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Business

  • What’s the SCORE? by Dana Peterka — How effectively do you retain customers?

    Let’s start with a definition.

    Customer retention refers to the activities and actions organizations take to reduce the number of customer defections. The goal of customer-retention programs is to help companies retain as many customers as possible.

    Previously, we have talked about acquiring and turning leads into customer sales.

    Many companies spend more money on customer acquisition because they view it as a quick and effective way of increasing revenue.

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  • Food City Shelby Report’s 2016 top retailer

    Abingdon, Va.-based Food City — with stores in Harriman, Kingston and Oliver Springs — was selected as The Shelby Report of the Southeast’s Retailer of the Year.

    Food City was recognized as a company that exemplifies leadership in merchandising, marketing, innovation and community service.

    The company, founded by Jack Smith in 1955, started out with one store in Grundy, Va.

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  • Customer service to be focus of Academy

    SCORE will present a three-session Customer Service Academy at the Roane County Chamber of Commerce at 1209 N. Kentucky St., Kingston.

    The three sessions, free for up to two employees registered by Chamber members, will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Feb. 28, March 7 and 14. A $50 fee will be charged to others wishing to attend.

    The Academy is designed to help employees in several ways:

    • Understand how job performance impacts quality of life

    • Develop skills that enhance customer satisfaction scores

    Click here to read more...
  • Customer service to be focus of Academy

    SCORE will present a three-session Customer Service Academy at the Roane County Chamber of Commerce at 1209 N. Kentucky St., Kingston.

    The three sessions, free for up to two employees registered by Chamber members, will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Feb. 28, March 7 and 14. A $50 fee will be charged to others wishing to attend.

    Click here to read more...
  • OUT OF THIS WORLD

    For years, Roane State Community College associate professor Ted Stryk has peered into powerful telescopes to explore the mysteries of outer space.

    It’s his hobby and his passion.

    On Jan. 19, the associate professor of philosophy and English was honored for his role in a NASA investigation of the dwarf planet Pluto and its moons.

    Click here to read more...
  • MR. CLEAN

    Most people remember their first job as a stepping stone for later in life.

    For Harriman’s Brian Frost, his first job is his life. He and his wife, Rechelle, own Mr. Clean Car Wash in Harriman.

    “I started washing cars when I was 14 years old,” Frost said. “When I was 16, I went to work at Morgan County Ford, then I went to Southern Auto Sales, and then I went to Eddie’s [Body Shop]. Now I’m here.”

    Frost learned the trade working for others, but then the opportunity came to run his own business.

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  • What’s the SCORE? Networking effective toward achieving goals

    By Dana Peterka

    In the last two columns, we discussed setting longterm goals and objectives for the new year.

    Networking can be an effective tool for achieving both your longterm and shortterm goals.

    What is networking?

    It is cultivating ongoing, informal relationships with an eye toward sharing information that can ultimately benefit you and your business.

    Yes, there are many people ready to provide advice, information, brainstorming help and professional guidance.

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  • Y-12 Federal Credit Union promotes 4

    Y-12 Federal Credit Union has promoted four employees, including a regional branch manager overseeing the Roane County Branch.

    Rusty Curtis was promoted to the position after serving as branch manager in Sevier County.

    Curtis started working for Y-12 Federal Credit Union 11 years ago as an assistant manager. He has been in the banking industry for 23

    years.

    In addition to Roane County, he will oversee branches in Sevierville and Clinton.

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  • Unemployment rate continues downward tick

    Roane County’s November unemployment continues to inch downward.

    The rate, 5.4 percent, is 0.1 percent lower than in October, according to statistics released late last month by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

    Roane County jobless rate was recorded at 6.0 percent in November 2016.

    The downward trend also continues statewide and nationally. Tennessee’s unemployment rate for November was 4.6 percent; the U.S. rate was 4.4 percent.

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  • DOE board seeks members

    The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management is seeking volunteers to fill vacancies on the Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board.

    The board is a federally chartered citizens panel that provides recommendations to the agency regarding cleanup activities across the Oak Ridge Reservation.

    The deadline for submitting applications is Jan. 31.

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