If you are a business owner or manager that already provides excellent customer service or are looking to make this your focus in 2008, we'd like to hear from you! The City of Zion and the Zion Area Chamber of Commerce are working in partnership to develop a new marketing campaign called Bee Our Guest. The premise is very simple...hospitality. Bringing more new customers into your store and make them want to come back will add to your existing customer base and your bottom line.
We are looking for volunteer businesses that will agree to be evaluated by secret shoppers over the next few weeks. These shoppers will complete surveys on product displays, service, convenience, etc. all through the eyes of your customer. This information will be shared in confidentiality with you so you can keep doing what works and perhaps discover something that may be keeping some customers from becoming even better customers.
It doesn't stop there. The key to competing with the big boxes, the Gurnee Mills mega-experience is really customer service, personality and genuinely caring about every customer that walks in the door. If this is your attitude about growing your business we think we can help. In creating an atmosphere of hospitality and service we believe our local businesses can appeal to the nearly three millions annual visitors to our lakefront, the family and friends of guests in the area for cancer treatment and our own residents in a very unique and successful way. The Bee Our Guest signs will tell customers you are part of a very select group of businesses that are focused on friendly, knowledgeable customer service as well as good products at good prices.
Only businesses that agree to regular evaluations, ongoing participation in customer service coaching seminars and promotional product or service savings will have the opportunity to display the Bee Our Guest decals or have their business listed in the recommended business directory. The list will be available in print at local hotels, the marina, campground, participating stores and other points of contact with the people that should be shopping in your store. There will also be links to various websites that list those businesses that are part of the Bee Our Guest campaign.
We all understand the retail market is going through an economic cycle that will still take a while to fully recover. But that doesn't mean we have to accept the norm when we have a captive customer base right here in the area that simply needs to feel welcome. If you agree, please contact the Chamber at (847) 872-5405 or the Office of Economic Development at (847) 746-4015. Be one of the first to find out how to get on board. The first round of secret shoppers will begin in June and learning what you are already doing well and where things could be improved is valuable information all on its own. If your evaluation determines you are providing quality customer service you will be invited to participate in the Bee our Guest program.
If there is a need for improvement, we will provide you with the tools to do so and then bring you into the program. There is nothing here but opportunity so please consider learning more about the Bee Our Guest promotion. The Zion business community is one that sincerely cares about its customers and this program is our way of letting our visitors and residents see that in a more direct way. Feeling appreciated simply feels good. Let us help you be recognized for your efforts by bringing more customers into your store to experience what real hometown hospitality really is so when they talk to friends they can say with sincerity, Zion is a great place to Bee!
