How are you delighting your customer?

It is always interesting to me when asked, “What makes your brand experience different”? Companies both large and small always respond, “Our customer service”. Many companies claim great customer service, but few actually deliver.  My family and I were recently delighted by the customer experience we received staying at the Vanderbilt Hotel in Newport Rhode Island, an Auberge Collection.  They exemplified excellence in customer service and our customer experience. 

Cozy areas are located through-out the Vanderbilt Hotel - image credit: Jarvis Consultants, LLC

 What made the experience at the Vanderbilt Hotel exceptional?

• I researched online; but called the property to make the reservation.  The reservationists (I will reserve her name for privacy); explained all the options and the feel for the property. We love Newport and had stayed in the town several times but never at this property. I booked one of their suites.  She thanked me and waived the resort fee, explaining that since I called the hotel directly, I was eligible for this discount. 

RESULT:  The time patiently spent on the phone and waiving the resort fee, made me feel like a valued (loyal) customer although I had never stayed at this property.

• I immediately received an email from the Concierge saying that they were looking forward to our visit and if there was anything they could do for us; please do not hesitate to reach out.

RESULT: The follow-up showed me they were serious and wanted to make sure our experience was positive.

• We arrived earlier than expected, walked up to check-in and before I could introduce myself; the front desk person welcomed me to the Vanderbilt hotel by name.

RESULT: They made us feel famous – knew us before the introduction. 

• While waiting for check-in; the front desk person (not the one waiting on us) saw that my daughter was dressed in NBA/college basketball apparel.  She then told us (name and directions on how to get there) about a local store that specializes in basketball items; and, she thought we might enjoy visiting.

RESULT:  They noticed and cared about something that my daughter valued; and, took an extra step to make a meaningful suggestion to enhance our experience.

• Waiting for us in our suite was a handwritten welcome note, a fresh flower centerpiece, a bottle of wine; three local bottled sodas and sparkling water.

RESULT:  They WOWED us with these amenities!

• At check-out, I shared that the hotel property is a lovely place and our suite was absolutely beautiful but the heating system was loud and interrupted our sleep.  The check-out person explained that the hotel was preparing to shut down for the entire month of January where they will remodel which will include the heating/cooling systems that will be replaced.  She apologized for the disturbance and complimented an expensive dinner we had at their onsite restaurant during our stay.

RESULT:  We are coming back to this property; and, it is now our property of choice when we plan to stay in Newport, Rhode Island.

In reality, it is difficult to deliver consistent and uninterrupted customer service; but, every single person we encountered at this property extended themselves to us. Delighting their customer is ingrained in how they approach hotel guests and do their jobs.  Yes, it is difficult to deliver consistent and uninterrupted delightful customer experiences; yet, it is possible. 

What are you doing to back up your great customer service claims?  More importantly, how are you measuring them?

 Sonya Ruff Jarvis is an entrepreneur and founder of Jarvis Consultants, LLC, a marketing, events and branding firm that helps businesses create innovative approaches to navigate the world of marketing. Sonya has been a part of the B2B retail industry for more than 25 years and is the founder of the Home Improvement eRetailer Summit. Follow Sonya on Twitter @jarvisconsult and @eretailersummit or contact her directly at sonya@jarvisconsultants.com.  She is also a book author and her books can be found on AMAZON.

Do you follow your instincts?

Image Credit: Jarvis Consultants, LLC - photo of art at the Kimpton Nine Zero Hotel, Boston, MA

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word “Instinct” as ‘a natural or inherent aptitude, impulse, or capacity’.  We all have instincts. When something comes up and you have that inherent aptitude telling you to do something, do you follow it? Or, do you talk yourself out of it?

Many of us have been in situations where rationally and intellectually, it makes sense to do “A”, but instinctively something is pulling us to do “B”. It’s a gut feeling; not rational, not intellectual but an emotional feeling gnawing at you.  For me, it hits me in my stomach, I can feel it; it’s a visceral reaction.  I have always had, as I put it God-given discernment (and I’m not bragging), but I can inherently feel out a situation.  Of course, nothing is perfect, but I learned through mistakes.  Particularly, early on in my life, I didn’t listen to that feeling much.  I wasn’t mature enough to be in tune with my body; and, literally feeling something in the pit of my stomach didn’t sway me to do the opposite of what I had decided.  I evaluated my response of intellectual versus instincts. If I could do a mulligan I would go with my instinct every time. I know, it doesn’t make sense, but my instincts are usually dead-on regardless of what rational arguments and information are presented.

A recent article in Forbes captured the story of Sara Blakely, the creator and founder of SPANX, where it described how her intuition led her to growing and then ultimately selling the majority shares in her billion dollar enterprise. Forbes specifically states that: “Nearly a decade later, Blakely credits her strong sense of intuition for the timing of the sale to Blackstone”. “I have run this business, I've run my life, very, very connected to intuition, which we all have. It's an inner knowing,” she told Moira Forbes. “I just always said, I'll just know, I'll know when it's the right time for the business. I'll know when it's the right time for me.” 

I’m married to an attorney, and he likes facts. Do not get me wrong, facts are important in making decisions; I’m a marketer and data points, analysis and facts are important, but they don’t always tell the full story.  Over the years, I have often used that same line that Sara Blakely was quoted in the Forbes article, on my husband when we are making decisions – I just know – the facts aren’t saying it – the reasoning isn’t saying it and neither is the intelligence; but, there is something just deep down within me urging me on to choose the opposite of what the facts, reasoning and intelligence are telling us. 

As we approach and welcome in a new year, embrace your intuition into your decision-making process; whether it’s a big decision or a small one; a personal decision or a business decision; perhaps follow that inner voice of your gut feeling and see where it leads you. 

Cheers to a Happy New Year!

Sonya Ruff Jarvis is an entrepreneur and founder of Jarvis Consultants, LLC, a marketing, events and branding firm that helps businesses create innovative approaches to navigate the world of marketing. Sonya has been a part of the B2B retail industry for more than 25 years and is the founder of the Home Improvement eRetailer Summit. Follow Sonya on Twitter @jarvisconsult and @eretailersummit or contact her directly at sonya@jarvisconsultants.com.  She is also a book author and her books can be found on AMAZON.

Do you really need another (ugly) sweater for a Holiday gift?

There are headlines warning us that there are supply chain issues (like we haven’t lived it these past two years). Interestingly enough, the current alerts are all related to holiday shopping. The media and business articles are all warning us that we should start our holiday shopping super early this year; especially, if we want to purchase/give specific gifts.  Here’s an article from the NY Times advising consumers how to make sure the supply chain issue doesn’t ruin our holiday shopping.

I say, “Bah Hum Bug”! Do you really need another (ugly) sweater for a Holiday gift?

I am more worried about essentials like toilet paper, paper towels, coffee filters and laundry detergent.

Image Credit: Jarvis Consultants, LLC n (from 2020)

I recently went to Costco and they had no toilet paper or paper towels. I then went to my local chain grocer; and, they only had off-brand toilet paper and paper towels.

Here we go again. Crap! Literally! Now we have to run to every store to try and find Charmin.

The Pandemic lock-down taught us that we really don’t need the things we thought we needed.  At the height of the pandemic we were happy and filled with gratitude to get bare essentials. During the beginning of the pandemic if I could find a full-sized paper towel roll that would make my day.   Shoot, that find would make my week. I feel like we are forgetting what is important. This holiday season is not about shopping for gifts early because of the supply chain issues. Let’s take a moment and remember where we were last year this time.

A very thoughtful person recently shared this quote with me and I would like to share it with you.

 “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.” ~Melody Beattie

Give gratitude for the present time because it could be worse.  Currently, the season is all about the joy of being able to gather again, in-person, with our family and friends. It is truly a blessing.  My suggestion, shop early for essentials; skip the (ugly) sweater purchase and embrace gratitude.

Image Credit: Jarvis Consultants, LLC

 May you and your family have a wonderful in-person gathering this year!

Cheers to a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season!

