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Welcome to Chamber Insights February 2012 Complete February 2012 issue: with President Roger Meadows Message on Customer Service Training. Also articles on new members, list of members who have renewed, corporate sponsor message from J. Brandon Thompson, a report from Executive Director Sue Stivers, Looking Ahead/Calendar of Events, and an interview with new Chamber Board Member Julie Combs. The monthly newsletter of the Columbia-Adair County Chamber of Commerce, 201 Burkesville Street, Columbia, Kentucky 42718 (270) 384-6020 / coladair@duo-county.comwww.columbia-adaircounty.com Editor: Sue StiversPresident's Message: Roger MeadowsFeature Writer: Rachel CarrThe Purpose of the Columbia-Adair County Chamber of Commerce is to promote and enhance the Business, Cultural, Educational and Civic Well Being of Columbia and Adair County. Thought of the Month"You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus" - - Mark Twain PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE By Roger Meadows, President Tour Southern and Eastern Kentucky (TOURSEKY) recently held a Customer Service Training session in the basement of the Chamber of Commerce Building. The session asked the question "Are customers your number one priority?". One of the highest priorities for all business is to provide Quality Customer Service. We do everything possible to gain new customers but gain nothing if we don't take care of existing customers. The way we keep those customers is providing better service than our competitors. Quality Customer Service is whatever the customer thinks it is. If we give the customer what they expect, we have quality service; otherwise we do not have quality service. Customers do not perceive when you do something right as quality service - that is what they expect, it is a given that is not thought about one way or the other, until an error occurs. Once a mistake is made, however, a perception of quality is created if the mistake is rectified quickly and courteously; anything less is perceived as poor quality service. So what are the things that allow us to provide Quality Customer Service? Some of the key items are Courtesy, Reliability, Responsiveness, Attitude and Appreciation. Courtesy means friendliness, consideration, and respect. Courtesy is the golden rule; it is treating customers as you want to be treated when you are a customer at another business. Courtesy means good manners. It means treating people with respect and making them feel comfortable while they do business with you. Treating all customers with respect is a fundamental part of quality customer service. Reliability means doing what you say you are going to do. Reliability means knowing that we will take care of a customers needs to the best of our ability. A frequent complaint of customers is "I was told it would take 2 days to fix my problem and it's been a week" or "I was told someone would get back with me tomorrow and it's been a week and I still haven't heard from anyone". Be honest with your customer, if it's going to take a week to get a part or fix a problem, tell them that up front. Don't say you will have that for them tomorrow and then take a week. Responsiveness means no excuses. If a customer has a problem or you make a mistake, the problem must be corrected as soon as possible without excuses. You must have a positive attitude. Our attitude is contagious. We have a lot of control over how we think, and a surprisingly large number of people think negative thoughts most of the time. On the other hand, there are positive things in our lives, too, and if we choose to, we can focus on the positive side of things. This enables us to have a positive effect on those we come in contact with. Show your appreciation by thanking the customer and find ways to let them know how important they are. Whenever possible, thank customers for their business. One of the most disturbing things for all of us is to spend our hard earned money at a business and not be thanked before we leave. Also, treat your employees well, employees are your internal customers and need a regular dose of appreciation. Treat your employees with respect and chances are they will display a more positive attitude to the customer. The Chamber plans to offer additional classes throughout the year to benefit all businesses, if there are classes that you would be interested in, please contact us at the Chamber office. CORPORATE SPONSOR OF THE MONTH Thank you WAIN for being Corporate Sponsor of the Month. The following remarks were made by J. Brandon Thompson, General Manager of WAIN: WAIN was honored to be February's Corporate Sponsor. We are proud to be an active member of this Chamber because it does so much to promote our community and our local businesses. I'm sure you've all tuned into WAIN at some point, but if it's been a while, I want to let you know what you're missing. Of course, WAIN has been Columbia's hometown station for more than 60 years. 