Victor: Why do they do it

THOSE of you who have been boating for a number of years must wonder why time and time again the various regions are changed.

During the 20 odd years we have been boating every new chief executive has 'shown his mark' by changing the regions, time and time again, and in the process lost good people who do not want to travel to new locations.

We have already had a change under the present chief executive, and now we are told about the new regional changes that mean, and here I quote—'the changes affect approximately 240 colleagues who have been briefed at a series of sessions across the network, and whose existing roles are now ‘at risk’.  Which will do a great deal for its colleagues' confidence and moral!

The reason we are given for this, and I must quote again—'part of its [Cart's] waterways and wellbeing strategy, to improve customer service and to engage with local communities'.

Now what that means is anybody's guess, I haven't a clue, only that is little more than Cart Speak that is trying to impress us that it is doing it  for us, its customers.

Pull the other one, eh?

Certainly thriving

I was dragged by 'She' to Mercia last week and must admit to being most impressed by its new Piazza development of most unusual outlets that, with those of its existing Broadwalk seem to be thriving.

With Christmas approaching I should imagine these somewhat weird and wonderful shops will do very well, offering so much that is unusual. They were not doing too bad on a cold Tuesday morning either.

Mercia's new large car park I reckon is going to come in handy.

Not so good

Whilst at Mercia, in the need of a spare 'fan' belt for our Beta, we called at Midland Chandlers, but alas, for the second time I have to comment on its lack of service.

This time it was 'She' who remarked that the person was most unhelpful, he just giving a presumptive nod to a part of the store where we would most likely find the belt, not bothering to either show us or check on the system if there were any—there were not.

Now the norm

There is little doubt that the 'wait until it breaks' policy of Cart is now well under way, mind you, it seems to be working—for Cart.

Very often now we have a stoppage notice then two days later another notice stating that the stoppage has been fixed.

The fact that these stoppage notices come rather fast and furious, and looking back I see there were three in one particular week, clearly show that preventative maintenance is lacking.

It is obviously a solution for Cart, and bugger the poor boater who is stuck or the hire company that does not get its boats back—now what was it?—ah yes, wellbeing strategy, to improve customer service.

What utter crap.

Victor Swift