Lisbeth Calandrino::

I conducted a workshop  this  week with a group of  small business owners.  I asked if they had the same passion as when they first opened their businesses; they all laughed at me. I said I knew my business was in trouble when I decided it would be easier   without customers  and employees; this got a round of applause.

The longer you’re in the business the more you get worn out. How can you do the same thing day after day and not get tired? You have to re energize yourself and your passion.

I’m convinced that many people go into business for the wrong reasons. If you ask why they’re in business they often say: “It’s to make money.” I then ask: well are you making money? The majority will say “no.” Then I ask why haven’t they made money and they come up with a ton of reasons–usually it’s the economy, no customers and bad employees.  These are the same people who rarely attend a seminar or hire a business coach. Instead they turn up their noses at anything that goes against their thinking no matter how good the idea.

I went to see one of the business owners that didn’t attend the workshop and asked her why she hadn’t attended.  Her answer: “I don’t need it.” I then asked how her business was doing and she said ”not so good.” I really wasn’t sure what to ask her next but she obviously doesn’t have much faith in anything.

Today I stopped by a local nursery and told them it was nice to finally see them open. She laughed and said “its been a long winter.” I agreed and said “I would love if you would put up a sign that said, “200 days until Spring”  instead of the one that says “Closed for the Winter.” She laughed and asked me “why” to which I replied, “It makes me depressed.”

She laughed again and said “It depresses me too!” Case closed.  (You may have read my blog “Closed for the Winter” that I wrote about this nursery.)

Do you think people listen to what they say?

In order to make a business work, you must have passion and a plan.  One without the other rarely works. If you don’t have passion it’s hard to stay focused; a bad day becomes a bad week. If it doesn’t go your way you stop all forward movement.

I observed businesses with no hours posted on the doors, ”A be  back in 10 minutes sign”  (with no time on the doors stating when they left) and no emergency phone numbers. This isn’t a business that wants to make money; this is one that forgot about its customers.

As my mom used to say, “You can explain until you’re blue in the face, and no one is listening.” I think she was referring to me.

So what will build passion? Here are 8 ideas that might help.

• Talking with other business owners about what works. They don’t have to be in your business to get ideas.  This is different than complaining about the economy and talking about what doesn’t work. Look at the half full glass of water not the half empty glass. Share ideas. A friend of mine said she got a call from a design competitor. At first she was nervous about talking with the woman then she realized she might learn something. She even took it a step further and decided they might even work together! Good for her! I turned out there were products she could sell the other designer. I spoke with several of the businesses in my workshop who can’t wait for the next one.
• Take a class on marketing, social media or ideas on how to grow your business. I have been listening to the radio station (on my phone) called Freakonomics, the hidden side of everything. A funny and thought provoking view of many things in the world.
• Do something that you enjoy; at least once a week. Many business owners do nothing but go back and forth to work. Give yourself a break.
• Sing out loud! Singing is a great way to relieve stress.
• Go to the gym or get some serious exercise. Working out will release endorphins, a chemical that will make you feel better. Endorphins act as analgesics, which means they diminish the perception of pain. They also act as sedatives. I can’t say enough good things about the gym; working out helps me get better sleep.
• Look up videos on how to energize your passion. Simply Google or YouTube t videos on unleashing your potential.
• Read a book on business or motivation. I have a book called “Positive Quotes for the Day” that I read before I go to bed. I’ve given you a link to Internet quotes you can look at. I’ve taken the television out of my room so that I go to sleep with good thoughts rather than the last rerun of “Law and Order.”
• Take care of yourself; you’re the only one you have.

Lisbeth helps businesses build loyal customers through sales and customer service training.

My oncologist has decided to move back to Hawaii; he says he needs a place where something new is happening and he can participate in research.  He gave me the name of a physician that he said was very good and I would like. The first thing I did was Google the physician. Much to my dismay, he had two comment with two stars out of five! I was horrified. He had gone to very reputable schools but his patients said he was always late and didn’t seem to listen.  I reported my findings back to my doctor who was also somewhat horrified. His comment, “Now I know why you want me to get testimonials from customers who like me!”

I have been working with a notable bank in my area. They said they didn’ think they needed customer service training because across the country they were rated 97% in customer satisfaction. I suggested we do a search and sure enough there were 14 complaints and no “attaboys.” They were horrified also. They were quick to explain the complaints were world wide and there were none in Albany. I asked how long did they think the customer would spend examining the complaints. Case closed.

