January 19, 2013

January 19, 2013

► Customer Feedback: Mark W from Merrimack, NH stated that his general shopping experience with us was Excellent. “I came in to be educated. Your salesman is very knowledgeable and I took that info and checked out other stores, but I returned here for the professionalism and you matched their price.” Did any of our team members do an unusually good job? “Seth, very knowledgeable on your products, great personality, not pushy, and followed up after the sale.” Sales help, operations, and products were all rated Excellent. “Everyone was so pleasant, and so helpful.” “Everyone worked as a team! You have a great staff.” Communication was rated Average. “Never get circulars or flyers.” Would you recommend us to a friend? “Yes. Need to keep you in business so when I need something, you will be there.” What can we do to improve? “Lower prices – flyers.” What do we do really well? “Treat your customers well.”

► Advertising, weekly specials, and monthly promotions all continue from last week: “The Best of The Best”

► Happy Birthday to Anne-Marie next Thursday.

► We have revised the Web Driver advertising program for 2013. We reduced the frequency in a couple of newspapers (we run the program in seven papers), but we re-wrote the copy to sell the featured product or service better. We also revised the subjects, including new ads for Hot Tub Repairs, Grills & Smokers, Pool Closing classes, and more.

► Please park in the customers lot until April, where they can see your car when driving by. People won’t go into a store unless they think people are there.

► The first Manchester Home Show is this weekend at the Radisson Hotel. We will pay for your time, mileage and parking if you want to shop our competitors.

► From Anne-Marie: All of the emails have gone out for Seasonal Reward$ Certificates. Seasonal Sense has been mailed. If customers complain to you that they didn’t get theirs, the best way to resolve it, is to have them send me an email at SeasonalRewards@SeasonalStores.com – there is now a two-drawer file cabinet in the cashier’s area with copies of the certificates. These files are alphabetical and numerical. The first four numbers are the year ‘2012’, after that the numbers start with 0001+. To process, ring the amount of the gift certificate being used as computer #7600 (as a negative). The customer must present their white copy. Retrieve our yellow copy, fill out both copies completely. If there is a balance remaining, give the white copy back to the customer. If there is no balance remaining, staple our yellow copy with their white copy and place in the box to be proofed and filed later.

► Bits & Pieces:
In the “Test Kitchen” of Life: A young woman was complaining to her father about how difficult her life had become. He said nothing, but took her to the kitchen and set three pans of water to boiling. To the first pan, he added carrots; to the second, eggs; and to the third, ground coffee. After all three had cooked, he put their contents into separate bowls and asked his daughter to cut into the eggs and carrots and smell the coffee. “What does this all mean?” she asked impatiently.

“Each food,” he said, “teaches us something about facing adversity, as represented by the boiling water.” The carrot went in hard but came out soft and weak. The eggs went in fragile but came out hardened. The coffee, however, changed the water to something better.”

“Which will you be like as you face life?” he asked. Will you give up, become hard-or transform adversity into triumph? As the “chef” of your own life, what will you bring to the table?

► Senior Moments:
A couple in their nineties are both having problems remembering things. During a check-up, the doctor tells them that they’re physically okay, but they might want to start writing things down to help them remember. Later that night, while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair. “Want anything while I’m in the kitchen?” he asks. “Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?” “Sure.” “Don’t you think you should write it down so you can remember it?” she asks.

“No, I can remember it.” “Well, I’d like some strawberries on top, too. Maybe you should write it down, so as not to forget it?” He says, “I can remember that. You want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries.” “I’d also like whipped cream. I’m certain you’ll forget that, write it down?” she asks. Irritated, he says, “I don’t need to write it down, I can remember it! Ice cream with strawberries and whipped cream – I got it, for goodness sake!” Then he toddles into the kitchen. After about 20 minutes, the old man returns from the kitchen and hands his wife a plate of bacon and eggs. She stares at the plate for a moment. “Where’s my toast?”