1270 AM originally signed on the air in 1951, and 93.5 FM came on in 1968. Since then a lot has changed, both at WAIN and in Adair County. In fact, we've been through a lot of changes in just the last few months. In September of last year we tweaked 93.5 to a newer, fresher Hot Country Format. We play the latest and best country music and I'll tell you we've gotten overwhelmingly positive feedback to our new sound. And just last month Golden Oldies 1270 AM went away to make room for our new Fox Sports Radio AM 1270. We've also added a live and local weekday afternoon show, The Hot Spot with David Gary, to supplement our long time live morning show with Lisa Clark. They continue to bring you the best local news coverage. We are also proud of our strong relationship with WBKO television in Bowling Green. Meteorologists Chris Allen, Shane Hollinde, and the first alert storm team provide you with the most up to date and accurate weather information possible everyday on WAIN. Of course you can call the WAIN weather line anytime at 384-5302. We feel we are now sounding better than we ever have and I believe our listenership, which continues to increase monthly, would agree. But more importantly, WAIN continues to serve Adair and surrounding counties with the kind of community involvement that you've come to know and expect. Our goal is to promote and invest in our community. Whether it's the annual back to school pool party that we hold every summer for area kids, our longtime partnerships with Adair County High School, Lindsey Wilson College and University of Kentucky athletics, monthly chats with extension service agent Kellie Bonifer, Community Health Educator Jelaine Harlow, and important public affairs interviews, such as Lisa's monthly segment with Attorney General Jack Conway, and starting next Tuesday, with Representative Ed Whitfield, the annual Radio auctions for the Jaycees, ACHS athletics, Rotary Club, and of course St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, we are dedicated to serving our community. J. Brandon Thompson General Manager WAIN 93.5 FM/WAIN 1270 AM WELCOME NEW BOARD MEMBER JULIE COMBS Interviewed By Rachel Carr* The Columbia-Adair County Chamber of Commerce would like to Welcome to its Chamber Board Julie Combs of Day and Day Feed. Julie Combs has been working at the Day and Day Feed Mill for six years. Officially, she is a Customer Service Manager, but she works in many more capacities than that. Julie says that the customers are the best part of her job. Julie enjoys working at the store as she has always loved animals, anything to do with animals and especially people who love animals. One of the most difficult parts of her job is determining what to stock and order for the store on a weekly basis to keep customers satisfied, but she says that Day and Day Feed Mill is blessed to have incredibly loyal and great customers. The store is currently attempting to carry more Kentucky/locally made products to better satisfy the needs of the area. In her spare time, Julie enjoys spending time on her farm. She has two daughters both currently enrolled in school. Julie is a graduate of Lindsey Wilson College with a degree in Human Services and Counseling. She has always loved people, and became involved with her current work at a small store in Glasgow. When that store was bought out, she moved to her current position with Day and Day Feed Mill. Julie is looking forward to serving the community after being elected to the Columbia-Adair County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. She is very excited to work with everyone and to be representing Day and Day Feed Mill, and to give input to the Chamber from her experience. *Rachel Carr is a junior at Lindsey Wilson College. She is majoring in English and minoring in Women's Studies. She is a Begley Scholar and a Bonner Volunteer. Rachel is currently working at the Columbia-Adair County Chamber of Commerce for her Bonner service site. She also worked at the Chamber of Commerce in her hometown of Danville, Kentucky. CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL It's time to renew your membership in the Columbia-Adair County Chamber of Commerce. Chamber membership runs from January 1 through December 31. If you have not paid your membership dues, now is the time to renew. You may do so by mailing in the form that was sent to you or stop by the Chamber office at 201 Burkesville St. Your Chamber membership is an investment in you community, your business and yourself. It's through the Chamber and its program of work that we bridge the gap that enables us to reach people, places and organizations that are viable to our success as individuals and as a community. The Chamber is the voice of the business community. It is keeping abreast of issues that affect your business. The Chamber speaks out for or against legislation of issues that affect our businesses and community. Your local and State Chamber is working in this legislative session in Frankfort on issues that will help your business and our community. WELCOME NEW MEMBERS The Columbia-Adair County Chamber of Commerce welcomes the following new Chamber Members: - Best Financial Services, Inc. - 1115 Jamestown Street, Suite 2 Columbia, KY 42728270-384-0508 - Manager Charity Turpin- Bahama Beauties Tanning - 906 Greensburg Street, Columbia, KY 42728270-384-0500 - Jessica FroedgeBy joining the Chamber, you become a part of an organization that is dedicated to the economic growth and prosperity of Columbia and Adair County. Your investment in the Chamber means an "investment" in "Your Community". This is your Chamber...Your business voice in our community...helping to make Columbia-Adair County "A Great Place to Call Home". Remember, what you get out of a membership association is what you put into it. You are encouraged to get involved today! The Chamber Board of Directors would like to thank the following Chamber Members for renewing their membership for 2012.