Hey, have you Googled yourself and your business? Give it a shot. I Googled my house and was horrified (my favorite word) to find that the picture of my house was before it was painted! I had just saved enough money to have it repainted and it still looked awful. How do I call Google and get them a new photo?

By now you must realize that everyone cares about you. Some like you and some don’t like you. I remember when my sister first went into business. She was well liked and doing great business but didn’t have any testimonials so I decided to send her some. Yep, I made them up. Sis would call me glowing when she got a letter; she was so proud. So I continued to send her more letters. The letters lifted her spirits, helped her stay motivated and loving her business. It wasn’t until years later that I told her I had written the letters. After she died, I found the letters in some old papers.

You need letters and testimonials from your customers for two reasons. You want other people to see them and feel comfortable about coming to your business and they make you feel good! I don’t care what your business is. Whether you have a part-time cleaning business or you’re a physician — you need testimonials.

Check out this link to the article about customer’s shopping locally. In a nutshell, 70% of customers go online locally to check out businesses before they shop.

Should you write your own comments? It’s probably not a good idea–ask your friends.

Lisbeth helps businesses build loyal relationships with their customers through sales and customer service training.

Mr. Zuckerberg caused quite a stir this week when he showed up on Wall Street wearing his hoodie. Many saw it as a sign of rebellion or that Mark doesn’t really give a crap. When I grew up we dressed up to go to church, get on an airplane or go to school functions; that’s just the way it was. It wasn’t until the middle 60′s that female school teachers were allowed to wear pants. Steve Jobs had custom-made  black turtlenecks (by Issey Miyak) and it’s rumored that he had enough to wear every day for the rest of his life. According to what I read, it was his lucky turtleneck.

Through the ages we knew who had money by the way they dressed.
Then there was the ”dress to impress,” the hippy era, what to wear on a cruise wear and prom attire. Isn’t there a special dress for “the mother of the bride?”

The question remains, do we really care? Apparently so or at least the Wall Street types in their Hermes ties care. Is it really a crash of two cultures and does Mr. Zuckerberg represent the new culture? Maybe it really means “I  don’t really care what you think.”  Personally I didn’t really like the color–a little too drab for the spring and I wouldn’t have showed up in a hoodie–only because “it’s just not me.”

Maybe the hoodie is what inspired  him to build Facebook so it’s really for good luck. We know that professional athletes button their shirts a certain way for good luck and there are salespeople that have lucky shirts, pants and ties; maybe it’s just a hoodie and nothing more. Or like Steve Jobs and his black turtlenecks, it represents good luck.

Of course if I were going to Wall Street to talk about the public offering of my product I would get dressed up. In my case I look for any excuse I can to  get dressed up.

Now we’re back to “does it matter what you wear?” Personally I would say it does matter. My hunch is some of that comes from my background and my age and some comes from my preferences. “When in doubt get overdressed” is my motto.

I recently attended International Wool Textile Organisation where the fashion types and the business types merged in the same room. The business types were all dressed in suits and the fashion types were dressed in more interesting outfits. I think everyone was dressing as expected.

There is another expression, “When in Roman do like the Romans.”   St. Ambrose coined this expression in  387 A.D. Basically, if you’re in Rome follow their customs.

In sales we we call it building rapport. We feel most comfortable when we are with people who look like us, act like us and yes dress like us. Have you ever been to an occasion when everyone was dressed up and you didn’t get the message? When you’re shopping don’t you feel better when someone your age waits on you? We expect that since we are close in age they probably understand us better or even have a better idea of what we want.  Many of my friends with tattoos, despite the fact they consider the tattoos art and “cool”, they often hide them with long sleeve shirts.  Somehow there is still a stigma about tattoos. In 30 years the whole  country will have tattoos and those without tattoos will be in the minority. A Harris poll from 2003 found that 16 percent of Americans have tattoos and that a whopping 64 percent of those people are in their 20s and 30s. The late senator Barry Goldwater caused quite a stir in 1978 when it was noted that he had tattoo on his left hand. The tattoo was a  line and four dots capped by a half circle , the trademark of the  Smoki People. I remembered how shocked people were but I doubt the tattoo is what caused him to lose the presidency. Of course there was Winston Churchill and President Roosevelt, both with tattoos.