Sonya Ruff Jarvis, a life-long marketer, has been a corporate executive, bible study teacher, organizer of events with tens of thousands attendees and now a successful small business owner. And through all of this, Sonya has run the New York City Marathon, survived breast cancer and created an innovative business-to-business customer relationship model. She and her husband live in Connecticut with their daughter and their Havanese dog, Sadie, who completes their family.  Follow Sonya on Twitter @jarvisconsult and @eretailersummit or contact her directly at sonya@jarvisconsultants.com.  She is also an author and her books can be found on AMAZON.

What are your politics?

Sonya Ruff Jarvis LinkedIn post, November 2020

What are your politics? Please do not answer. This is a rhetorical question. Although I must say, I am seeing more and more LinkedIn posts throwing shade, in all kinds of directions, at every party.

My mother would always say, “If you do not have anything good to say, do not say it at all”. I am sure you have heard that saying along your journey too. 

I would like to update that saying to: “If you do not have a positive political post, do not post it”. Please, don’t comment that I am trying to censor anyone’s freedom of speech; and, I am not the LinkedIn police.  I am merely stating the obvious.

I am not naive. I have my opinions, too but I share them privately, with friends and family in context; and, also, where I can hear and listen to their responses. I would encourage all those that want to be negative, attacking those who serve our country, to do the same.

I try to post positive, history-making recognition “stuff” or just plain or birthday or anniversary wishes. One of those posts was about the first woman vice president who happens to be part African-American. I thought it was uplifting and not offensive. But, an out of network LinkedIn person replied “make me puke”.  Literally written without any conventional grammar reflected.  My first thought was, “Why would this post make him want to “puke” as he said”? The photo was not gross, the message was not negative, and I certainly did not use inappropriate language.

While this person had less than 10 followers and no photo or vitae, for that matter, attached to his account; my post undoubtedly offended him. He was not in my network but a contact within my network “shared” the post and the “potential puker” received it.  I am not sorry for that, but I am recognizing it because he felt compelled to tell me so. One thing he did not tell me was why the post made him want to puke?

In my eyes, the post applauded and spoke to history for all girls, women, girl-dads and the men in our lives who truly support our ideas, intellect and contribution to this great country of ours.

When I see posts tearing down political figures on either side, it seems so pedestrian considering what the world has endured for the past 18 months with this pandemic. I believe these nasty posts, comments, shares and replies are for shock value. I wonder how many are Bots? How many are truly “real” people trying to sew discord and strife on a professional network site? Who knows? But in any event, it isn’t cool.

 I am an old school business professional where your religion, your income and your politics are just not topics for an “anyone” platform. So, the next time you feel compelled to throw shade at a political party on LinkedIn, I encourage you to think about the following quote in the context of this blog.  

“Stay positive, all other choices are pointless punishments to your psyche.”  ― Joe Peterson, Help Me Live… As I Die, Cancer vs. the Power of Love

Sonya Ruff Jarvis, a life-long marketer, has been a corporate executive, bible study teacher, organizer of events with tens of thousands attendees and now a successful small business owner. And through all of this, Sonya has run the New York City Marathon, survived breast cancer and created an innovative business-to-business customer relationship model. She and her husband live in Connecticut with their daughter and their Havanese dog, Sadie, who completes their family.

It’s Book Launch Day!

One day last January, when we were all still in the midst of the pandemic I had lunch with a dear friend to celebrate her birthday.  No snarly comments please, we sat outside with electric heaters on a cold but sunny day in southern Connecticut.  It was one of the few restaurants that was trying to outlast the virus and stay in business.  They had created an outdoor space with heaters on the ceilings and portable heaters next to the tables which were positioned 6 feet away from each other.

It was nice to see my friend in person; although, no vaccines had happened at that point and we both kept our masks on when we were not eating. Jennifer Formoso, everyone calls her Jenn, approached me with an idea for a book.  It was all about gathering a good number of folks that would be willing to share their blessings they received in spite of the pandemic.  I immediately loved the idea!  I agreed to participate on the spot.  Like most, during the height of the pandemic, both my husband and my businesses had suffered; and, our daughter had been stuck home with remote learning; but, still I knew there were so many blessings God continued to grace me/us with that I wanted to share. 

Well, almost a year later it is book launch day!  I couldn’t be happier for Jennifer Formoso who is the idea behind the book; and, the 18 contributing authors (including myself). 

 Here’s the description of the book.

“In Pandemic Blessings- Stories of Thanksgiving in an Unusual Time, author Jennifer Formoso shares her own personal story of coming to know and trust Jesus, as well as blessings received during the COVID-19 Pandemic, despite the struggles, difficulties, and loss inherent during this period. She answers the following three main questions, and also asks contributors to do the same: 

• How did you come to know Christ?

• What role has Christ played in your life to date?

• What blessings, big or small, did you notice or receive during the challenge of living through such an unusual, unprecedented period in our lifetimes?

Jennifer Formoso and eighteen contributors, in heartfelt and thoughtfully unique stories, provide answers to these questions in this book. Submitted with the love of Christ to lift up His Holy Name, we pray that you as the readers will find peace, comfort, inspiration, and blessings amongst these pages. The book is published by Enhanced DNA Publishing.

Jennifer Formoso, inspiration and presenter behind Pandemic Blessings

This Thanksgiving season, I am so thankful to be among the list of contributing authors sharing their inspiring stories of blessings; and, Christ’s role in their lives.  It is a humbly experience and it warmed my heart to read each story.

If you’re interested in purchasing the book, it is available on Amazon.  Or, if you would like an autographed copy from me, please shop here on my website.  There is a more than 20% savings if you buy it on my website and it includes the cost of taxes and shipping.  I believe you will enjoy each contributing author’s story as much as I did.

My heart is full of gratitude and I remain faithful.  May you and your family be blessed abundantly with love, peace and hope this Thanksgiving season. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sonya Ruff Jarvis, a life-long marketer, has been a corporate executive, bible study teacher, organizer of events with tens of thousands attendees and now a successful small business owner. And through all of this, Sonya has run the New York City Marathon, survived breast cancer and created an innovative business-to-business customer relationship model. She and her husband live in Connecticut with their daughter and their Havanese dog who completes their family.

Her first book, "Mindful Minutes: A Marketer's Journey Through Business", is the debut of a series of books on business, branding and event marketing. Additional information and Sonya’s Blog can be found on www.jarvisconsultants.com.

"Mentoring Moments: 14 Remarkable Women Share Breakthroughs to Success" is an anthology where Sonya shares her story of perseverance and persistence in her chapter, "Propelling Forward Through Perseverance and Persistence".

The NYC Marathon is back live…Celebrating its 50th!

Image Credit: TCS New York City Marathon 50

Last year, like many live events, the New York City Marathon was virtual. It was the first-time in its 50-year history that runners from all over the world did not meet in NYC to run the world renowned 26.2 miles through all 5 boroughs of New York City. This Sunday, the New York City Marathon is back and will celebrate its 50th year!

It has been 20 years since I ran the New York City marathon and I remember almost every mile. Six weeks earlier, the 9/11 event shook the city but New Yorkers and the world were showing resolve and kicking-off the race anyway. While waiting and stretching, my running partner and I went to a prayer tent; and prayed with other runners as we got ready to line-up.

At the starter’s line, I actually looked up and saw the snipers with guns on the Staten Island Bridge.  I heard and saw the helicopters hovering. It dawned on me that, crap, something bad could happen. Thankfully, the race was off and I did not have much time to think about it.  Plus, seeing male runners do the ceremonial act of peeing over the bridge moved my images of darkness to one of humor.

I had been training for the marathon with a running mate who was 10 years my junior. She was fun to talk to and I loved running with her. We were not fast runners. We always ran about a 10-minute mile. We got through Staten Island cut through Brooklyn and stopped for a bathroom break. We ran through a really cute area that I was not aware of. The streets were lined with people, since we started, and it was invigorating! At one point, we were going too fast (for our pace) and knew that we had to slow it down to finish the 26.2 miles.

