Chamber Chat: The Good, The Mad & The Ugly

As you know, I am obsessed with people working with the public to be nice and say THANK YOU.  Not “HERE YOU GO”, but THANK YOU.  It’s not rocket science…its common courtesy.  I don’t know if people recognize me as that “Thank You Freak” or not, but I’ve noticed around town I am getting more and more THANK YOU’S and less and less HERE YOU GO from our front line folks.  I think that’s great, but it always is a good idea to get a refresher course now and then, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
The York Area Chamber of Commerce and The York Visitors Bureau proudly present THE GOOD, THE MAD & THE UGLY-Customer Service Training!  This 2-hour seminar will be held on Tuesday June 3rd from 10:00 a.m. to noon at the Chances ‘R Beer Garden.  I am thrilled to have York native Jeanne Baer as the presenter.  Jeanne and I go way back to when she was with the Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau and I was with the State Tourism Office.  Jeanne started her own consulting company many years ago and she works with businesses, corporations and organizations around the globe to work on communication issues, problem solving and customer service training.  I cannot think of a better person to lead this session and the fact that she grew up here in York and her folks (Cub and Delores Baer) were well respected members of the community is icing on the cake.
This session is really for those who work directly with the public AND for those who hire and train these front line staff.  If you are one of those who think you do not NEED this sort of training, you should be first to sign up!  There are always new things to learn in the customer service arena.  The folks who work with the traveling public (hotel/motel staff, waiter/waitresses…) are obvious people who should be here, but those who work in and around town at retail stores, the banks and other places where there is plenty of interaction with the public both in person AND over the phone will benefit from this session.  It’s not only good for the city’s reputation, but good for your bottom line.  Jeanne will show you what sort of economic impact you can have on your business based on how you treat your customers.  Knowing Jeanne and having watched her presentations over the years, I know it will be lively, funny and plenty of real-life situations to draw from.
If your business is a member of the York Area Chamber of Commerce, then you can send 5 people to the session FREE OF CHARGE.  That’s one of the perks of belonging to the Chamber.  If you want to bring more than 5 people, then the fee is half price, or $5.00 per person.  Otherwise the fee to attend is $10.00 per person and that includes all the great hand outs Jeanne will have.  If you want to stay afterwards for lunch, there is an additional $10.00.  This is a great investment in your front line folks.  We will be doing a mailing to area businesses soon, but if you want to get a registration form, give us a call at 362-5531 or stop down at the Chamber office or the Visitors Bureau (224 W. 6th).  Seating is limited, so don’t wait to get registered.
There are still seats available for the Yorkshire Playhouse production of THE GLASS MENAGERIE this weekend.  Even if you think you only enjoy going to comedies and musicals, don’t miss this exquisite drama. I’ve been in my share of comedies at the Playhouse and for me, the challenge to get people to laugh is not near as daunting as getting the audience to care about a dramatic character.  The four actors in this production really get into their parts and the audience connects with them.  Take a chance and expand your cultural experience by attending this show.  Rest assured, the Playhouse has a wonderful musical this summer (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream coat) followed by a wild comedy this fall (Faith County II, An Evening of Culture).  The box office number is 362-7060.
I want to thank York College, Erinn Bristol, The York Visitors Bureau, Country Loft, NPPD, Wendy’s, Service Master and Kerry’s of McCool Junction for providing door prizes for my Trivia Questions.  Each Thursday from 7-8:00 a.m., I am a guest on the Crossroads Café on KAWL 1370 and we give away these great prizes for answering my Mindless Trivia Questions.  I’ve got a whole head-full of questions, so stay tuned.