My thoughts, if you want me to be on your side, it’s best that you do whatever it takes to make me think we’re alike. I looked at some photos of a White House Dinner and Mr. Zuckerberg is wearing a white shirt. My hunch is he did it “because he could.”

Lisbeth helps businesses build loyal customers through sales and customer service training. For a copy of  her book, Red Hot Customer Service check out her web site, www.Lisbethcalandrino.com

I heard that Larry, the Quaker Oats guy, just got a makeover.

The Quaker Oats PepsiCo brand is 134 years old. and Larry is looking a little tired. Since his makeover his double chin is gone and his hair is a little shorter. If you look closely, he looks like he lost about 5 pounds. Just the loss of his chin makes him appear younger. With some minor changes it changes the feeling of the brand.

The article said they left the crow’s feet around his eyes because removing them would make him too too young!

Can you really look too young?

The Quaker Oats company was founded in 1901 so it was time for a makeover.  Larry’s Quaker cousin, Aunt Jemima, traded in her  bandanna for a new hairdo several years ago so she was less of a “mammie.”

She also  lost 100 pounds. It’s probably time for another  new hairdo.

The Jolly Green Giant has become nicer over the years, more friendly but always in good shape. But maybe his language needs to be brought up to-date and he should stop yelling “ho.”

These are subtle changes but nevertheless make a difference. They make a difference to the brand and the customers.

Of course it started me thinking: Why did Larry need to lose five pounds?

One reason is that Quaker Oats represents itself  as a healthy choice cereal, one  which promotes energy and  the ability to lower cholesterol, and Larry doesn’t look that good. It goes together, the cereal is good and Larry looks good.

Would the customer think that Larry looks bad because he doesn’t eat Quaker Oats? Or if  I eat Quaker Oats would I look like Larry?  Larry represents the Quaker Oats brand and his looks need to  be consistent with his brand of “good  health.”

How about your brand? Who is your brand connecting to and who is your customer? How are you representing your brand? Are you and the brand looking tired and old?

What  are you doing to update you and your brand?

Let’s face it; the baby boomers are working hard at staying young and living a healthy lifestyle. One of the payoffs should be looking better but it’s obvious what you eat and drink can’t change everything.  So what does this mean to your business?

How you and your employees look certainly makes an impression on your customers. How can you be in the design business still wearing a haircut and clothes from the 70′s? (Unless your store has a 70′s motif.)

What about your showroom? When did it have its last makeover?

How can you be in any  business with a dirty showroom , old floors and chipped paint on the walls?

It’s important that you look well rested, up-to-date and have a great attitude. Looking good will make you feel better and probably improve your attitude. As people age they often begin to slouch which makes them appear even older. My doctor asked me the other day why I didn’t stand up straight  and I realized it was from carrying a heavy computer and projector through the airport for the last 20 years. Many of my trainer friends have the “computer bag” slouch. Now that I’m focusing on standing tall, I feel much better about myself and I notice I look better. This one was an easy fix.

By the way, if you’re wearing running shoes, they may be interferring with your posture.

In case you haven’t noticed, despite standing straighter, I haven’t gotten any taller.

As our customers get younger,  how will we connect if we look and feel old and tired? I noticed at Coverings that many of the social media wizards were over 60 and although they were older, their energy and stature made them appear young and vibrant.  My dad used to always say hanging around with old people will only make you older and if you want to stay young,  you need younger friends.

Attitude has a lot to do with how we look and feel about ourselves.

Teeth don’t need to look white washed but yellow teeth are a sure sign of aging; some over-the-counter teeth whitening will make them look better and you more youthful.

A manicure isn’t just for women and exercise is good for everyone.  The site,  “Cheap and Easy Ways to Look Richer, Younger and Thinner“  has some great ideas.

Good customer service means connecting with your customers. For those of you looking for younger customers, your appearance and  attitude can make or break your sale. Are you up to date in your conversation or  do you continually refer to “I remember when” or “the good old days?” The previous link is to an interesting article on customer service out of UK.

