#YearInReview

2009 & 2010 Accomplishments

#YearInReview What did you ship in 2010? (inspired by Seth Godin’s blog today)

Your turn to post a list somewhere… You’ll probably be surprised at how much you accomplished last year. Go ahead and share with your friends, colleagues or the web… don’t be shy.

HERE IS MY LIST:

2010 Business
ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Remodeled Office
• Featured speaker AM Valpo
• ValpoLife Website (click here)
• Business After Hours Program
• CDS Business Append
• R.O.S.E. Unsung Hero Award (click here)
• Sponsor Banta Feeds (click here)
• ValpoLife Video (click here)
• Bulkmail4u Blog (click here)
• TalTree Family Fun Day (click here)
• JDRF 2010 Walk
• Ronald McDonald House $3650.00 (click here)
• Blog for  The Disney Driven Life (click here)
• Popcorn Parade Winner (click here)
• 3 Leaves RMH
• Customer Savings over $684,552.00
• Donated over 8 lbs of pop tops to RMH

Can’t wait to start on my list for 2011.  What about  you?

Have a wonder-filled day,

Donna Flanagin

Random me:  I wrap my Christmas tree and store it in a closet completely decorated for next year. (lazy or brilliant?)

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Acknowledging the Children

Family Heirloom Chest

A customer walks in the door with a rambunctious child in tow, what do you do?  Does your company have procedures on how to handle unruly children and are there plenty of explicate signs letting the parents know what their child can and can’t do?

How does that look through the eyes of your customer?

We do not have a lot of children that visit our site, but when they do we make sure they feel special.

We have a treasure chest filled with trinkets.  Each visiting child is allowed to choose one treasure from the chest that usually keeps them occupied during their visit.  We also have coloring pages and offer to take their picture for our VIP Gallery.

It is a very inexpensive way to make a statement and build a relationship.

Children matter.

How do you acknowledge visiting children in your business?

Have a wonder-filled day,

Donna Flanagin

Random me:  Hummingbirds make me smile and hold a special place in my heart.

Feeling Gratitude

Memorable Feast - Friends & Family - Forever Grateful

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.

~William Arthur Ward

William Arthur Ward (1921–1994), author of Fountains of Faith, is one of America’s most quoted writers of inspirational maxims.

Enough said!

365 Thank Yous

Thank yous to our company

Send one thank you every day for 365 days.

Ever consider doing that?

John Kralik did.

Changed an attitude, changed a life.

Helping change the world?

365 Thank Yous by John Kralik.

What if a business did this?

Guess who published this book?

Hyperion a division of the Disney Company.

Have a wonder-filled day,

Donna Flanagin

Random me:  My first house cost $27,250 back in 1974.  It was a really nice house too 🙂

Say it with class

 

If it needs to be said, say it with class and a little humor doesn’t hurt either.

Have a wonder-filled day,

Donna Flanagin

Random me:  My mother was a welder during the WWII.

Big Mistake. Big. Huge!

The cupcakes!

 

During the Disney Institute workshop, we learned that Disney’s top four quality standards are:  Safety, Courtesy, Show, and Efficiency.  They are discussed, trained and practiced by all DI cast members.  Courtesy to customers and fellow employees is only trumped by safety.  Did you hear me? Courtesy comes before all else.

This is a true story as recanted by my daughter.

In a recent visit to a local store (name withheld to protect the guilty), she was greeted with, well let’s just say…. with complete disregard.  She happened to be  carrying some cupcakes to bring back to the office, and as she walked into this business, 5 separate employees looked at her and then went back to the task at hand.  Not one employee acknowledged her.  Ironically this store was celebrating their Holiday Open House that day.

As she stood there dumbfounded, one employee looked back up and said, “Oh are you making the cupcake delivery?”  She smiled and politely said, “NO, I was here to make a purchase.”   At this point, she was re-thinking that idea.

Miraculously, she was now “a valued customer”.   “Oh, how can we help you?” was delivered with a great big smile.

She thought, “Are you kidding me?  When I was delivering cupcakes, I was not important at all.  Why would delivering cupcakes make me a less valued visitor?”

They say it takes over 30 positive transactions to counteract 1 bad one.  What are the chances she will be back 29 more times to find out?

As the line goes in the movie Pretty Woman, “Big mistake. Big. HUGE!”

Have a wonder-filled day,

Donna Flanagin

Random me:  My daughter Erica was named after my dad “Eric”

Loyalty – How Sweet It Is.

Oh So Sweet

What a spectacular day.

A long-time customer from a neighboring town brought us a gift of tasty chocolates.

They told us how much they appreciate what we do.

We let them know how genuinely grateful we are of their business.

They had been asked to use a local vendor for their mailings.

Their reply – haven’t found one that gives the same great service that Flanagin’s does.

The candy was tasty, but their loyalty was so much sweeter.

Have a wonder-filled day,

Donna Flanagin

Random Me:  I prefer milk-chocolate over dark chocolate.