Plane, train or automobile: Jet City Woman by Queensryche is echoing through my head.
First time this year I have flown in back to back weeks. I flew on our preferred carrier, US Airways, which has recently changed their Dividend Miles program. I used to get a minimum of 500 miles for a Roanoke-Charlotte leg on a trip... but no more. Now I get actual mileage (155). So let's cut my miles earned by 2/3, cut out my in flight snack and start charging for the second bag. Give me less, charge me more - what a great business model!
SkyHigh Airlines still has the best frequent flyer program...
Mission: Management training for 14 store managers in Tuscaloosa, AL.
Number of human interactions: 23
State(s) visited: NC and AL
City visited: Tuscaloosa - Roll Tide! I am not an Alabama fan (sorry, Richie!), but I do know that it is one of the "name" schools that UCF has beaten in football. One good thing about college towns - they have Moe's!!!!
Interesting fact about this city: Other than Alabama football, I'm not sure.
Halpert says: What does "Roll Tide" have to do with elephants?
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Travel Log - Star date 20080712 - Minneapolis Part I
Plane, train or automobile: Back in the air at last! I flew Delta airlines to Minneapolis and then hitched a ride with the Division Manager to the hotel. Our workshop was at the hotel, so I really didn't need to go anywhere. Why spend money on a car that is going to sit in the parking lot for two days?
Maybe next time I can travel on SkyHigh Airlines...
Mission: Management training for 11 store managers. This was a good group and I had the opportunity to spend a little extra time bonding with them - the Division Manager took us all out to dinner at the restaurant next door after the first day's session. When your division covers western Minnesota and eastern North Dakota, you take advantage of times when your Team is together.
Number of human interactions: 13. There was this absolutely delightful lady working in the hotel restaurant every morning. Extremely friendly, customer focused and wanted to make sure that everything was going smoothly for our group. One of the best hotel experiences I have had this year. I stayed here.
State(s) visited: OH (really KY since the Cincinnati Airport is in Kentucky) and MN.
City visited: Minneapolis and Elk River.
Interesting fact about this city: One interesting fact - the Mall of America. I didn't get a chance to visit this time, but I have a return trip coming up in a few weeks and will have some time to visit MOA.
So the Mall of America and... two interesting facts!
The Minnesota Vikings. I was a fan while Daunte Culpepper was the QB - us UCF boys have to stick together. We drove right by their practice facility and I saw many Vikings stickers, license plates, shirts, etc. while I was in town.
So the Mall of America, the Minnesota Vikings and... three interesting facts!
In Advance Auto Parts news, our new CEO Darren Jackson got the Roanoke media all fired up when he decided to continue living in Minneapolis. Darren was the CFO for Best Buy and has a lot of business ties to the community. Originally, we were supposed to have a small office for about 10 executives in Minnesota and everyone else would remain in Roanoke. While on this trip, AAP announced that the Front Room merchandising Team would be based in Minneapolis. As you can imagine, the local media in Roanoke is having a conniption!
Halpert says: The water slide was totally awesome! I wish Travel Kids had come along!
Maybe next time I can travel on SkyHigh Airlines...
Mission: Management training for 11 store managers. This was a good group and I had the opportunity to spend a little extra time bonding with them - the Division Manager took us all out to dinner at the restaurant next door after the first day's session. When your division covers western Minnesota and eastern North Dakota, you take advantage of times when your Team is together.
Number of human interactions: 13. There was this absolutely delightful lady working in the hotel restaurant every morning. Extremely friendly, customer focused and wanted to make sure that everything was going smoothly for our group. One of the best hotel experiences I have had this year. I stayed here.
State(s) visited: OH (really KY since the Cincinnati Airport is in Kentucky) and MN.
City visited: Minneapolis and Elk River.
Interesting fact about this city: One interesting fact - the Mall of America. I didn't get a chance to visit this time, but I have a return trip coming up in a few weeks and will have some time to visit MOA.
So the Mall of America and... two interesting facts!
The Minnesota Vikings. I was a fan while Daunte Culpepper was the QB - us UCF boys have to stick together. We drove right by their practice facility and I saw many Vikings stickers, license plates, shirts, etc. while I was in town.
So the Mall of America, the Minnesota Vikings and... three interesting facts!