 One feeling that will always stay with me for all of my days was running off the 59th Street Queensboro Bridge (I think it is now called the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge), coming around the bend to the roar of the crowd. We were in Manhattan/NYC and there was no other borough like it. A dear friend was there with Gatorade for me around East 61st Street and her encouragement and beaming smile said everything! The energy of the crowd propelled me to East 90th street where the crowd weaned again.

The Upper East Side was where I called home and there was something comforting about running through my neighborhood.

Running through Harlem was quiet as was crossing the Third Avenue Bridge. Once I crossed the bridge, I saw the sign that said 10k left and my running partner and I knew we could do that –only 6.2 miles left! We were thankful for the spectators that were still out cheering us on. As we were running 10-minute miles the faster runners had long finished!  The people that lingered to encourage the slowest runners were much appreciated.

In the upper 100s on 5th Avenue there was another dear friend waiting for me. Pushing me on and telling me that I looked great! I was elated because I felt good too.

Running down 5th Avenue, I entered Central Park at East 90th street. Now I was truly home, I trained in the New York City’s Central Park (and I knew every curve and historical sight).  My future husband was there waiting for me, cheering me on, and clicking photos. The crowd was deep and their cheers willed my legs to move a little faster and there it was the finish line was in sight.

I crossed it and I was elated. I just completed the NYC Marathon - 2001. It was not fast, but I did it. After fighting cancer the previous year, enduring the tragedy of 9/11 six weeks prior to the marathon, the completion was the culmination of two of the hardest fights I would have in my life. Now that we see that the pandemic will most likely not leave us soon, it is the NYC Marathon that will be the spirit in helping us fight another big battle.

Welcome back, NYC Marathon and Happy 50th Birthday! 

Sonya Ruff Jarvis, a life-long marketer, has been a corporate executive, bible study teacher, organizer of events with tens of thousands attendees and now a successful small business owner. And through all of this, Sonya has run the New York City Marathon, survived breast cancer and created an innovative business-to-business customer relationship model. She and her husband live in Connecticut with their daughter and their Havanese dog, Sadie, who completes their family.

Healthy and Blindsided...

In 2000, I was blindsided with a stage 1 breast cancer diagnosis. I never in a million years worried about breast cancer. I had always been active.  I was one of those people that actually went to the gym 3-4 times a week.  I ran. Heck, sometimes I would run in New York City’s Central Park in the morning and take a cardio class after work. Yes, I enjoyed two-a-days. Working out made me feel good. Plus, I had stopped eating steak and pork in 1997. From a health standpoint, I thought I was doing everything right.  

Wrong. 

Most of the time no matter what you do, crap just might happen.  Rest assured you will never be ready for bad news.  When bad things happen it always blindsides its victims. I guess I never even thought about getting breast cancer. I did not think I was a candidate for it. I supported and empathized with women who were battling the disease; but I never considered that I would get breast cancer; especially, at such a young age.

Breast cancer did not run in my family. I falsely believed that since it did not run in my family, I would not get it. 

 Fact:   American Cancer Society says 85% of women diagnosed have no family history. 

I was so blindsided that I was searching for a reason that I got it; so, I had the gene testing. 

 Fact:   Breastcancer.org says that about 5-10% of breast cancers can be linked to known gene mutations inherited from one’s mother or father. Mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are the most common.

 I was negative for BRACA1 and BRACA2 gene mutation.  Okay, that was not it!

When I was diagnosed, I was younger than the recommended age to get your first baseline mammogram   The current recommended age for a mammogram is 40 years old. I was younger than that when I was diagnosed. 

 Fact:   Cleveland Clinic reports that approximately 5% of women with breast cancer are diagnosed before the age of 40.

My doctors recommended a lumpectomy. I was apprehensive and considered a mastectomy. They told me that it was not necessary. I followed their recommendation. It took me a good year to feel comfortable about my decision. A friend helped me. She said she was grateful that she had a lumpectomy. I thought that is a good way to be … grateful. 

The cancer diagnosis I received in 2000, blindsided me.  It can happen to anyone. Do your manual exams each month; and, not only schedule your annual mammogram – follow through on the appointment!  If you have dense breast tissue, get an ultrasound too. Do not be afraid. Please take active care of your breasts. Early detection matters. 

Sonya Ruff Jarvis, a life-long marketer, has been a corporate executive, bible study teacher, organizer of events with tens of thousands attendees and now a successful small business owner. And through all of this, Sonya has run the New York City Marathon, survived breast cancer and created an innovative business-to-business customer relationship model. She and her husband live in Connecticut with their daughter and their Havanese dog, Sadie, who completes their family.

I was running for me ...

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”  Proverbs 16:9

This is hard for me to share my story, my journey with you.

I have a voice and I am confident in my voice but sharing this journey is different.

I am not eager to divulge detailed personal experiences with people who I do not know; sometimes, it is even hard to do it with people I know.

Yes, over the past twenty years I have shared my story with support groups, one-on-one with friends, family and neighbors but never in this forum.  I am a private person when it comes to having a voice about an experience that is so dearly intimate to me.

There have been five recent incidences over the past 12 months that have compelled me to write a book, now after 20 years, about my breast cancer encounter.

Here are the 5 things that happened.

1.      I found an old journal from 20 years ago that chronicles the period in my life I was fighting breast cancer.

2.      I celebrated my story by blogging about it in three different posts during breast cancer month of October 2020.

3.      In January 2020, I celebrated 20 years since a breast cancer diagnosis.

4.      A fierce woman I called my friend died of breast cancer in March at age 46.

5.      I saw my oncologist for my annual visit in June of 2021 and he greeted me with a huge smile; and, announced that that very same week 20 years ago I completed my final and sixth round of chemotherapy.  He gave me a huge hug.

The only way I can do this is to put God first and to have HIM the focus of this book.  I humbly submit this journey I share with you as a testimony to my up-close and personal Reflections of God’s Grace: My Personal Encounter with Breast Cancer.  

At this point in my journey, I am only sharing my story with the desire to give others hope who have been blind-sided with a breast cancer diagnosis; and, to encourage friends, families and neighbors that there is hope.

Hope that you will get through this season of your life.

Hope that you can fight through the fire with faith.

Hope that you have a future waiting for you.

For me, hope began one day at a time.  I was diagnosed with breast cancer 20 years ago.

It has always been difficult to say that I am a breast cancer survivor.I fumble over the word and it always comes out like a whisper.I feel that it is difficult because it continually reminds me of the women I know that did not survive.You will not hear that term a lot as I share my journey; but, long before I was a breast cancer patient and then a survivor; breast cancer was personal to me.  My sister’s best friend, Laurel, was the first person I ever personally knew that was diagnosed with breast cancer. Laurel died six years after her breast cancer diagnosis. She left two young children behind, it was a tragedy.  A tragedy that happens every single day.

I always share how I ran in the annual Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 5k races in New York City’s Central Park when I belonged to the NYRR Club.  By running, I celebrated, Laurel, and all who were affected by breast cancer.  I ran in those races for years for women, men, and their families that I did not even know facing a fierce disease.

Ultimately, years later I realized I was running for me.  Celebrating my life.  Getting ready to fight the breast cancer diagnosis that was coming my way trying to STOP my life journey here on earth.

Sonya Ruff Jarvis is an entrepreneur and founder of Jarvis Consultants, LLC, a marketing, events and branding firm that helps businesses create innovative approaches to navigate the world of marketing. Sonya has been a part of the B2B retail industry for more than 25 years and is the founder of the Home Improvement eRetailer Summit. Follow Sonya on Twitter @jarvisconsult and @eretailersummit or contact her directly at sonya@jarvisconsultants.com.  She is also an author and her books can be found on AMAZON.

When was the last time you were kind to a stranger?

Image Credit: www.futurestarsacademy.com

As we remember 9/11, twenty years later, I am old enough to remember every detail about that day.

Where I was and what I saw. I was standing on 57th street and looked down 5th Avenue in New York City and saw smoke coming from downtown, filling up the air.

I also remember how America and our friends from around the world felt. We felt as one.

We mourned for every life lost.

