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Business

  • GRILLEStoGRILL

    Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of features based on winners of this year’s Roane County News Reader’s Choice Awards. See more about this year’s winners in the annual Reader’s Choice Awards section in today’s issue.

    It is all about service for Rodney Harback.

    His Roane Street Grill restaurant at 812 N. Roane St., Harriman, offers mouth-watering home-cooking, serving throngs of patrons every day of the week, while his other business, Eddie’s Body Shop, repairs cars as if they were never damaged.

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  • What’s the SCORE?: How do you want your customers to describe you?

    A well-known observation is that a significant source of new customers for many businesses is word-of-mouth advertising.

    Keep in mind the negative side of this. Bad comments can drive away prospective customers.

    Traditional statistics are that customers tell three to five people, and dissatisfied customers tell 10 people.

    What has been the impact of the internet on this? A ten-fold increase? A hundred-fold increase?

    It depends on the size and characteristics of your business.

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  • OUT to LUNCH: Great service, big helpings at Kingston’s Casa Don Polo

    This “Out To Lunch” adventure is at Casa Don Polo, overlooking the lake across from the Kingston City Park.
    The name in English is “House of Mr. Polo.” Polo Canstaneda is the owner.

    Polo’s wife, Ofelia, along with daughters, Stephanie and Emily, are all involved in the operation of this Italian restaurant.

    “We’re Mexican, but I know very little about preparing Mexican dishes,” Polo said.

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  • What’s the SCORE?: Create your own Customer Satisfaction Triad

    Eight years ago, the Roane County Chamber of Commerce asked me to design a workshop that would help members improve their level of customer satisfaction.

    I did over 100 hours of research to design the “How to Delight Your Customers” workshop.

    When I interviewed a successful small business owner in Knoxville, he told me that he and his staff focused on three areas: product/service, customer service and ambiance. It can be an effective tool for building customer satisfaction.

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  • Meat House aims to introduce Chicago flair to Roane County

    Chicago is an area of the United States known for great food, and now Navardo and Genaro Esparaza are bringing that Midwestern flavor to Roane County with their new Meat House BBQ & More in Midtown.

    “We decided to come to this area because we think this area needs a good mom-and-pop-type business,” owner Navardo Esparaza said.

    “We have a passion to cook. We love the enjoyment of seeing someone’s face when the food is good.”

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  • Staffers from Roane among Caring Hearts

    Alzheimer’s Tennessee recently celebrated heroes who go above and beyond when caring for individuals and families facing Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

    Employees from five facilities in Roane County were among 106 caregivers honored during the humanitarian agency’s 18th annual Caring Hearts ceremony last month in Knoxville.

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  • Cracker Barrel’s Employee Food & Fun Day
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  • Ribbon-cutting welcome for Humble Bee

     

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  • Roane jobless rate at 4.4%

    Roane County was among 90 Tennessee counties who saw a drop in their unemployment rates for April, according to figures released late last month by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

    Roane County’s rate was 4.4 percent — a 0.4 percent decrease from March’s 4.8 percent. The numbers are much improved over the same time last year, when Roane County registered a jobless rate of 6.4 percent.

    It’s much the same story with the state rate, which was 3.9 percent in April.

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  • OUT to LUNCH: Half of a half of Dean’s Big Barney pleasantly fills you up

    In my 2013 “Out To Lunch” article on Dean’s Restaurant & Bakery in Oak Ridge, I mentioned my wife, Carol, and I went to school in Oak Ridge, and are involved in planning our high school class reunions.

    Our most recent adventure at Dean’s includes members of our reunion committee. The committee is finalizing plans for a June 9 reunion lunch during the Secret City Festival.

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