I had a young friend of mine do some mystery shopping for me. He said he liked the salesperson who was about his age until he saw the guy’s tattoo.  My friend has tattoos but he found the salesman’s tattoo distracting. He said he feels the same way about piercings and doesn’t wear his earrings to work. Remember when guys didn’t wear earrings?

Take Tony’s advice–get to know some young people and ask what they consider customer service. Maybe we don’t need to whiten our teeth.

Lisbeth Calandrino helps businesses build profitable and long-term relationships with their customers. For speaking and training, she can be reached at redhotcustomerservice @nycap.rr.com

This year Fabulous Floors Magazine will be at Coverings 2012. Copies of Fabulous Floors Magazine will be readily available in a publication bin in the South Lobby of the Orange County Convention Center, so be sure to pick up a copy.

I’m the Associate Publisher of the magazine and we’re really excited to be part of the show. We love being part of the industry and this is another way we can participate. Since our launch in 2005, we have looked for ways to support our advertisers and add value to the industry. In fact, this year the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) and Fabulous Floors Magazine released “Tile for Your Lifestyle”, a resource guide for consumers, designers, and architects that showcases tile as a design element.

One of my favorite aspects of Coverings is its educational program. This year there are nearly 70 sessions presented by industry leaders who will be sharing their ideas to help improve the success of your business. In addition, Coverings is an approved AIA/CES Approved Provider and a NKBA CEU Provider Partner. The conference has also recently been approved for over 20 hours by IDCEC and over 50 hours by AIA. That’s right – attendees can earn FREE CEUs at Coverings!

Change is Not in the Rear View Mirror is the title for my educational session at Coverings. The past few years have been challenging for all businesses; there aren’t many solid answers. Most would say it’s still tough out there. We know we should do something but it’s not easy to make changes particularly when there’s no guarantee the changes will work. It’s only human to look to the past for solutions that we think will work.

Unfortunately there are many reasons why the past doesn’t always work. The past is the past; a different time, different technologies and different social norms. Using the same solutions is like trying to put that proverbial square peg in a round hole. This doesn’t mean that the past doesn’t have value, but the value is more in the understanding of how one arrives at solutions rather than the solution itself.

If one has the right problem solving skills and the right understanding of the problem, solutions will come easier and will be more relevant. In my session we will look at problem solving skills that will help business navigate the present business climate and come up with viable solutions.

Simon Senek wrote a book called “Start with the Why:” his premise – if you know your “why” then the rest makes sense. Knowing your “why” will inspire your and those around you to take action. Simon is somewhat unconventional in his thinking but explains why some people are always more successful and what you have to do to move forward.

The seminar will be fun and thought-provoking as you discover what you need to stop looking backward to move forward.

Join me on Tuesday, April 17, 2:45 to 3:45 PM at S230GH to discover what you will need to move forward in your business. Register for the show today – and remember it’s all free!

Lisbeth Calandrino helps businesses build long lasting and profitable relationships with their customers through social media and outstanding customer service. She is author of the book, Red Hot Customer Service and associate publisher and social media manager for Fabulous Floors Magazine

 

Why is hindsight so clear?

Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said, “Life can only be understood backwards, but must be lived forwards.” What a great insight!

At one time or another we all regret a choice we’ve made; it’s just being human. We can’t always choose the right path. But instead of  regretting your choice,  think about the positive aspects of your decision. What did you learn, how did you make the decision? Was it based on your present situation or future possibilities?

Last year I made a decision to buy a house  on a little  lake that was  similar to  my childhood home.  Unfortunately I based the decision on the fantasy of “how I would like to use the house” rather than the  reality of my life.  Last summer I spent one weekend in the house, despite the fact that it’s less than one hour from my home in Albany.  I hope it’s a good investment but only time will tell.

According to Dr. Michael Craig Miller, regrets  can help us make sense of our life and our choices.

How do you get through regrets? Here are a few things I’ve come up with, let me know what you think.

I know this sounds simplistic but get over it! Getting too involved in regrets is pointless. Why spend time hashing and rehashing—it’s over. A friend of mine told me today that she is still trying to get over a 14 year relationship. She and her ex-boyfriend still continue to hash things over and over despite the fact that they both say it’s over!

View the experience positively. Remember the concept called Yin Yang? The ancient Chinese subscribe to a belief that there exist two complementary opposite forces in the universe. One is Yin, which is characterized as negative or feminine, the other is s Yang which represents everything positive or masculine. One is not better than the other, they just co-exist. There is a positive and negative side to everything.