We showed compassion for those that survived and we were determined and resolved to stand as one nation undivided. We emerged out of that historical tragedy as a country - kinder, gentler and more empathetic for our family, friends, neighbors and community.

As we have never forgotten those lost that sunny September day; for those of us who lived through it, we will never forget the love we showed each other; and, how we all realized, we have more that brings us together than separates us. 9/11 brought us together.

As we walk slowly through another historical tragedy, the COVID 19 pandemic, it has done nothing but tear us apart.

We will all remember the nightmare of the shutdown; the blame, the fear; and the loss of lives, the loss of jobs and the loss of living as we knew it. We are getting back to school, business and our lives but hate has emerged; and, there is division in our country.

We are meaner.

We are ruder.

We are less understanding.

While we cannot blame everything on the pandemic.  In my opinion, it is driving a large part of negative feelings that presents itself as anger, fear and hate.

There are families broken, friendships lost and neighbors on the other side of the fence. People are arguing about masks and vaccines, not willing to just agree to disagree and to respect the other.

I am no PollyAnna but we have to get back to treating strangers, service people, neighbors, family and friends with kindness, compassion and empathy.

My daughter was tasked by her school to read The Kindness Formula:  Caring + Character = Success by Jim Olayos. Everyone should read this book.  Its theme is kindness and how he has lived a life with kindness as his compass; teaching his children the same.  Let’s all come together and force this pandemic to bring us together to treat one another:

Image Credit: the kindness formula facebook

Nicer.

More courteous.

With more empathy.

We’ll never forget this time but consider making the feeling that you felt when you remember this period; a good one towards your family, friends, neighbors and strangers.  Please be kind.

Sonya Ruff Jarvis is an entrepreneur and founder of Jarvis Consultants, LLC, a marketing, events and branding firm that helps businesses create innovative approaches to navigate the world of marketing. Sonya has been a part of the B2B retail industry for more than 25 years and is the founder of the Home Improvement eRetailer Summit. Follow Sonya on Twitter @jarvisconsult and @eretailersummit or contact her directly at sonya@jarvisconsultants.com.  She is also an author and her books can be found on AMAZON.

Are you on your “back-to-school” schedule, yet?

Photo Credit: Jarvis Consultants, LLC

Are you on your “back-to-school” schedule, yet?  Or, is it just me that does that?

The challenges during the pandemic have taught me many things, but the one important lesson l have learned is that I need a schedule. The back-to-school season has, in my life, marked returning to a schedule, getting serious and back to business. No more dog days of summer or half-day Fridays. Since dealing with the pandemic, nothing more can be truer in ushering in this season. I believe we are all conditioned as children that September brings an emotional feeling of getting “back” to it with a sense of urgency and a full commitment to doing better and being better.

My teenage daughter started back to school this week, full time and in-person, after experiencing remote learning for most of the past year and a half. She was looking forward to getting back in the classroom, participating in sports and school activities. Most importantly, she was looking forward to getting “back” to socializing, camaraderie and meeting new kids.

While she was looking forward to it, we were too.  My husband and I are excited for a schedule of focused and uninterrupted work time since both of us work from home. There I said it. It sounds selfish but we adults need a schedule too. If you are anything like me, a schedule serves to help stay organized, be focused, proactive and productive. It works for me and my family.

 “If you want something done, ask a busy person.”  Benjamin Franklin

This year my daughter entered high school.  I think about how busy she will be. I mean super busy, between classes, practices, games and let’s not forget the social life of a teenager. So, my motherly advice to her is take advantage of any “scheduled” free time like study hall and the gap between the end of school day and practice. If she adheres to her schedule it will force her be organized with school work, focused on what needs to be done, proactive in consistently staying up on assessment tasks; and, ultimately productive in her life academically, athletically, and socially. 

During these trying times, it is a welcome opportunity to reset as school begins and get “back-on” a schedule.  Cheers to a full commitment to doing better and being better.

Sonya Ruff Jarvis is an entrepreneur and founder of Jarvis Consultants, LLC, a marketing, events and branding firm that helps businesses create innovative approaches to navigate the world of marketing. Sonya has been a part of the B2B retail industry for more than 25 years and is the founder of the Home Improvement eRetailer Summit. Follow Sonya on Twitter @jarvisconsult and @eretailersummit or contact her directly at sonya@jarvisconsultants.com.  She is also a book author and her books can be found on AMAZON.

What brand makes you feel nostalgic?

Image Credit: Jarvis Consultants, LLC

I was recently in New York City and as I walked from an appointment, I looked up and saw a Fresh Direct delivery truck.  I was immediately flooded with memories of living in the City, ordering fresh grocery items and having it delivered back in the early 2000’s.  I started thinking about that period of my life and was interested enough that I googled Fresh Direct; and found out that they were established in 2002.  As I think about our current times, I realize that Fresh Direct was an early pioneer of fresh grocery delivery.  If you have not lived in and/or worked in New York City you probably have not heard of Fresh Direct.  I was a customer of Fresh Direct for several years (2002 – 2005) and at that time, they primarily delivered in New York City.  They now deliver to Philadelphia, Washington DC and even make seasonal deliveries to eastern Long Island, New York and the New Jersey Shore.

I remember that the Fresh Direct deliveries always made me feel good.

When I received my Fresh Direct deliveries, I felt like they were special.  I always felt like my groceries were hand-picked.  The products and produce were packaged like they cost a million bucks in a clean Fresh Direct box.  The produce was almost always too gorgeous to eat without any blemishes on them.  The food tasted as good as it looked! 

Yes, I remember that Fresh Direct did online grocery delivery “right”. They sourced products and packaged them up in their facility in the Bronx, New York.  From there, deliveries were loaded onto a truck and delivered to customers during the time period selected.  Compare that to our current timeframe:  Now many companies are providing home-delivery out of necessity, because of the pandemic.  But Fresh Direct was doing it back in the day, almost 20 years ago.  Talk about being a pioneer! The Fresh Direct brand is a pioneer; not just because of the online retail business they established, but because of the quality products and service the brand delivered/delivers.  I guess you could call me a pioneer too – as an early adopter of online grocery shopping and delivery.

Fast forward, I moved to Connecticut and thought I would try a regional grocery store’s online grocery delivery service that I had seen advertised.  The City had spoiled me and I did not really enjoy physically going grocery shopping.  I felt like customers knew where everything was and in their rush to get to their favorites, I literally got run over by a number of angry grocery shoppers with their carts (picture cart wars :)).  I had such a good experience in the City, with online grocery delivery, why not try it here?  It was convenient and saved me time.  This was in 2007 and it didn’t seem like many friends or neighbors in my area used online grocery delivery.  After my first online grocery delivery, I experienced a possibility for why.

• I did not feel like I was receiving a special delivery.

• I felt like I was receiving groceries in a plastic bag with blemished produce and all.

• I felt like the delivery people were rushed and my grocery bags were one of many in a dirty delivery truck.

The pandemic forced grocery shoppers to use more online delivery services.Supermarket News cites that the “growth represented a 43% jump in online grocery sales at the one-year mark of covid-19 pandemic.”I too, was one of the shoppers forced to do online grocery shopping due to the global pandemic; and, come to think of it – not one experience made me feel like the Fresh Direct brand made me feel when I had received their deliveries in the past. 

Fresh Direct delivered the optimal branding experience.

Branding is an emotional connection you have with that service/product.  The nostalgia I felt recently from seeing the Fresh Direct Brand is the branding strategy and implementation that I strive to deliver to my customers.  Close your eyes and think about a brand that brings that special feeling to you. Now, take a moment and enjoy that memory.

Sonya Ruff Jarvis is an entrepreneur and founder of Jarvis Consultants, LLC, a marketing, events and branding firm that helps businesses create innovative approaches to navigate the world of marketing. Sonya has been a part of the B2B retail industry for more than 25 years and is the founder of the Home Improvement eRetailer Summit. Follow Sonya on Twitter @jarvisconsult and @eretailersummit or contact her directly at sonya@jarvisconsultants.com.  She is also a book author and her books can be found on AMAZON.

July: Celebrating Independent Retailers!

