Featured bio of the week

Exceptional floral design available for delivery throughout Thurston County.

Capitol Florist is featured on itsyourolympia.com. Are you a PBIA ratepayer? Fill out your bio and you could be featured here next!

Upcoming community events

Bonaventure 2012 winter clearance sale – extended
Now through January 28

Due to the havoc created by the snow Bonaventure has extended their sale through the last weekend of January. Now is the time to get your boots to get you through the rest of this winter.

Bonaventure still has lots of boots by Munro, Naot, Anita, Sperry Topsider (waterproof) and Pikolinos.

Store hours are Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm and Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm. For more information call (360) 943-4899 or visit www.bonaventureshoes.com.

New Year, New You at VUE sale
Now through January 28

New Year, New You at VUE sale continues until January 28.  Selected frame collections are 50% off with the purchase of lenses. Get your new specs for 2012 at a HUGE savings.  Visit VUE Vision Uniquely Experienced at 116 5th Ave SE, downtown Olympia, www.vueolympia.com.

ODA Annual Meeting
January 23, 6 to 8:30 pm

Monday, January 23, 2012 – 6 to 8:30 pm
Harlequin Productions/State Theater, 202 4th Ave E
$12 member donation and $15 non-member donation

6 pm – Reception and check-in
Appetizers and no host wine and beer

7 pm – Program begins
Fabulous raffles – entertainment
Special guest speakers:
Keith Stahley, Community Planning & Development Director
Rich Hoey, Interim Public Works Director
Topic: Project for Public Spaces

Please join us for a fun, informative evening and meet your neighbors. ODA’s Volunteer of the Year, Person of the Year and Business of the Year will be revealed.

Sponsored by:
Olympia Federal Savings

RSVP to (360) 357-8948 or odaoffice@tss.net.

Welcome to the Capital City Legislative Reception
January 25, 11:30 am to 1:30 pm

Date: Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Time: 11:30 am to 1:30 pm
Location: Capitol Campus – John A Cherberg Building, conference rooms A/B

Featuring a celebration of the revitalization of Washington’s Main Street® Districts.

A light lunch will be provided.

Please RSVP to odaoffice@tss.net or (360) 357-8948.

Downtown Academy – Coffee talk
January 27, 8 to 9 am

What topics would you like to see for the Downtown Academy? What issues do you think the Economic Development Committee should consider in 2012? Come to the Coffee Talk Downtown Academy and share your ideas and brainstorm with the group.

Presenter:

Kari Qvigstad, Qvigstad & Associates, new chair of Economic Development Committee

Event Info:

Friday, January 27
8 to 9 am
New Caldonia Atrium
116 5th Ave SE
Downtown Olympia

Please RSVP to odaoffice@tss.net or (360) 357-8948.

News around town

Music in the Park call for talent

2012 Summer Concert Series

Outdoor concerts each Wednesday, 7 to 8 pm in July and August at Sylvester Park in downtown Olympia. (One Friday concert held at the Port of Olympia’s Port Plaza.)

CALL FOR TALENT

February 15, 2012 deadline for mailing your band’s music CD, reproducible photo and biographical information to:

Music in the Park
c/o Olympia Downtown Association
120 State Ave NE, PMB #1031
Olympia, WA 98501-8212

Need more information?
www.MusicInTheParkOlympia.com
Contact:
Vida Zvirzdys-Farler
(360) 357-8948
odaevent@tss.net

Recession buster discount

Always Safe & Lock is pleased to announce a special price discount to businesses in downtown Olympia! $20 off any on-site service! FREE ESTIMATES!

Always Safe & Lock is your one stop security shop in downtown Olympia. For more information contact (360) 357-8500 or alwayssafe815@hotmail.com. Offer valid until June 30, 2012.

Sustainable Thurston questionnaire

Sustainable Thurston needs your help as they embark on the first phase of a community-wide discussion about how to create and maintain vital and resilient communities within our region, as we face the challenges and opportunities that come with a growing population.

Sustainable Thurston asks that you complete the short questionnaire by January 25th. It will provide valuable information as Sustainable Thurston prepares to interact more directly with you, your neighbors and co-workers over the next several months.

Ultimately this project will result in a community defined vision for a sustainable future, including the actions, responsibilities and performance measures necessary to achieve it over time.

This is what they need you to do:

1) Simply click to complete the questionnaire and make sure to hit send when you have finished.

2) Please forward to friends, co-workers, associates, local business/service organizations – anyone that lives, works or plays in the Thurston Region. Sustainable Thurston is seeking the broadest level of participation in order to enrich the conversations to come.

To learn more about the project go to SustainableThurston.org. Have a look around – you’ll find a variety of resources and information related to this project, including some short videos. Click to join the email list to receive regular updates and information about events.

Sustainable Thurston thanks you for your help.

Business tips

Business survival tips for a tight economy

Make efforts to reduce the amount of time it takes to collect payment from customers. The most important key to getting paid on time is to be clear about the work that was done, how much should be paid and by when.

• Add a bold due date to your invoice.
• Call to make sure the customer got the invoice.
• Don’t wait until the payment is overdue; start collection efforts immediately.
• Make certain all customer service efforts are addressed immediately so that they won’t later be used as an excuse for withholding payment.

More business survival tips for a tight economy.

Excellent customer service for 2012

Focus on the customer service representative: The front-line employee who interacts directly with the customer is the single-most important ambassador a company has; they should be the standard-bearers of your company’s vision and brand. The company’s very reputation and brand promise must be conveyed to your valued customer.

As customer service leaders, resolve in 2012 to start recognizing your front-line customers service representatives. They are your customer service soldiers in their role. As leaders, start understanding your role to shape the resources, systems and processes as tools the front-line customer service representatives can use to heighten and improve the customer experience. Make sure you are providing your customer service representatives with the competencies and skills to do their job well, and then reward them in tangible and meaningful ways when they are successful.

Invite them to be the face of the company in a meaningful way … then observe in wonder as they gain the ability and the motivation to knock the customer’s socks off.

Copyright 2012. Reprinted with permission from Barbara Wold’s Retail & Consumer Tips, mail to bwold@ix.netcom.com.

More excellent customer service for 2012.