Pesky Pixie

So, the Pixie decided to take a road trip.  See, I've never seen a HughesNet install done.  I wanted to see.  Told ya I was nosy.

The drive out was really super long.  I mean, if I were driving it wouldn't have seemed that long, but seeing the road just fly by and the billion and one trees just made it seem that much longer.  I was never very good at being a passenger.  I get too antsy.  Plus, I have issues with someone else driving, but ya know sometimes you just gotta let it go.  Now, I need to point out that while I live in the middle of nowhere, I'm fairly certain this was even further than the middle of nowhere.  Even nowhere is going "Yeah, we don't know where you are..."

So we arrive at the customer's house.  I must point out there were lots of puppies.  Big puppies, little puppies, and this one very angry little ankle biter.  Boy, was he such a tough little thing!  At least he thought he was anyway.  I could have put this little thing into my boot, and I have very small feet!  Other than giving me a headache, he was kinda cute.  I didn't want to break it's little heart by telling it my ankle biters were way more enthusiastic with barking and whole lot noisier than he, but he thought he was doing something special!  So, I let him.

On the plus side though, the customer had a really nice place.  HUGE yard.  I would so not want to be the one mowing that.  It just looks like it would be an all week job.  Plus one or two weekends as well.  Also, they were really nice.  Very talkative, which I can wholeheartedly appreciate, but still really nice.  I love talking to our customers.  Some have the greatest stories.  This one was no exception.

So, I pick a spot and have a seat to watch.  Unfortunately I picked a spot in the sunshine and am very much paying for that.  Pixie does not do well in the sunshine.  I turn a very nasty red color, complete with freckles, and throw my system into a Vitamin D overload.  Anyway, so I sat there and started watching.  Who knew they had to dig a hole so deep?!  If I were smaller I'd have gotten lost in that thing.  Then again, the pole is really really tall.  I suppose it makes sense to bury it pretty deep.  It definitely wasn't moving once it was in the ground that's for certain.  Not only that, but he used this hammery thing (pole driver or something), and put it even deeper into the ground.  Really sad part?  The pole was still taller than me once it was in the ground.  It couldn't have been more than 5 and a half feet once done either.  It just does not pay to be mini sometimes.

Look ma!!! I can go to China through that thing!

Down the rabbit hole.... with shiney pole! I rhymed.

Either way, so once that fun stuff was over and my whining had ceased for the moment thanks to the breeze, it was time to pull out the zip ties!  There were a lot of them too.  You know, the amount of zip ties could have stretched for miles!  I wanted to play with them, but in the end I'm kind of glad they didn't put em near me.  With my luck I would have ended up crying out for help from underneath a tangled up mess of zip ties.  I probably would have gotten it... after a whole lot of laughing and some very embarrassing Facebook pictures.  There is no limit to what us ADD pixies can get into, is there?

Shake the pole, make the bubble move! I actually had fun with that one.

Time to break out the drill!  I love that part except I'm like permanently banned from power tools.  I get too excited around them.  I don't understand what the big deal is really.  I mean I only drilled everything in sight that one time.  Honestly.  That thing with the chainsaw wasn't my fault either.  I swear.  I know, it's amazing I still have all of my limbs!  Anyway, while all of that was going on, I decided to wander off and sat down with the customer just happily chatting away.  I told you they were talkative.

A few hours into it, it was all over.  I thought there would be more oomph to it, but nope.  Pretty boring stuff.  Pole, dish, wires, drill, hook up, point dish, get on interwebs, and all done.  I'm still not sure how that pointing the dish thing works.  Seriously.  It just flew right over my head.  Our techs really have a complicated job when it comes to things like that.  I'm actually very impressed by what they do.  Also very grateful I do not have their job.  It was hot!  I don't do well with heat!  Plus I ended up looking like a lobster face.  So not pretty.