Image Credit: Jarvis Consultants, LLC

Did you know that July is the month where we celebrate and applaud Independent Retailers?  If you have been following me, you know that independent retailers are near and dear to my heart.  They truly are the cornerstone of our communities; these local businesses are often composed of families for generations that are committed to the town, its people and its services. 

My family went up to the Catskills this past July 4th weekend for the holiday; and, the number of independent retailers that anchor that town is admirable.  From the local coffee shop (no Starbucks in town and while I like Starbucks, I loved the locally owned coffee shop).  Our coffees were made without the hustle and bustle.  The owner paid close attention to all of the details; and then down the road of course is the Woodstock, New York local hardware store; not to mention the cupcake shop which was voted “best cake” by the FoodTV network.

Image Credit: Jarvis Consultants, LLC

It goes without saying that independent retailers give to our communities and drive our economic prosperity.  The Census Bureau and Small Business Administration claim that independent retailers employ 51% of the US workforce.  That is truly substantial.

When you go beyond the economic contributions; you can surely look at the social contributions too.  While I do not know the number, rest assured I am confident that independent retailers probably contribute a much higher number than the 51% to local community programs and sports teams.    In addition, the Independent We Stand organization reported that for every $100.00 you spend at a local independent retailer $68.00 stays right there in that community versus $43.00 that you would spend with a big box chain store!  Your money goes back to work in your community; you can’t beat that!  Here is a list of what happens when you shop local from Independent We Stand.

My town is missing an independent hardware retailer.  I previously wrote an entire blog about it; and, while we have an independent paint retailer and a big box, I do feel like a hardware store would thrive in my area.  Luckily, someone noticed and we recently had an Aubuchon Hardware open a store in nearby Monroe, Connecticut.  It is nice to have a true independent, family-owned hardware store to shop nearby. 

Another area that independent retailers thrive and local citizens’ count on them include specialty retailers like bakeries, gift shops and nurseries.  I am so thankful of the region we live in because there are so many independent farmers too.  They sell fresh homemade baked goods, ice cream, hand-picked strawberries, pumpkins and Christmas trees.  All of these independents are mostly family-owned businesses who know that the shoppers are their family, friends and neighbors and it is a great shopping experience to be treated as such.

Image Credit: Jarvis Consultants, LLC

Image Credit: Jarvis Consultants, LLC

Image Credit: Jarvis Consultants, LLC

So, as we celebrate and recognized independent retailers in this month of July and every July – please celebrate them all year-long by shopping their stores, getting to know them and investing in them because they are our family, friends and neighbors.

Sonya Ruff Jarvis is an entrepreneur and founder of Jarvis Consultants, LLC, a marketing, events and branding firm that helps businesses create innovative approaches to navigate the world of marketing. Sonya has been a part of the B2B retail industry for more than 25 years and is the founder of the Home Improvement eRetailer Summit. Follow Sonya on Twitter @jarvisconsult and @eretailersummit or contact her directly at sonya@jarvisconsultants.com.  She is also a book author and her books can be found on AMAZON.

Sunshine & Retail Brands Vacation

My family recently went on Spring Break.  We drove from Connecticut down to Bethany Beach, Delaware.  We had never been there and we had decided, for us, it was still too early to board a plane; so, we took I95 south down to Delaware.  It was a beautiful area, absolutely gorgeous!  The beaches were unspoiled and pristine and the people were super nice. 

Image Credit: Jarvis Consultants, LLC

As an entrepreneur and retail strategist, I love getting to know retail brands.  And, as many of you know that follow me, I love walking the store floors.  See my previous blog here about loving to walk store floors and casino floors; and, their similarities.  Even on vacation, I was aware of the retail brands in the area.  I was intrigued and surprised by the number of retail brands that were unknown to me. 

Here are some of the brands in the southeastern tip of Delaware that were new to me and appeared to be good retail operators:

Image Credit: Jarvis Consultants, LLC

andThat!

andThat! is part of the Christmas Tree Shops and has fun finds for home décor and seasonal items that are affordable.  After visiting them I could feel/see the resemblance to the Christmas Tree Shops.  They have stores located in Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Virginia and New Jersey.

Image Credit: GiantFood.com

Giant

Giant, a food retailer with 150 stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.  This food retailer reminds me of my big regional player Stop & Shop even down to the colors in the logo.

Image Credit: Redner’s Warehouse Markets

Redner’s Warehouse Markets

Redner’s Warehouse Market is 100% employee-owned retail food company with 64 locations throughout Pennsylvania. The parking lot was packed here; so, it must be a regional favorite!

Image Credit: Supermarket News

Weis Markets

Weis Markets, a food retailer based in Pennsylvania with 196 stores Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Delaware.  These stores are beautiful!

It is great to experience strong regional players.  We all have them and sometimes forget that the places we shop, particularly the food retailers, are not necessarily national chains.  As you travel this summer, make it a point to check out retail brands that you are not familiar with from your area.  Pick a store, take a break and go in and walk the floor.  I know you will enjoy the experience! 

Cheers to a great summer!

Sonya Ruff Jarvis is an entrepreneur and founder of Jarvis Consultants, LLC, a marketing, events and branding firm that helps businesses create innovative approaches to navigate the world of marketing. Sonya has been a part of the B2B retail industry for more than 25 years and is the founder of the Home Improvement eRetailer Summit. Follow Sonya on Twitter @jarvisconsult and @eretailersummit or contact her directly at sonya@jarvisconsultants.com. 

HR ISSUES: RACISM IN RETAIL: MY PERSONAL SHOPPING EXPERIENCES

THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN

HARDLINES HOME IMPROVEMENT QUARTERLY Q1 2021

The notion of racism and the identification of biases that are built in, not just to personal attitudes, but on a more widespread, often subtle, basis has made the term systemic racism a watchword in both Canada and the U.S.

Dealers are challenged to examine their own attitudes and how their businesses communicate to, and deal with, customers and staff of a wider range of races and religions more than ever. We invited Sonya Ruff Jarvis, a former Vice President with the National Hardware Show and founder of the Home Improvement eRetailer SUMMIT , to share her experience as a woman of colour in America. We believe her story will resonate on either side of the border.

Sonya Ruff Jarvis, Managing Member, Jarvis Consultants LLC and Founder, eRetailer Summit

Retail and racism go hand-and-hand. It is an unfortunate truth.  I can attest to it. I have experienced racism while shopping throughout my entire life.  Even now, because I am a middle aged African-American woman living in the U.S., it still happens.  

As a shopper, I am treated “less than” in stores. Not all stores, not at all times; but enough that the stories would make you frown in disbelief. I can share countless times when I have been followed around the store by sales associates who watch me as if I am going to shoplift.  I have a college degree, a master’s degree and my own business, but these aspects of me aren’t physically visible. I can’t wear those accomplishments or status for everyone to see.  Many retailers see only the colour of my skin and bring their racial biases to the situation.      

I am not talking about raw in-your-face individual racism, the kind that is blatant and violent.  I am talking about the subconscious bias type of racism.  These are biases that we may not be aware of or may not want to acknowledge, but our resulting actions sometimes disqualify others because of their differences or because someone doesn’t look like us.  We all do it. If brought to our attention, we can recognize what we are doing; admit that it is wrong and make adjustments, knowing that we can change how we negatively interact with others due to those biases.

There are a number of phrases being used during this time in our history, such as structural racism, institutional racism, and systematic racism. In fact, they all mean the same thing. They describe the awful feeling of inequality that results because of inappropriate treatment on account of one’s race. When an individual or a group of people are considered inferior because of their skin colour, we all lose.  We lose because inequality denies our communities of opportunities for our friends, neighbours and businesses—and that includes retailers.

In light of the current state of affairs in the United States, it is important that we take time to exhale and really examine our hearts and our values to determine if they align with our actions, and specifically, with our day-in and day-out contributions to our society. When considering the presence of racism in retail, a recent Gallup Survey revealed that 22 percent of African-Americans felt that they were extended less courtesy in stores. Another 20 percent felt that they received less respect during their shopping experiences.