If we apply them to life we could say  there are two opposite sides to every event. In the case of our regret, it can be a positive learning experience. Ask yourself, how has this bad decision helped me? What have I learned, is there a good  side to my bad decision?

This past week my favorite restaurant burned to the ground. The restaurant  was one of the reasons that I bought my lake house. The restaurant had good food, good people and was the meeting place for everyone living on the lake.

Today I went to see the devastation. All I could think about was where will I go now? How will I find my summer friends?

It all felt so strange, it was my favorite place! I finally decided that there was a reason why I needed to move on. I’m not sure what it is but I’m practicing having “no regrets.”

Stay true to yourself. This is not about you being selfish, this is knowing yourself and doing what’s right for you. Maybe when you made the decision you weren’t doing the right thing for yourself.

Let your ethics be your guide. Socrates’ guiding rule was “know thyself.”

Stretch yourself. So you took a risk and it wasn’t right for you. According to Buzzle.com, sometimes taking a chance, regardless of how crazy it seems, can make your life more enjoyable.

Give yourself a break, try something that’s scary. Trying new things can free your spirit and give you a new joy for living. What’s wrong with that?

Most likely you’ll get to take more risks and make more mistakes. “Mistakes are sometimes the best memories.” Anonymous.

Let us know how you get  through your regrets.

Lisbeth Calandrino is a business coach and speaker. For some fun tips on living, download her book, Brain Snacks.

 

 

 

 

 

The other night at the Alliance Flooring Convention I was struck with a statement made by  keynote speaker Dale (“the Murph”) Murphy. Dale was a major league baseball player for 18 years.  Dale said there was a time when he was playing so badly that he thought he should quit. It didn’t matter what he did or how much coaching he got, he couldn’t seem to improve. It occurred to him if he quit he knew what would happen; he would never play baseball again. If he stayed, he still had an opportunity, and so he stayed.

I haven’t stopped thinking about his statement; how do we  know when to quit? Quitting is the  end to whatever we’re doing.  In this case  quitting meant the end of the pain and it also meant being out of the game.  According to Murphy,  if success is what you want, quitting is never an option.  So Murphy didn’t quit but another person may have quit even if they wanted  the game.

Why do some people quit and some stay? It appears that it has to do with motivation.

 Some people quit exercising, dieting and their marriages. Others stay around for what’s called “the long haul.” Could it be there are different types of motivation? There are people who listen to motivational speakers, get all reved up and go home and do nothing.  There are others who get reved up and go home and do everything. So what’ the difference?

My research leads me to two types of motivation, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. . Simply, internal and external motivation. People who have extrinsic motivation need rewards from the outside to stay around. Cheering crowds, big pay checks, constant bonuses and the big hurrahs.

Those with intrinsic motivation are  motivated from within. They are motivated by their values and mission and find it difficult to quit.  If you are truly living your passion, quitting is not an option.

I am often asked to come in and motivate the salespeople.  My response is always I really don’t have that kind of magic, what I can do is help people find out what’s important to them. What makes them tick., why they come  to work and  what’s important in their lives–the internal motivation. I tell them everyone has something that shapes their world and gives them a reason to exist. Unfortunately people often find  out what it is and it’s not selling. What do they do–up and quit.

Unfortunately people don’t always have the luxury to do what they want or even have the time to figure it out. Author Henry David Thoreau said it best when he said,  “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go  the  grave with the song still in them.”

In other words, you have to be able to help people find their own values and their own purpose.  The reason people fail or quit is because the payoff isn’t really what they want. The payoff is what someone else thinks is important or what someone else wants. That’s why value’s clarification exercises are valuable to a company.

So how do you motivate yourself?

 You must decide what’s important to you and what you can commit to no matter what the external payoff. 

You must want to be you no matter what.

You must believe what you do is  worth the struggle.. As Frank Sinatra sang,  I Did It My Way.”

How do you motivate salespeople, and why do sales jobs have such high turnover? Sales is usually about extrinsic motivation, the pay off, the dollars. Eventually it doesn’t matter and people get bored and quit or the money isn’t enough. If you’re looking for great salespeople look for those that are motivated by caring and helping customers get the right products. Salespeople that want to do the right thing for the customer and never give up.