After it was all said and done, the Pixie so needed a nap.  Sadly, the nap continues on and off.  Sun sick.  Not the business.  I feel rather miserable.  I could not do that every day.  How they do amazes me.  I'm just so spoiled.  Now, I do feel the need to point out... the Pixie did not help with any of this.  Okay, I eyed the drill with longing, but other than that!  No way was I going to break a nail.  Nu uh.  My nails are precious!  That just looked like a nail breaking job.  I'll pass.

At any rate, my thanks to the tech for allowing me to tag along to watch, and putting up with all of my annoying questions.
~Pixie

Chillin' with Ms. Connie

Welcome to your Friday.  We have a caffeinated Pixie at your service.  Results may vary, randomness is assured, and we're fairly certain ADD meds will be required.  With that in mind, we may proceed.

So this morning I was sitting here with my massive glass of Pepsi (yes I had to kick back from the coffee.  It was making me all jittery) and wondering, "What can I do today to annoy people!"  Sticky note football wasn't very fun after like 10 minutes, so I'm still working on something to keep me occupied for the rest of the day.  I suppose I could call techs and harass them.  That's always fun.  Except there's one running around that's almost as caffeinated as I am.  Probably a good idea to leave that one alone today.  Just for today though.

Where was I?  Oh yes, it's Friday!  For those that aren't aware, SUNDAY IS MOTHER'S DAY!  Yes, yes it is.  See, usually it's the Sunday after my mom's birthday, but this year they decided to mix it up and put it the Sunday before her birthday.  So, I'm kind of scrambling around on what to get her.  Any ideas would be very much appreciated!  I don't think a case of Red Bull would appeal to her.  Me yes, her, not so much.
Now, in honor of Mother's Day, I decided to get with what seems to Brad's Electronics very own Momma Bear, Ms. Connie.  Ms. Connie is that awesome voice you hear whenever you call Brad's Electronics and a recording comes on to please hold... That's Ms. Connie.  Doesn't she sound so sweet?  She is too.  I adore Ms. Connie.

Ms. Connie

How long have you been with Brad’s Electronics?
I’ve worked here almost 5 years.

Other than being the resident Momma, what do you do here?
My main purpose is to make sure that we are paid for each and every job we do.  All information has to be submitted correctly, and if it is not, we will not be paid.  It is my responsibility to know what we haven’t received payment for and to do whatever I have to do so we will get our money.   ((This makes her our favorite person aside from Brad... but we really only like him for his signature.  :P  Just kidding!))


You and Brad seem really close, how long have you known each other? 
                See answer to question no. 1.

What inspires you to do all that you do for us?
      The Golden Rule  (( I love the shiney rule!!  But we're probably thinking about 2 different rules on that one...))

If you could, would there be anything you’d add to Brad’s services?
 I’ll leave the additions to Brad!  My interest is in helping to make Brad’s Electronics the best satellite sales and installation company in the entire country – not just for our customers, but the employees as well.


Can I have a mocha expresso? ;)
Sure, and would you like to  have a bowl of Chocolate Cobbler, warm from the oven, with a scoop of ice cream to go with it?  I can go in the kitchen and whip one up before you know it!    ((Why yes... yes I would!  Can we skip the bread though?  I'm allergic :P ))


See!  Love her!  Don't forget to tell all your momma's (biological or not) how much you love 'em Sunday.  Well, hopefully you do it every day but especially on Mother's Day.  If you've got any shiney baubles left over though... the Pixie loves shiney baubles.  Just sayin'.

Also, I have to go buy flowers...
~Pixie

Tiny Tot to the Rescue...

Ms. Kayla

So, while we were sitting around at our little tea party in the office, which you missed again, I had a chance to ask Kayla some questions.  Well, technically I asked her a whole bunch of questions, but we'll leave the non-work related ones alone.  You'll just have to wonder about those.  Although I must say, I did not know those nasty little avocados could really do that.  Anyway, so yes, sitting around doing all kinds of girlie chatter.  I know.  You're so jealous.  That's okay.  One day you might be able to come over and get your toesies painted too!  The bright colors are mine though.  Sorry.

Moving on!


Married?  Kids?
         1 precious 3 year old son   ((And he is precious too!  I saw a picture.))                
    