There is no mistake that retail and racism are connected and many incidents are being called out through smart phone videos that capture bad behaviors.  Have they occurred in the past?  Yes, they just may not have been captured for the world to see via social media. Do you remember the Starbucks video that went viral where police were called to arrest two African-American men waiting for another person to show before starting a meeting?  These men were targeted because of their race while others were not approached for sitting in a Starbucks without making a purchase.  It was a public relations nightmare resulting in Starbucks shutting down all its US stores to conduct mandatory training around diversity, equity and inclusion (which is another buzz phrase, now too).  

I believe that most people exhibiting racist behaviours do not realize the implications of their conduct.  They probably are not racist, but their conduct is racist and produces the same negative results.  Many non-minorities may only experience contact with minorities in the retail setting. That fact is powerful.  While racism in retail is an unfortunate reality, my hope is that retail leads the way in knocking out racism. This period in history has given us a chance to exhale, to examine our hearts and our values to ensure that our actions contribute positively to our communities and to the world.

Sonya Ruff Jarvis is an entrepreneur and founder of Jarvis Consultants, LLC, a marketing, events and branding firm that helps businesses create innovative approaches to navigate the world of marketing. Sonya has been a part of the B2B retail industry for more than 25 years and is the founder of the Home Improvement eRetailer Summit. Follow Sonya on Twitter @jarvisconsult and @eretailersummit or contact her directly at sonya@jarvisconsultants.com. 

Guest Blogger, Denola Burton: Is Stress Taking Over Your Life? 5 Steps to Managing Your Stress

Did you know that the month of April is, “National Stress Awareness” month?  Well, I am sure that most of you will agree that we have had a lot that could cause stress over the past year, months, and even days.  I know that I would never have imagined that some of our recent events in history could EVER have occurred.  

Who would have ever imagined: a Pandemic?  Quarantine?  Cancellations of events, business and school closures? Illness and deaths of so, so many?  Events that have created racial unrest in our local communities and across the county? A controversial presidential election and fallout from the election? And so much more?

So many events that had national impact have occurred, but I am sure that many of us have also experienced our own personal events that have caused stress in our recent history!  So, for me, the next question is, what can we do to alleviate the stress that these events may have dropped on our doorsteps and stayed with us day in and day out?

Here are my suggestions to help alleviate and manage stress in our lives:

FIVE STEPS TO MANAGING YOUR STRESS:

1. SELF-CARE: What can you do to reduce stress that is really, really personal? Take care of yourself. As you have heard if you have ever flown, the flight attendants always tell you to place your oxygen mask on first and then place it on anyone you need to help. It is important to take care of yourself before you give everything you have and don’t have anything left for yourself! How do you take care of yourself? It may be as simple as finding quality time to read a good book!

Image Credit: Enhanced DNA: Develop Nurture Achieve, LLC.

2. ENJOY FAMILY AND FRIENDS: Even during a pandemic and prior to getting back to “normal”, we still need to ensure that we spend quality time with our family and friends. Our immediate family, or those closest to us, can sometimes create stress, but more importantly they can be great stress reducers. Even when we are not able to gather in large groups, there are so many digital ways to keep in touch. I love seeing social media posts about families having “Family Game Nights”! We found the most fun creating puzzles together. The kids were so good at this! Also, remember that a hug goes a long way and can especially help us feel more secure and loved.

Image Credit: Enhanced DNA: Develop Nurture Achieve, LLC.

3. EAT A BALANCED DIET: Stress can cause “emotional eating” where we crave and eat high sugar, high fat foods. It is important to establish healthy eating habits and avoid those cravings and foods that can add weight and even make us tired and cranky. I know that I get mad at myself after binging on some fat filled foods and really regret it. Now I try to ask myself whether the calories gained by the food I am craving is really worth it in the long run. Many times, I can talk myself out of eating it.

Image Credit: Enhanced DNA: Develop Nurture Achieve, LLC.

4. REST AND RELAXATION: Please make time for plenty of rest and relaxation. Some people include exercise as a part of their “relaxation”. Well, if you’re anything like me and aren’t committed to an exercise program, take baby steps. Start with short walks or small work outs and build up to a regular program, remembering that something is better than nothing. I’ve heard that the more you exercise, the better you will be able to relax. My favorite method of rest and relaxation is to ensure that I focus on me in our backyard hot tub. Hot tub time is the best!

Image Credit: Enhanced DNA: Develop Nurture Achieve, LLC.

5. POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS: The way you look at yourself matters! Learn how to talk to yourself in a compassionate and loving manner. I try to create specific affirmations that apply to my current circumstances - really focusing on how to be positive each and every day. I use this Mirror Of Affirmations exercise:

Image Credit: Enhanced DNA: Develop Nurture Achieve, LLC.

Look in your mirror as if you were looking at your best friend with love, compassion and no judgement. Complete the following sentences: 

- Say your name first – “Denola, I am ….” (2-3different things that you are becoming. Maybe you haven’t achieved it yet, but you are in the process and therefore “you are”.) 

- Say your name first -- “Denola, I love that I have …” (list 2-3 different things you have accomplished and are proud of or can celebrate. 

- Say your name first – “Denola, I commit to you that ….” (2-3 different things you are going to do.)

If you do this exercise (and really are honest with yourself), you will make breakthroughs in your life and will be able to impact others and demonstrate significance to others. 

The key to relieving stress is to realize that stress is a part of life.  We can’t always control our circumstances but we can control how to respond to them.  How will you respond to your stress?

Denola M. Burton is the Founder and CEO of Enhanced DNA: Develop Nurture Achieve, LLC. Denola holds the Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Biology. After beginning her career as a scientist, she transitioned into Human Resources and maintains certifications as a Professional in Human Resources from both the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM-CP), and the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI-PHR). She is a Certified DISC Behavioral Coach through Innermetrix North America and is a Certified Speaker, Trainer, Coach with the John Maxwell Team.

Through Enhanced DNA: Develop Nurture Achieve, Denola develops and nurtures individuals and organizations to enhance their Leadership, Communication and Performance “DNA”.  Denola is an author and a publisher and is a member of the Independent Book Publishing Association (IBPA).  In 2019, Denola created the Enhanced DNA Publishing Division of her company and now assists new and newer authors in publishing their books to meet the IBPA standards. 

Denola retired in December, 2017 from Eli Lilly and Company where her career spanned over 27 years.  She has been married to her husband, Phillip, for over 27 years and they have two daughters, Danielle and Ciara.  Denola is a member of the Recorder Women’s Auxiliary, which is an elite organization comprised of professional Women with a heart for the community. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors for Steward Speakers, Denola also serves as a mentor and member of the Board of Directors for Pass the Torch for Women Foundation.

It’s a Wrap! 5 Takeaways from the 5th Home Improvement eRetailer Summit ...

We just wrapped up the 5th Home Improvement eRetailer Summit. As a safety precaution, the Summit was an online-only affair. The presentations and panel discussions touched on a host of topics that included distribution and brand management, best practices to reduce shortages and delays, and lessons learned during the health crisis.

While last year showed huge surges in online sales due to the pandemic; all signals point to ongoing growth in online sales of home improvement products in a post-pandemic world. 

Here’s 5 Takeaways:

1. It’s always Day 1 when operating in an ecommerce environment -

In the discussion about online retail, digital is very fluid and each day is new.  “It’s always Day 1 when operating in an ecommerce environment,” said Jimmy Barber, VP at OneStone, our marquis sponsor of the Summit.

2. It’s by the numbers, data and analysis -

Joe Derochowski, Vice President with NPD Group, shared his organization’s latest data on consumer trends, shopping trends, and home-improvement trends.   Derochowski stated that demographic markers—such as when people are marrying, buying homes, and retiring—favor home improvement purchases. “The population is hitting key life moments driving the growth of the home-improvement industry.” Derochowksi also identified various factors during the pandemic that has been driving home-improvement spending, ranging from “boredom and stress” and “working from home” to “craving outdoors.”  One new trend cited was expanding the garage space for entertainment and play within social distancing guidelines.