In Advance Auto Parts news, our new CEO Darren Jackson got the Roanoke media all fired up when he decided to continue living in Minneapolis. Darren was the CFO for Best Buy and has a lot of business ties to the community. Originally, we were supposed to have a small office for about 10 executives in Minnesota and everyone else would remain in Roanoke. While on this trip, AAP announced that the Front Room merchandising Team would be based in Minneapolis. As you can imagine, the local media in Roanoke is having a conniption!
Halpert says: The water slide was totally awesome! I wish Travel Kids had come along!
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Travel Log - Star date 20080704 HAPPY 4TH!!
Plane, train or automobile: Matrix.
Mission: Slightly different this week. I am working through a company certification program for my own development and because our Team will most likely begin running this program soon, I need to be familiar with how it works. I met with one of our HR managers and one of our Division Managers of the Year to review business related topics. Both did a great job of covering the material - I learned some things that will help me in the classroom and I learned how the process is used by the real-word facilitators. In between, I met our Operations Training Manager at a new store that he had opened the week before. This store was rocking and rolling - selling more parts and having more fun - and the manager had been through one of my workshops back in June. I'd like to say that his being in my class led to the strong sales, and I know that there are MANY factors that contribute to on the job performace - but I can dream, right?
Number of human interactions: 10
State(s) visited: NC.
City visited: Lexington / Durham
Interesting fact about this city: Lexington, NC is the barbecue capital of the world. And what did I do for lunch there???? I made myself a ham sandwich at the Regional Office - the Admin Assistant there keeps the fridge stocked so the staff doesn't have to leave the building. I am SO checking out the BBQ next time I visit!
Halpert says: Does Moes have a BBQ burrito?
Mission: Slightly different this week. I am working through a company certification program for my own development and because our Team will most likely begin running this program soon, I need to be familiar with how it works. I met with one of our HR managers and one of our Division Managers of the Year to review business related topics. Both did a great job of covering the material - I learned some things that will help me in the classroom and I learned how the process is used by the real-word facilitators. In between, I met our Operations Training Manager at a new store that he had opened the week before. This store was rocking and rolling - selling more parts and having more fun - and the manager had been through one of my workshops back in June. I'd like to say that his being in my class led to the strong sales, and I know that there are MANY factors that contribute to on the job performace - but I can dream, right?
Number of human interactions: 10
State(s) visited: NC.
City visited: Lexington / Durham
Interesting fact about this city: Lexington, NC is the barbecue capital of the world. And what did I do for lunch there???? I made myself a ham sandwich at the Regional Office - the Admin Assistant there keeps the fridge stocked so the staff doesn't have to leave the building. I am SO checking out the BBQ next time I visit!
Halpert says: Does Moes have a BBQ burrito?
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Travel Log - Star date 20080628
Plane, train or automobile: Matrix. The iPod jack is the best feature in this car - you can drive for hours and never have to touch the radio.
Mission: Management Training, plus required participation for two of our Trainers who just became certified to teach the course I teach. They took lots of notes so they could facilitate this workshop in the future. There is always a little extra pressure when other Trainers are observing - we can be so critical of classroom management!
I also spent a day visiting stores with one of our Regional Vice Presidents. I learn so much from seeing the store through their eyes, plus we get some windshield time between stores.
Mission: Management Training, plus required participation for two of our Trainers who just became certified to teach the course I teach. They took lots of notes so they could facilitate this workshop in the future. There is always a little extra pressure when other Trainers are observing - we can be so critical of classroom management!
I also spent a day visiting stores with one of our Regional Vice Presidents. I learn so much from seeing the store through their eyes, plus we get some windshield time between stores.
I stayed at the same hotel on both visits, but I won't be staying there again. I got back to my room the last night about 8 p.m. and no one had touched my room all day. Bed unmade, towel hanging in the same place, you get the picture. Isn't that one of the benefits of staying in a hotel room - someone else does all the housework? The front desk gave me a reduced rate for the trouble, but I won't be going back. They are now dead to me. They bypassed being on notice.
Number of human interactions: 12
State(s) visited: WV, MD and PA
City visited: Back to Norristown, PA, near the King of Prussia Mall. And a Moes in Shippensburg, PA.
Interesting fact about this city: I took the other Trainers to the Mall with me, and I think it grew some more! This place is gigantic - we had to stop for a snack on our way to a restaurant for dinner, and then stop again for dessert on the way out.
Halpert says: If only I was a service dog, then I could have gone in the mall, too.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Travel Log - Star date 20080621
Plane, train or automobile: Matrix. This car seems to be developing hidden capabilities. The running joke with one of my coworkers is that the Matrix can do anything - need to tow a 27 foot travel trailer? Matrix. Need to haul 3 3-drawer lateral file cabinets home? Matrix. This car rocks.