By the way,  Murphy finally ended up in the outfield where he became the youngest player in history to win back-to-back MVP awards (1982 and 1983), was named to the National League All-Star team seven times.

Lisbeth Calandrino is a motivational speaker and coach. She can be reached at Lcalandrino@nycap.rr.com.

 

 

 

 

The other day I met a personal trainer who was telling me about her profession. She was in great shape and obviously lived her profession.

“I love it she said, but they want me to sell it to people in the health club. In fact they want me to interrupt people who are working out and tell them about the personal training program.”

So what’s wrong with that I asked?” To which she replied, “I don’t want to bother them!”

I started thinking, how can someone love what they do and not want to share it with others? Have you ever seen a movie or read a book that made you so excited  you had to  share it with others? Did you worry they ”wouldn’t buy it?” After you explained the movie all your friends  wanted to see it.  Why, because you weren’t selling the movie, you were selling passion and excitement.

 I asked if she thought what she did  was important, to which she again replied, “Of course I do .” She gave lip service to her passion, but somehow the possibility of connecting her passion with others didn’t exist.

Many salespeople are under the misconception that sales is about getting someone to do something or buy something because the salesperson wants them to. In this day and age, do people buy because the salesperson “makes wants them to?” I don’t think so.

No wonder salespeople don’t like selling; of course they feel “pushy.” Frankly, I think they have it all wrong.

When you believe passionately about your service or your product, why not share it with the world? If your service can change a life, unleash a passion, or build self-esteem why not share it? Maybe it’s not about selling, maybe it’s about “connecting” with others. It’s not about the product it’s about self-understanding and an ability to connect with another human.

Maybe people just don’t understand why people buy. People don’t buy because the product is irresistible, they buy because it feels a need in their soul or in their life. My friend was telling me about Oprah Winfrey attending one of Tony Robbin’s events ;while she’s there she does the unthinkable, she walks the hot coals. Despite all her experience and  self-understanding, she feels that walking the coals will do something for her her life.

How does this happen? Something that Tony Robbins said sparked a nerve in Oprah, one that said, “there’s more to life than what you have.” (Now I’m projecting what I think was going on in her head.)

Would you have tried to sell Oprah a walk on hot coals? Would you have thought this was something Oprah would have considered or would move her soul? Not me; that’s why I’m not as successful as Tony Robbins, I wouldn’t have thought of calling Oprah! (Maybe I should  go “walk the coals!”)

I’m sure Oprah didn’t do it because it was something to do; somewhere she made a connection with Tony which motivated her to take a risk. Tony’s passion and enthusiasm is catching, and Oprah  caught it. Whatever he had she wanted.

Why don’t salespeople get it? Some of the people with the best products hold themselves back with silly statements like ”I can’t sell.” I think the problem is how we train salespeople; we talk about “closing, getting people to buy, making money” instead of understanding their gifts,  passions and value. According to the article on “value,” Steve Pavlina says that a speaker’s value lies in their ability to change the way people think in a very short period of time, sometimes permanently. That is a powerful statement. Isn’t this just another way to deliver the best customer service? Give the customer a way to get what they want.

Want to be a great salesperson? Instead of selling focus on believing in  your value.

Lisbeth Calandrino is know for her passion and ability to transfer her passions to others. To get a taste of her passion, download her book ”Brain Snacks” which is available as a free download  for signing up for her blog.

I was shocked to hear of the  passing of Christopher Davis, CEO of the World Floor Covering Association. I had spoken with Chris the previous week about the World Floor Covering Association Hall of Fame Event. He spoke lovingly about Sonna , her contributions to the floor covering industry and how sad he was that she wouldn’t be at the event. We looked forward to catching up at the inductions; it will not seem the same without Chris.

There were many things I didn’t know about Chris and reached out to hear two great interviews.

One is with  Dennis Blake and Kemp Harr on FloorDaily.net. Dennis Blake is the former president of the WFCA and was instrumental in seeing that Chris was hired to become the CEO  of the WFCA.

The other interview is with Jim Walters, Chairman of the WFCA and Dave Foster on Talkfoor.com. (I have provided the links for you). What is so amazing is that Chris had no prior connection or experience with the floor covering industry but had all the talents that were necessary  to make the WFCA  grow and remain successful.