Over the past year, the online share of total sales exploded across virtually all retail categories. But online purchases of such products as vanities or faucets seem more aspirational than urgent. And in the five home-improvement categories that NPD analyzed, sales at bricks and mortar stores also grew, and those stores continued to capture a higher percentage of impulse purchases. These findings led Derochowski to conclude that home improvement retailers must do a better job at “connecting the dots” for consumers by marketing specific projects with products, and perhaps even providing online project instruction.

 NPD also found that:

• Adults 55 or older index higher for home-improvement purchases and online sales growth, whereas in-store sales growth is led by the 25- to 34-year-old cohort.

• Every Census region in the country saw increases in online sales last year. “Your marketing agility is critical,” said Derochowski.

• The online buyer penetration for NPD’s home-improvement product group was 37% last year, 8 percentage points higher than in 2019.

• While in-store spending is three times higher versus online, and purchasing frequency is four times higher, the spend per occasion is bigger for online—$40 vs. $25 for in-store—in part, said Derochowski, because online purchases are usually plan.

3. Relationships matter - now more than ever -

Indeed, one of the event’s big takeaways was how relationships played a major part in keeping online and hybrid retailers above water during a pandemic that nearly submerged the industry’s supply chain. 

Relationships in business are always important but during the pandemic many of the retailers and suppliers participating in panels said that relationships related specifically to product accessibility, surcharges, and vendor confidence in the retailer’s ability to make it to post-pandemic times.  Specifically:

• Product Accessibility – vendors had to decide who they supply the “available” product.

• Penalties and Charges – if you didn’t have a relationship with the vendor most likely you were incurring surcharges.

• Vendor Confidence – vendors shipped to who they thought would be around post-pandemic.

• The clear message here is if you don’t have and/or nuture deep relationships with your partners, please start building them now!  Forging long-lasting relationships between retailers and their customers and suppliers is now imperative to successful expansion.

The pandemic showed that you never know when you might need them!

Talking relationships, the Summit’s second day highlighted one-to-one supplier/retailer meetings.  Steve Wright, VP of Sales at Columbia Aluminum Products said “the one-on-one lightening rounds were an exceptional touch:  15 minutes, quick introductions, cut straight to the chase, establish mutual interest, and follow-up meetings as appropriate. Super useful, saving thousands of dollars and time vs. traditional on-site sales calls.”

4. It’s not hyperbole – words are important -

 There were common words that became themes with many of the speakers using words like “adjust,” “trust,” “efficiency,” and “supply chain diversification.” These words, will surely carry forward into our future online business planning.

5. eCommerce is getting attention in the board room -

As the pandemic limited in-store shopping and forced consumers to buy online, retailers and their supply chains were under new pressures to deliver. Clearly, online retailers experienced growing pains during the pandemic. While brick and mortar stores still retain the lion’s share of retail sales, it is no longer viable to ignore the encroachment of online transactions. More companies are having discussions about ecommerce, and ramping up for the first time with real investments in their online sales, marketing and logistics departments with an eye toward future growth.

In wrapping up the 5 Takeaways from the Home Improvement eRetailer Summit earlier this month; overall, every point positively indicates deeper market penetration of online into total home improvement industry sales.  I hope you enjoyed the 5th Home Improvement eRetailer Summit wrap-up.  Enjoy using the relevant takeaways. Looking forward to seeing you in person in 2022!

Sonya Ruff Jarvis, is the Managing Member of Jarvis Consultants and the Founder of the eRetailer Summit and JC Event Group. An expert in her field, Sonya has been published in numerous retail industry b-to-b publications.  Sonya shares her experiences in her book series Mindful Minutes:  A Marketer’s Journey Through Business.  In addition, Sonya collaborated in publishing an anthology, Mentoring Moments:  14 Remarkable Women Share Their Breakthroughs to Success. Purchase Sonya’s books here.

Sonya has a M.B.A. in Marketing. She is married and has a daughter.  

Follow Sonya on twitter at @jarvisconsult or @eretailersummit

Trust is More Important in Retail, Now More Than Ever

Trust is usually the first thought when choosing the right fulfillment service to deliver purchases. As we adapt to a new normal post-Pandemic, trust is even more important than ever.  US ecommerce penetration experienced a decade of growth in just 90 days due to Covid-19 which means that the entire landscape has changed and we need to be prepared, be able to pivot and know that we need to win at supply chain and fulfillment.

Image Credit: Enhanced DNA

While no one could have expected our current situation with COVID-19, Laura Heller, Forbes Contributor, forecasted these key points at the 4th Home Improvement eRetailer Summit. She stated that “optimized digital assets are trusted more than copy/text” and to sum up what she believed retailers should focus on when winning over consumers, she chose the word TRUST. This was covered in Sonya’s blog Who Do You Trust To Deliver Your Stuff?

 From July to September 2020 (the latest period for which data were available), consumers spent $199.44 billion online with U.S. retailers, up 37.1% from the same quarter the prior year, according to Commerce Department estimates. That meant nearly $1 in every $5 spent came from orders placed online during last year’s third quarter. When the Commerce Department publishes its fourth quarter 2020 estimates, the numbers are highly likely to show ecommerce capturing a sizable share of consumers’ spending, especially for Christmas purchases.

While online retail has seen an enormous uptick in growth, I would suspect that the experience has increased the trust among consumers, that it can be easy, convenient and safe from a privacy standpoint.  Retail delivery solutions had to unexpectedly step-up and supply an immediate high-demand from consumers sheltered in place. 

The Gap announced yesterday 2/24/2021 that it plans to open a state-of-the art 850,000-square-foot Customer Experience Center in Longview, Texas, to deliver its online sales quicker and more efficiently. This will be a $140 million investment and create more than 500 jobs by the end of 2023, which will grow to more than 1,000 jobs by 2026. Construction is scheduled to begin in April, and the facility will be fully operational by August 2022. This will be The Gap’s seventh distribution center.

Ahold Delhaize, whose business units include the Stop & Shop and Food Lion supermarket chains, is expanding its micro-fulfillment technology through a pilot—announced last week—with the GIANT Company supermarket chain in Philadelphia. The project is being run by Peapod Digital Labs, and its purpose is to driven digitalization and personalization. The pilot is being scaled to fulfill about 15,000 online orders per week for delivery to customers’ homes via a planned ecommerce fulfillment center in Philly. 

Whether it is standard shipping, one-day delivery, same day delivery, curbside pick-up or just pick-up in store; retailers are currently being challenged everyday like never before.  For retailers this is a time period to build trust from consumers that they can count on you during the worst of times. 

It is imperative that retailers and suppliers stay on top of the latest ecommerce market trends. During the upcoming discussions at the 5th Home Improvement eRetailer Summit, we will focus on adapting to this new normal, and maintaining trust with our customers through supply, demand and volume, and the learnings that have been realized over the past year.  While buzzy tech words like AI, AR and Driverless Delivery make headlines in ecommerce, there are actionable steps manufacturers and suppliers can take with digitally enabled retailers and wholesale partners to move projects faster and loosen pinch points – and if done well, establishes trust with customers. 

The 5th year of the Home Improvement eRetailer Summit will be conducted as a virtual event March 16-17 and for the first time will be open to all retailers and dealers. Retailers and Dealers can register here.  

Taking direction from the Summit’s Advisory Council, comprised of an hybrid of online retailers, brick & mortar retailers and a third-party fulfillment company, the overall event will include panel discussions and presentations with chat opportunities following each session. Through industry experts and the shared learning from their experiences, retailers/dealers and manufacturer/distributors can learn how to establish or maintain trust in their businesses. Manufacturers and Distributors can request an invitation here.  

We hope you can join us at the 5th Home Improvement eRetailer Summit. We promise you will receive real information that you can immediately use to make your ecommerce business more efficient delivering on your committment to your customers.

Sonya Ruff Jarvis, is the Managing Member of Jarvis Consultants and the Founder of the eRetailer Summit and JC Event Group. An expert in her field, Sonya has been published in numerous retail industry b-to-b publications.  Sonya shares her experiences in her book series Mindful Minutes:  A Marketer’s Journey Through Business.  In addition, Sonya collaborated in publishing an anthology, Mentoring Moments:  14 Remarkable Women Share Their Breakthroughs to Success. Purchase Sonya’s books here.