How long have you been working at Brad’s Electronics?
                April 12^th was one year 

What made you decide to get into advertising?
It was something new and I love learning new things.   
     
How do you decide which ads to run?
The ad has to catch the readers eye. I look for ads that I think would catch my eye if I was looking for the services that we provide.  ((Me personally, I like the shiny sparkly ones, but that's probably just because I have the attention span of a goldfish...))

In your own opinion, which type of advertising works better?  Pay per click or Pay per impression?
Pay per impression            ((Now, I feel the need to explain this one.  See I didn't really know the difference either, until about a week or so ago.  Apparently Pay per Click they have to actually click on it in order for you to have an "audience" standing, but the Impressions are the ones that you see and can give you a better "audience" reading.  There, a little lesson for you today.  You're welcome.))  

What’s it like to be such a tiny tot?
   :P Well it has its benefits…ha I always get picked on about how tiny I am! I just take it as a compliment and say I’m not little just fun sized!        

How do you handle all the crazy people you work with?
I bite my tongue and be as nice as I can to everyone. I enjoy and love each and every person I work with no matter what!



Now see that last one I can really believe, because man, some days you just want to find the duct tape and go to work!  ;)  Although I'm very glad they don't.  Duct tape hurts when I rip it off my face.
~Pixie

Ok, so these barriers are like 5 ft5 in.at least, maybe a little more. Neither she nor I are tall enough for even our head to be seen!  Oh and Vinnie is hiding over in the corner... 

Sittin' with Stoney...

So, we finally managed to get Mr. Stoney for just a few moments before he vanished like a ninja again.  I know.  That was a tough one, but ya know, the man has a lot of work to deal with in a day so the few precious moments we got with him were rare indeed.

1.  Are you married?  How many kids?
Yes, and one.

2.  How long have you worked with Brad's Electronics?
      I have worked here for a year and a half.

3.  What inspires you to work as hard as you do?
      That's just the way I do things.  No matter what I'm doing I don't waste my time by starting a project and not finishing it, or only doing something halfway.  I'm never satisfied until I get it right. 

4.  What do you do to help de-stress from your day?
     I don't have to do anything... if I make the mistake of coming home all stressed out, my wife de-stresses me before I even have a chance to realize that I need it!

5.  You always seem so under control, how do you manage it?!
     Surely you realize that looks can be deceiving!

6.  If there was one thing you could improve at Brad's Electronics, what would that be?
     It's my job as Operations Manager to improve everything at Brad's Electronics.

7.  What exactly are your job duties as Operations Manager?
     This little poem that has been around since my grandparent's day pretty much sums it up:

"My Job"

It's not my job to drive the train,

The whistle I can't blow,

It's not my job to say how far

The train's allowed to go.

It's not my job to blow the horn,

Nor even clang the bell.

But let the darn thing jump the track

And see who catches he**!!

 He does have a point!  Yeah, I cracked up laughing when I read that one.  It's all true, but it was funny!   See I told you it was hard to grab him, but I'm happy we managed to get him for just that amount of time.

Thanks for all the hard work you do, Stoney!  We really appreciate it all.

Oh and tomorrow, I have a treat for you!  Yes, I know it's Saturday, but I still have a treat for you!

No, it's not coffee, but I could really use some...

~Pixie

Our Fearless Leader... Brad White

Ladies and gents, grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair, and get comfy.  Okay, fine, grab a soda, glass of tea, and an uncomfy chair!  Either way, Mr. White has gotten his questions answered, I have chocolate, and all is right in the world today.  So, without further interruption of your not-so-regularly scheduled programming, I give you... Mr. Brad White.  Yes, I also golf clapped, but you couldn't see it.  :P

His desk looks so much neater than mine...

Married, Kids?

Yes, I have been married for almost three years and have 2 step-sons, the most beautiful granddaughter in the whole world, and a little dog named Vegas…...however, I haven’t figured out yet whether he is my step-dog or my step-granddog.

What made you want to start your own business?