Chris instituted many programs that helped recognize all facets of the Floor Covering Industry; two that are impressive, the  programs for retailers and scholarships for training.  Just recently Chris  announced the annual winner of the Gold Standard Award for excellence in retailing. Mount Vernon Carpet One Floor & Home, an independently- owned shop in Mount Vernon, WA, took home the honor, which included a $5,000.00 check, press recognition, a trophy, acknowledgement on the WFCA website and a customized WFCA seal for their store entrance. Don’t you love when flooring dealers are recognized?

Joining the WFCA provides businesses with many benefits, personally I think the The WFCA Trade & Education Scholarship Program is one of the best; it’s designed to assist WFCA Regular Members in maintaining the best trained workforce possible. Several years ago  I was fortunate to  use this scholarship myself. Listening to the interviews reminded me that it’s time to renew my  membership to  the WFCA.

I know the world moves on but I’m sorry that it’s moving on without the energy and commitment of Chris Davis. Our condolences go out to Chris’s family and co-workers.

Lisbeth Calandrino is Associate Publisher of Fabulous Floors Magazine. Fabulous Floors Magazine is the first consumer magazine devoted solely to flooring styles as a key element in home décor.

How much time do you spend paying  attention to your competitors?  My experience with businesses is they only pay attention when the competitor hits them between the eyes. Then it’s about reacting rather than being proactive. Sometimes it’s easier to be a follower than a leader.

Walmart was considered the worst thing to ever invade the retail market. But Walmart, whether you like them or not, opened our eyes to pricing and what was possible. Soon we were on  our way to a new phase of retailers. Sure small local businesses closed, others found their niche and  became very successful. The Home Depot and Lowe’s Companies have had the same effect on other industries. But many smaller companies have profited from the advertising done by these two.

 If you study your competition you will develop your own niche or pout and pull up your tents and move. Success is what often kills business. Rather than realize that both success and failure are temporary they miss the winds of change. The winds are often fueled by their customer who they’ve taken for granted.

The key is to always be thinking, watching and asking questions and realize there will always be someone looking to dethrone you.

I think that Albany, New York  is about to go through a supermarket renaissance.  Soon we will have our own “Supermarket Square” around Everett Road and Central Avenue. It will be comprised of The Honest Weight Food Co-op, Hannaford Brothers, Price Chopper  and the new kid in town starting the rumble, ShopRite.  ( For those of you who are fans of Trader Joe’s and Fresh Market I don’t mean to slight you but they’re far away from  ”Supermarket Square.”) Besides, without “Two Buck Chuck” Trader Joe’s is missing one of its finer elements. As Gary Vaynerchuk, who reviews wines on this popular video blog said, “There’s not a doubt in my mind that the two biggest things that have happened to the wine industry in the last 10 years are the movie Sideways and Two Buck Chuck”. Maybe Trader Joe’s will open a wine store next to their market.  

Hannaford and PriceChopper have had a lock on the area for years, competing across from each other on Central Avenue. The Honest Weight Food Coop is about to move closer to “Supermarket Square.” What will happen to them remains to be seen. They have their groopies and Gustoff,  the “cheese head” has amased himself quite a following. My next door neighbor told me she couldn’t have her dinner party until she consulted with Gusfoff about the cheese and the wine.

I believe  Price Chopper with its “gas card” and  community commitment as well as their wonderful new store left Hannaford in the dust. Funny because  Hannaford started their Nature’s Place several years ago which really catered to the “natural and organic foodies” who for the first time had lots to choose from at reasonable prices. Then all of a sudden Price Chopper expanded and blew Hannaford out of the water. At this point Hannaford looks small and uninviting by comparison. Hannaford is definitely strapped by its small store and maybe by the Delhaize Group out of Belgium who isn’t familiar with the Albany market.

One trip through Price Chopper and it’s hard to go back to Hannaford–which was my favorite because of the “Nature’s Place.” One thing about Hannaford, it’s smaller and quicker to get in and out but is this enough to keep it alive? I wonder how much business they’ve lost because of the store size and shelves that often look empty. The store needs a “make over” but the employees are still friendly, look great and always have time for a conversation.