LOOKING AHEAD..... UP COMING EVENTS Ribbon Cutting - Saturday - March 10th - 11:00 amBahama Beauties Tanning - 906 Greensburg Street - 384-0500 with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Saturday, March 10th at 11:00 AM. Owner Jessica Froedge All Chamber members and the public are invited to attend and give this new business a big Adair County Welcome. We wish each business much success and congratulate you on becoming a member of the Columbia-Adair County Chamber of Commerce. March 31 - Farm, Home & Garden Expo: The Chamber will have a booth at the Farm, Home & Garden Expo to be held Saturday, March 31 from 10:00 am to 2:00 PM. Everyone is invited to come by the Chamber Booth and visit with Chamber members and pick up information. The Chamber Board invites all Chamber members to bring their business cards, flyers with announcement of spring specials, discount coupons or any hand out information that you business would like to promote. Bring copies for distribution to the Chamber office located at 201 Burkesville Street in Columbia prior to the Expo. Chamber volunteers will be there working for your business. This is only one way that the Chamber can work for you and your business. Let us hear from you. If you have any questions, please call the Chamber office at 384-6020 April 17 - Annual Chamber Banquet Calling all Chamber members...Mark the date of Tuesday, April 17 on your calendar! The Annual Banquet will be held at Cranmer Dining Center at Lindsey Wilson College beginning at 6:30 PM. Come...enjoy good food and have fund and fellowship with your chamber friends and see deserving people receive awards. Watch your email or your mail box for more details, along with the form for nominating leaders for awards. Let's make this the best Chamber Banquet ever!! WHY SHOULD YOUR BUSINESS GROW? WHY SHOULD YOUR CHAMBER GROW? By Sue C. Stivers, Executive Director On many occasions, I have heard speakers and read authors who have addressed the importance of growth. Should growing a business be the approach to improving business quality and profitability? Have you ever been tempted to put on the brakes and concentrate on quality while consciously resisting growth? It is the nature of business owners and managers to want to operate their business in the best way possible, to produce the finest goods, to provide the best service, to exceed the customer's expectations. All of us want our businesses to become better, to be the best, to earn and enjoy the finest reputation within our respective industries. Sound familiar? Focusing your business on growth will drive the quality process. To grow, a business must be efficient, must be responsive, must embrace the best management practices, must obtain the best human resources, must be innovative, and must be entrepreneurial. Becoming the best is often the by-product of these growth strategies, as are increased profits. There really is a difference between "let's get better" and "let's get bigger". Focusing on quality alone, without a concurrent strategy to grow can be risky business. There are many examples of businesses that have slowed their growth, focused internally at becoming better, and have been swallowed by competition or left behind in their wake. Conversely, there are many examples of businesses that have become the best and earned the finest reputation while growing their business. Not coincidently, many of the best are many of the "biggest". Your Chamber of Commerce is thinking, "Lets get bigger" as a way to strengthen the Chamber organization. More members, more partners, more resources and opportunities provide our membership with value and service. As your Chamber Board of Directors, committee members and staff work hard to grow the Chamber of Commerce in 2012, your input and involvement is welcome. Many new Chamber members have been referred to us by our current membership. Thank you for your help and...Keep Spreading The Word! All businesses, churches, community organizations, or individuals who love and appreciate our wonderful City and County, are encouraged to become a Chamber member. You will be making a great investment in your community. Hats off to Chamber Vice President, Eric West for being willing to work and serve as the membership chairman. For more information on the Chamber of Commerce, stop by the Chamber office at 201 Burkesville Street or call 384-6020 This story was posted on 2012-02-29 09:14:02
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St. Jude speaker at Feb. 21, 2012 Chamber luncheon Chamber Insights. Complete January 2012 issue Welcome to Chamber Insights - Complete December 2011 Issue Tickets available for Chamber of Commerce Christmas Gathering Chamber Insights October 2011 -Complete Issue Chamber Insights September 2011 Welcome to Chamber Insights - August 2011 Welcome to Chamber Insights -July 2011 Chamber picnic moved indoors to CUMC, 202 Burkesville ST. Chamber Picnic Reservations due today, June 17, 2011 View even more articles in topic Chamber Insights |
 
115 Jamestown St. Columbia, KY. 270-384-2496 
  
   
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