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 [...]

What ideas come to mind when you hear the words “Customer Service?” According to Wikipedia, Customer Service is defined as “…the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase…A customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer has of the organization.” In other words, it just takes one…one time, one occurrence, one [...]

                       
The other day, I met a personal trainer who was telling me about her career. 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 [...]

                      
The answer to this question seems clear. Of course you would change. The thought that obstacles would not occur in life or business is an unreal idea. Ask yourself, “Can I handle obstacles?” Again we go back to, “What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail.” Lina Sanchez talks about it in her article [...]

Several months ago, I wrote a blog on how women were no different than men. It was sort of tongue-in-cheek, and it caused quite a stir which is always fun. I’m always on the alert for gender related commercials. There’s a fine line between funny and insulting, and it’s not always obvious. I recently read there are [...]

Based on my conversation with Rebecca Marion Flach, Vice President of Membership and Communication for the Retail Council of New York State, here are some ideas to explore for implementation in your business in 2012.

Have an open mind. Start thinking, what are others doing that are bringing in customers? Are these good ideas for my [...]

Here’s the continutation of my interview with Rebecca Marion Flach, Vice President of Membership and Communication for the Retail Council of New York State.
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How is technology affecting retailers?
For the last two or three years, we have been talking about the use of social media including Twitter, Facebook, and Google Places. Many of our members have [...]

Social media seems to be everywhere these days.  More than likely you are using it to stay connected with friends and family, post pictures of your vacation and organize your class reunion.  So why does your firm need to be a part of social media, and how could it possibly benefit your firms bottom line?
To [...]

                      
People seem to be out shopping, and the retail news seems to be positive. Could it really be true? I decided to call, Rebecca Marion Flach, Vice President of Membership and Communication for the Retail Council of New York State.
As Vice President of Membership and Communication for the Retail Council, exactly what do you do?
I’m [...]

                      
The last U.S. Census reports that small businesses with fewer than ten employees make up 78% of all employers. A recent survey of small-business owners, by SurePayroll Inc., found that poor hiring practices cost about $10,000 per hire. And according to a recent study by Leadership IQ, nearly half of all new hires (46%) [...]