But now the fun begins. I’ve known ShopRite  for years having had a furniture store directly in front of them  in Hudson, New York. (At the  insistence of ShopRite, it was either them or us  because they needed a parking lot where our business stood.) We closed our business and watched   as  the wrecking ball sent us into history.  After 16 years it was a big change for us, but not all change is bad. ShopRite then demolished their old building and rebuilt a magnificent store. This started in 1990–ShopRite knew that Hudson was thriving and changing.

Interestingly enough, I was given an assignment by DeLonghi to be part of ShopRite’s grand opening a couple of months ago. There I was, in the middle of hundreds of people and cooking roasted pepper panini. I can’t  remember the last time there was such excitement in town; for sure not because of a supermarket opening.

The foodies were all there, this time they were  the employees of ShopRite. The cheese boys from Jersey didn’t miss a beat, giving out big slabs of cheese along with “the cheese story. “  The employees were definitely knowledgeable. Since that time I’ve been told that part of their training is knowing everything about the various cheeses. I loved it, felt right at home, since I come from the restaurant business. You really have to have a restaurant or cooking background if you’re Italian. Up until last year, we had a Thanksgiving cook off and everyone showed off their culinary skills. It was quite intimidating but thank goodness my 85 year old cousin decided not to compete last year with her stuffed artichokes leaving the prize money back on the table. The point is that many people take their  food seriously as does everyone in ShopRite including the cooks, and those lovingly shining up the oranges.  When the broccoli rabe was on sale people were scrambling over one another to stock up.

You know you never know what you’re missing until you get a new love in your life. Once who brings you something that you never thought possible. So it is with ShopRite. Customer service people standing at the end of the checkout counters asking if you have everything. 

This is so smart, great customer service–”I’m here to help and make sure you haven’t forgotten anything.” How many times have you been in the check out line, forgot something but didn’t want to lose your place in line? I wonder if they’re keeping track of how much is added to the customer’s bills at the end of the day because the customer service person has gone back to “pick up a few things” you might have missed.  “I brought an extra dozen eggs in case you need one more.” Customer service for sure can make you money.

Everyone in customer service seems to take their jobs seriously, I didn’t see anyone rolling their eyes when the old lady dropped her groceries out of her cart. You and I have both seen that in our supermarket travels.

Having culinary trained chefs in the kitchen is a nice touch; a better touch is one walking around and talking with customers. Now that’s customer service. I made it a point to talk with chef, compliment him on his tofu dishes which were very good. Cooking classes, recipes, small cafe to have lunch and the Health and Wellness Center, which includes an on site registered dietitian. My friend actually had a consult at the Wellness Center and said it was amazing; no lectures,  just a conversation–”tell me what your day is like and we’ll figure out how to work in the foods that will keep your  blood sugar from spiking.”

The amount of prepared food made me realize that ShopRite had done their homework. Yes you can get baked chicken anywhere but won ton soup? (Which was quite good by the way. Besides, what single person needs a whole chicken?) Small meals packaged,  a varied menu, lots of steamed fish and vegetables and cooking going on all day.

So what to do if you’re not the new kid on the block for some new ideas? I think it’s unwise to take your customers for granted. Some of us get out of town occasionally, have been to Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s.  We know there’s better things out there and we’ve been salivating and waiting.

How will ShopRite fit into the community? “ShopRite Partners In Caring” supports emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters and much more. Sounds like they have their niche.

Ask your customers how you could kick it up a notch and listen. Don’t laugh in the back room because the customer wants you to put in a day care center. Of course ShopRite has a day care center or two around the country.

Have a consumer advocate group for your business, ask them, what  do they see in  the future for your business? Maybe you won’t be making Sweedish meatballs like IKEA but that probably seemed pretty wild in the day.

It’s hard to remain a leader but customer retention is the key to a successful business. Talking with them regularly will  give you new ideas about how to turn them into advocates for your business. The  key is not to be on the end of the curve but to set the curve. This means always looking for the next good idea.

The worst thing you can do is behave as if your customers don’t  matter. Businesses do this by thinking  customers will remain loyal no matter how they’re treated.

Not so honey bunch, there are too many other choices to stay around and be ignored.

Lisbeth Calandrino has been a business coach for over 20 years and develops customer service and sales training programs for businesses of all sizes. Lisbeth still has her grandmother Christine’s recipes and can cook up a pretty mean anchovy and tuna sauce.