While I was in high school, I worked at Radio Shack and learned a lot about how a business is operated.  About the time I graduated, I lost my job because the owner retired, so I decided to start my own company instead of going to work for someone else.   My first business was installing car audio systems, window tinting, and alarm systems.  I had gotten interested in electronics while working at Radio Shack, so I taught myself to work on CB radios for the local deer hunters (this was before cell phones).   The next thing I learned was repairing TV’s and that led to installing satellite systems.

Why Satellite instead of Cable?

Cable systems limit your business to the length of cable you have installed.   My satellite business gives me the flexibility to expand into as large an area as I want to cover.  It also enables me to provide better television and movie programming to customers without competing with cable providers.

If approached by a customer on the street who compliments one of your employees, what would be your first reaction?

My first reaction would be a really happy feeling, followed quickly by a sincere Thank You to that person.  I hire and train my employees to always do the best job they can, because satisfied customers are what have kept us in business all these years.

What made you decide to be a fireman and how long have you been doing it?  (Yes, amazingly enough, Brad also does that!  I know!  I was impressed too when I found out.)

I have been working as a fireman for 18 years because I like to be able to help people.  The demands of the job are so tough that in order to do it, you need to have the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping others through very difficult times.  I left the fire department in 2004 to grow my DIRECTV business, and in 2007 I got the chance to go back full-time.  Since that time, my schedule has been 24 hours on-duty and 48 hours off-duty.

How do you find time to do it all?

I have to prioritize my jobs.  I love working at the Fire Department and consider it my “real” job.  My Brad’s Electronics business is more like a hobby and because it is so different from my work at the Fire Department, it sort of gives me a break.

How can you consider operating a business that provides paychecks for approximately 60 people a hobby?

It feels like a hobby because finding solutions to all the issues that come along with running a business is fun for me.

Obviously, your life is very hectic, how do you always seem to be so calm in the midst of it all?

Well, one thing I DON’T do is go home and beat my dog! :P Everything about my business is a challenge to me- and I love challenges!  I don’t allow problems at Brad’s Electronics.  Nobody likes problems because problems upset people.   Since I only deal with challenges, I really don’t get upset very often.

What are you planning to add in the future to Brad’s Electronics already impressive list of services? (This is what I was talking about with the TVs and the comfy couches!  By the way, he answered with the popcorn well before he saw my other post.  It just kind of fit.  I'm so proud! *wipes a tear*)

I am working out the details for a Home Theater Installation Project.  Many of our customers who install satellite systems want to be able to enjoy watching their favorite programs and movies at home, but with the movie theater atmosphere.  We can make it happen for them.   We can provide the big screen, the sound system, the theater seating, and just to make it even more realistic, we’ll throw in some popcorn!

How large is your area of operation now, and are you planning to expand?

We have been doing sales and installations in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Florida; however the sales department is just about ready to launch our national sales program in all the remaining states.

That concludes our little questionnaire, or my being nosy!  However you want to see it.  Just wait until we get to our operations manager, Stoney.  Oh yeah.  I'm gonna be nosy with him too!

Tomorrow though, we have a very special treat for you.  You'll just have to come back and see what it is...

~Pixie

P.S.  I promised a picture of that vase with the employee beating sticks.  I found out what it was really for, but it's a lot less entertaining than my imagination.  So, I'm not going to tell you why it's really there. ;)

Yet, oh so pretty!!

Stumbling across the threshold...

Yes, I did have to Google that word.  It's a hard one!  So, while we're waiting on Mr. White, who will probably be tackled, repeatedly in the hallway until I get my answers, I thought I'd share a little about my day at work.  I know, entertaining, right? Also, I was just kidding about the tackling part, but just picturing a little 5'2" chick tackling someone a good foot taller screaming, "Why won't you answer me!!!"  just makes me giggle. And now you have that mental picture.  You're welcome!  So, where was I?  Oh yes.

Zombie Pixie has arrived.

