Tile Tale

Not a tall tale, by any means, this is a recap of my recent visits to several tile stores in Trinidad, on the hunt for some tiles to make recommendations to contractors working on our labs. Some things stood out.

1. Only one store offered the sample tile for free and the same one also said it doesn't matter if the tile got chipped, he would still buy back the sample. (Kudos to Interior Harmony.)
2. Other stores said they would re-purchase the sample once it was not damaged. (However did not offer to wrap the sample as a precaution.)
3. Porcelain tiles range greatly from as low as 44 to as high as 109 TTD for some very similar looking tiles....
4. All stores who were asked for directions failed to give the simplest possible directions and in some cases, we got wrong directions: some people don't know north from south or right from left!

To those interested in improving customer relations by giving proper directions for customers to find your stores, I recommend the following. Prepare a set of simple and easy to read directions to your location and place them next to the telephone so that whoever answers calls will have this information at hand for callers.
Also, if you have a web presence, plug it. You never know if the caller does not know about the website. Be sure the directions are also posted on the website. Until we get GPS that works on "everyman's" phone, and until every business in Trinidad and Tobago is mapped on Google, this is your next best strategy for making sure customers do not waste time in getting to you.

Tips for writing good directions

• Use North, South (i.e. the cardinal points) instead of left and right.
• Use landmarks that are not likely to be destroyed in the near future to reassure customers they are on the right route.
• Be sure to test and double-check your directions for clarity and accuracy by driving the route yourself or having someone test for you.
• Give directions from all the major highways/roadways your customers may use.
• Include a map, if possible, on your website.

(Source for tips: http://entertaining.about.com/cs/invitations/a/drivedirections.htm)