Ride to raise awareness of depression and mental health issues generally, I can tell you that before there is suicide there is always depression. Depression caught early and treated can go a long way to avoiding suicide. The power is within you to possibly prevent the tragic chain of circumstances that lead to depression by asking the simple question of a mate…. RUOK?
So, it’s tomorrow. Make a list of people that you might like to ask RUOK when tomorrow comes. Make it the start of a regular part of your life. It really is simply about caring about others. After all, isn’t that the epitome of the Aussie bloke – looking after your mates!
by Ric Raftis on September 8, 2011
I have $5000 worth of AFL memorabilia to sell to raise funds for the Black Dog Ride. These items were effectively donated by Wayne Mansfield, so if you have a Twitter account, you might look in on him. He’s a very generous bloke. This is a great chance to get an item of valuable memorabilia at a great price and also support a very worthy cause.
Below is a description of the items I have available for sale and the price that they cost. I am happy to accept “best offer” on these to raise funds for the charity.
- Framed and mounted Collingwood jumper depicting the 1990 Collingwood Grand Final team with signed photos of Tony Shaw and Gavin Brown at the foot. This item measures 810mm x 1050mm and cost $495. SOLD! Thanks Noel.
- Framed and mounted Collingwood jumper showing all the Copeland Trophy winners and with a plaque commemorating the win of the trophy in 2010 by Dane Swan. The item measures 800mm x 1050mm and cost $650.
- Framed and mounted Melbourne Football Club jumper depicting the Team of the Century measuring 830mm x 1050mm and cost $495.
- Signed jumper by Robert Harvey, framed and mounted the depicting the St Kilda Team of the Century and including 2 photos of Robert Harvey and a plaque detailing his statistics at the foot of the jumper. The item measures 810mm x 1090mm and cost $650.
- A framed and mounted 480mm x 585mm collage of Graham “Polly” Farmer including a signed photograph (signature reprint), the collage of various Polly Farmer items and photos and a plaque providing his statistics of birth date, games played etc.
- Framed and mounted 485mm x 590mm photo of Chris Judd, with his number and a Carlton Football Club insignia also. Signature is a reproduction. Cost $295.
- Framed and mounted Melbourne Football Club centenary coin collage featuring two centenary coins, signed photo of David Neitz and Demons collage plus old print of MCG. The item measures 480mm x 580mm and cost $250.
- Framed and mounted photo of Matthew RIchardson from RIchmond Football Club, with additional signed smaller photo and plaque detailing all his statistics. The item measures 485mm x 590mm and cost $295.
- Framed and mounted print featuring James Hird and Matthew Lloyd entitled “Flight to Glory”. This print if from an oil painting of the same name by artist Jamie Cooper and depicts the two flying for a mark. The item measures 640mm x 1080mm and cost $495.
- Framed and mounted print of Hawthorn Football Club premiership heroes from 1988 and 1989 entitled “Brothers in Arms” and featuring John Platten, Jason Dunstall, Gary Ayres, Dermot Brereton and Robert DiPierdomenico. The item measures 900mm x 860mm and cost $595.
- Framed and mounted print for North Melbourne Football Club entitled “Victory Demands Dedication”. The print focuses around North’s premierships in 1975, 1977, 1996 and 1999 and is a collage of North Melbourne players and entities. The item measures 1120mm x 920mm and cost $495.
The items will have to be collected from my place as the Post Office advises that they are too large to post in most cases. In addition, there is glass in the frames which could break. I would of included photos of all the items, but many are in bubble wrap and I wouldn’t want to disturb them. People are welcome to view the items at my house. The alternative is that I can freight them to you at your expense. I will get the best deal I can through our local freight company.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any queries