I walk in, say good morning, and go to find the most important piece of equipment at work.  The coffee cup.  Second most important piece, the coffee pot.  Don't you just want to hug that thing when you get to work?  I do.  However, it's hot and will hurt, so I refrain from hugging.  I do not refrain from sampling the deliciousness of the caffeinated goodness that it holds though.  Coffee in hand, it's back to the desk.  Let the work begin!
Begin it did, too.  You know what I love most about my job?  One, I stay really busy so I never get bored.  Which for me, is a very, very good thing.  Trust me.  Two, no matter how many times I do the same thing, there is always something different about it.  It's like reading your favorite book and finding something new every time.  I love it.  Last but not least, are the people I work with.

In the short amount of time I've been at Brad's Electronics, I feel like I'm working with one big group of friends.  It always makes the day go by so much faster when you can laugh with the people you work with, or in my case, do something incredibly asinine and get laughed at.  Which never bothers me at all.  I'm a dork, and perfectly okay with that!  When you can have fun at work and still get the job done, it's the most incredible experience in the world.  I'm blessed in that.  They make me feel right at home every time I walk through the door.  The groans of "Oh no, it's you..." make me turn around and go, "Mom?"  ;)

That and the soft looking bouncy couches in the TV display room really make me feel at home.  Except I don't have a TV that is as tall as me like that one is.  You should really see that thing!  I want one.  Imagine HBO on that thing!  Oh, or the 3D TV.  That one is pretty amazing as well!  A little too realistic for me though, because the first thing I want to do is reach out and grab at the TV when something pops up and my brain goes, "Gimme!"  Yes, I have actually waved my hand around trying to grab it.  Again, I repeat, I am a dork.

Just imagine it.  3D TV, DirecTV On Demand, a bucket of popcorn, and you've got one entertaining night!  In my case, it'd be a night of trying to keep my seat so I don't jump at the screen, but hey!  I really want that TV.  I wonder if the glasses are Pixie proof...
~Pixie

The First Step...

So, I was thinking and I tend to do this quite a bit, how much do you really know about Brad's Electronics?  Oh sure, if you're wanting HughesNet, DirectTV, or Dish Network, you can call us and we'll be there to answer any questions for you.  Yet, who's there, really?  Well...that is something I'm going to do my best to help you learn,  mostly to satisfy my own curiosity as a new employee, but also because we should be more than a name to you. At least that's how I feel about it.  Perhaps I'm not the only one?

If you're like me you see commercials on TV, read a name in the phone book (those that still use them), or for the more up-to-date persons, find them on the internet and wonder, what do they do?  Obviously you know what they sell, but what do they do?!  Are they just voices on the phone?  Of course not.  Wanna see who's behind that patriotic banner?  Me, too.  I'd say they've been around long enough to pique the curiosity of the public.

Like an onion, the company has many layers.   There's your sales, your installations, your scheduling, your service calls, and your questions answered as quickly as possible.  However, there's another layer to the onion you haven't quite gotten to see.  The sweet, juicy heart of it.  The people behind the name.  The face to match those helpful voices.  I'm still as new to the company as most of the public is.  See, I haven't been there long enough to really get to that juicy center of it, and I'm just plain nosy enough to want to.

Wanna be nosy with me?  Shhh, I promise I won't tell if you do.  It'll be just our little secret.  Curious yet?  Intrigued?  Perhaps just a little?  Fantastic!  I say we start at the top.  Go big or go home, right?  Right!  I'm all for making entrances, so why not poke the boss and see if we can find some juicy bits.  Any questions you want to ask?  Rated G one's, of course. ;)  I mean I'm not too shy to ask anything, but sometimes you gotta show restraint when asking the man who signs your paycheck, ya know?

We all know the basics about the company, but the why behind it is an interesting question.  Why this and not that, why one thing and not another, why do you have that big vase with sticks in it in your office?  Is it to keep the employees in line?  Sorry, that's just one of my questions.  I'll have to show you what I'm talking about.  The vase is scary, but really pretty though!

Moving on!  Next up on the Pixie Path, the juicy bits of Mr. Brad White.  Tune in...

~Pixie