Mission: Our department is expermenting with "Work From Home" days. We want to see if we can maintain productivity and reduce travel costs by 20%. I have a company car, so I don't think the 30 miles that I didn't drive saved us much ($4 for 1 gallon), but I know that several people with longer commutes saved about $10 and still got everything done. I tried this on Wednesday and it worked out well. We can forward our desk phones to a land/cell number - I did this and was able to converse with an out of town colleague without them knowing I wasn't at my desk.
Number of human interactions: 57. The four days I was in the office reminded me of how friendly our Team Members are - you can't walk down the hall without being greeted or chatted with.
State(s) visited: VA
City visited: My kitchen on "Work From Home Day"
Interesting fact about this city: I got all the free coffee I wanted all day long!
Halpert says: Dude, this is two weeks in a row at home! I need to stretch my legs!
Mission: Our department is expermenting with "Work From Home" days. We want to see if we can maintain productivity and reduce travel costs by 20%. I have a company car, so I don't think the 30 miles that I didn't drive saved us much ($4 for 1 gallon), but I know that several people with longer commutes saved about $10 and still got everything done. I tried this on Wednesday and it worked out well. We can forward our desk phones to a land/cell number - I did this and was able to converse with an out of town colleague without them knowing I wasn't at my desk.
Number of human interactions: 57. The four days I was in the office reminded me of how friendly our Team Members are - you can't walk down the hall without being greeted or chatted with.
State(s) visited: VA
City visited: My kitchen on "Work From Home Day"
Interesting fact about this city: I got all the free coffee I wanted all day long!
Halpert says: Dude, this is two weeks in a row at home! I need to stretch my legs!
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Travel Log - Star date 20080614
Plane, train or automobile: Matrix. This one was easy - it was right here in town. I could sleep in my own bed, eat dinner with my own family and relax in my own recliner!
Mission: Management Training for 18 store managers. If you have been following AAP news (and who doesn't???), you'll see that we have some new Senior Vice Presidents. I had a chance to meet one of them, and I must tell you that I was impressed. He met this group of managers for the first time and spent about 30 minutes telling them who he was and why he was looking forward to the challenge of leading them. He was very humble and very Team focused - might be his Starbucks upbringing!
Number of human interactions: 21, plus my family!
State(s) visited: 1
City visited: Roanoke, VA
Interesting fact about this city: Home to the Texas Tavern. Any restaurant that only seats 10 people has to be interesting, right?
Halpert says: I got to play with the Travel Kids for a few days. Wow, do they have energy!!
Mission: Management Training for 18 store managers. If you have been following AAP news (and who doesn't???), you'll see that we have some new Senior Vice Presidents. I had a chance to meet one of them, and I must tell you that I was impressed. He met this group of managers for the first time and spent about 30 minutes telling them who he was and why he was looking forward to the challenge of leading them. He was very humble and very Team focused - might be his Starbucks upbringing!
Number of human interactions: 21, plus my family!
State(s) visited: 1
City visited: Roanoke, VA
Interesting fact about this city: Home to the Texas Tavern. Any restaurant that only seats 10 people has to be interesting, right?
Halpert says: I got to play with the Travel Kids for a few days. Wow, do they have energy!!
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Travel Log - Star date 20080607
Plane, train or automobile: The Matrix - what other type of transportation is there?
Mission: Management Training
Number of human interactions: 17
State(s) visited: WV, MD and PA
City visited: King of Prussia, PA
Interesting fact about this city: The King of Prussia Mall. This mall is enormous - there are 18 restaurants in / around the mall PLUS 3 different Food Courts!!
The Regional Office where I conducted the training is in Norristown,PA. Lot's of gorgeous old homes - Travel Wife would love to see the architecture.
Halpert says: I never knew that a mall could be that big. It looks like a mall that ate another mall (plus a shopping center)...
Mission: Management Training
Number of human interactions: 17
State(s) visited: WV, MD and PA
City visited: King of Prussia, PA
Interesting fact about this city: The King of Prussia Mall. This mall is enormous - there are 18 restaurants in / around the mall PLUS 3 different Food Courts!!
The Regional Office where I conducted the training is in Norristown,PA. Lot's of gorgeous old homes - Travel Wife would love to see the architecture.
Halpert says: I never knew that a mall could be that big. It looks like a mall that ate another mall (plus a shopping center)...
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