Sonya has a M.B.A. in Marketing. She is married and has a daughter.  

Follow Sonya on twitter at @jarvisconsult or @eretailersummit

When You Get Knocked Down, You Get Back Up!!

I believe that the hospitality, event and travel industries have been some of the hardest hit during the pandemic. State regulations, understandably, have made it difficult to produce face-to-face events. Event organizers, hotels and businesses that feed off of these industries have had to do furloughs and pivot their businesses. Yes, I used the word pivot, which I believe during these unprecedented times, is the most overused word; yet, it perfectly explains this period in time.  Businesses hit the hardest have to survive and ultimately figure out how to thrive because, unfortunately, the pandemic is not leaving anytime soon! 

Covid-19 has shaken the confidence of business travel. There is not an overwhelming desire to crowd into a convention hall with tens of thousands of other attendees with the pandemic still active. While I am not trying to be a downer, I am being realistic. While I believe nothing, and I mean nothing, replaces face-to-face events, virtual events are the best alternative at this time.  

Credit Image: eRetailer Summit, 2019

Credit Image: eRetailer Summit, 2019

What’s the saying, “When you get knocked down, you get back up”? Every time the hospitality, event and travel businesses get knocked down, they get innovative and get back up to serve their guests, attendees and passengers.  

The Home Improvement eRetailer Summit which would have celebrated its fifth consecutive year in 2020 will now go virtual in 2021.  It was just announced. Read the press release here. Relevant conference sessions and facilitated pre-scheduled meetings between potential partners will proceed. This topic is so relevant that we could not let another year pass by without addressing some of the major issues that we are experiencing. 

From July to September 2020 (the latest period for which data were available), consumers spent $199.44 billion online with U.S. retailers, up 37.1% from the same quarter the prior year, according to Commerce Department estimates. That meant nearly $1 in every $5 spent came from orders placed online during last year’s third quarter. When the Commerce Department publishes its fourth quarter 2020 estimates next month, the numbers are highly likely to show ecommerce capturing a sizable share of consumers’ spending, especially for Christmas purchases.

While none of us know what lies ahead, we all can claim that the pandemic taught us something. One session at the upcoming eRetailer Summit will focus on lessons learned from our Advisory Council Members, who include —Elizabeth Ragone of BOSCOV’s; Mike Hargrave of Goedeker’s; Asa Farquhar of Spreetail; Brian Fricano of Sustainable Supply; Jay Patel of Zoro.com; and Curt Vitale of Firefly Buys.  Michael McLarney, the publisher of HARDLINES, will moderate this session.  We are grateful for these ecommerce professionals helping to shape the Summit and for their willingness to share their experiences and learnings with our virtual attendees.  

Credit Image: eRetaler Summit, 2019

Join the Summit’s Advisory Council members and me for Home Improvement eRetailer Summit’s Virtual Event.  We got knocked down and we got back-up and will host an awesome 5th eRetailer Summit.  Registration opens next week, don’t miss it!

Sonya Ruff Jarvis, is the Managing Member of Jarvis Consultants and the Founder of the eRetailer Summit and JC Event Group. An expert in her field, Sonya has been published in numerous retail industry b-to-b publications.  Sonya shares her experiences in her book series Mindful Minutes:  A Marketer’s Journey Through Business.  In addition, Sonya collaborated in publishing an anthology, Mentoring Moments:  14 Remarkable Women Share Their Breakthroughs to Success. Purchase Sonya’s books here.

Sonya has a M.B.A. in Marketing. She is married and has a daughter.  

Follow Sonya on twitter at @jarvisconsult or @eretailersummit

What have been your firsts?

There were a lot of firsts, yesterday. Watching the Inauguration reminded me of the first time (years ago) when we took our daughter to our nation’s capital to understand the significance of history and what it means to all of our lives. 

Credit Image: Jarvis Consultants, LLC

Credit Image: Jarvis Consultants, LLC

Regardless where you stand politically, there were a lot of pioneers yesterday to inspire people and cause moments of pride and admiration.

 Kamala Harris:

The first African-American, Asian-American Woman Vice President of the United States.

 Alex Padilla:

The first Latino Senator from California.

 Raphael Warnock:

The first African-American Senator from Georgia.

 Jon Ossof:

The first Jewish-American Senator from Georgia and the youngest-ever Senator elected.

History is made every single day, but yesterday a lot of history was made, showing progress.  The timing is amazing because just several days ago we recognized Dr. Martin Luther King’s efforts in pursuing equality for all marginalized by gender, creed, or color. I reflected on that and thought how poignant and meaningful this period in American history represents. These elected officials were judged on their character, experience and solutions that they can bring to their constituents and to the overall country. Their ethnicity, race and gender (while I’m sure were barriers) did not defeat them. As our world continues to change, perhaps it even helped them. Only time will tell and history will reflect the true meaning of this time.

Credit Image: Jarvis Consultants, LLC

Whether it is the Senate Chambers, the Oval Office, a Boardroom or a Retail Floor - we know through data that diverse voices and representation helps to reflect constituents and customers’ experiences and viewpoints. We know that businesses thrive when there are different genders, race, ethnic thoughts included in business strategies and tactics.

In so many ways, citizens are so much more willing to stand up and make their voice heard through voting. Corporations are still trying to figure it all out.

Social injustices that have overcome the breath of the nation have forced some of them to look in the mirror and put practices together to be more inclusive companies.  Not at the bottom but at the top of the organizations - leading. Being forced to be diverse and inclusive is always difficult. Responding with knee jerk policies is always difficult. Doing the right thing in a thoughtful right and process building way is always difficult; but, it will yield the greatest positive results for your customers, your brand and your bottom line.

While there were a lot of history-making firsts yesterday; let’s all take a breath and think what have been our firsts; and, do we have the ability to contribute to any additional history-making firsts? Now, exhale and let us all commit to doing our part in making firsts for our legacies.

 
Sonya Ruff Jarvis, is the Managing Member of Jarvis Consultants and the Founder of the eRetailer Summit and JC Event Group. An expert in her field, Sonya has been published in numerous retail industry b-to-b publications.  Sonya shares her experiences in her book series Mindful Minutes:  A Marketer’s Journey Through Business.  In addition, Sonya collaborated in publishing an anthology, Mentoring Moments:  14 Remarkable Women Share Their Breakthroughs to Success. Purchase Sonya’s books here.

Sonya has a M.B.A. in Marketing. She is married and has a daughter.  

Follow Sonya on twitter at @jarvisconsult or @eretailersummit

Guest Blogger, Denola Burton: Are You Experiencing Mentoring Moments?

Credit Image: Enhanced DNA Publishing

January is National Mentoring Month, an annual mentoring campaign nationwide dedicated to celebrating and elevating the mentoring movement. What a perfect time to celebrate the importance of mentors in some #MentoringMoments.

Credit Image: Enhanced DNA Publishing

Mentoring Moment 1:  in 2019, I had the privilege of working with 14 remarkable women to create an amazing mentoring tool, an anthology titled, Mentoring Moments: 14 Remarkable Women Share Breakthroughs to Success. In this motivational self-help book, I wanted to provide a tool for women contemplating the direction in which they wanted their career to go, for example, women in the workplace who were trying to decide whether they wanted to enter (or leave) corporate America, mid-career hires with little or no direction, and entrepreneurs who were ready to break out on their own. I wanted them to realize that if they had direction and support, that they did not have to feel as though they were doing it alone, and that if others could succeed, so could they.  This book has been a great tool for women across the nation and was named a Finalist in the 2019 Best Book Awards sponsored by the American BookFest. Stay tuned for the audiobook in 2021!

Credit Image: Enhanced DNA Publishing

Mentoring Moment 2:  Early in 2019, I had the opportunity to become a mentor with the Pass the Torch for Women Foundation.  Pass The Torch For Women Foundation was formed with a vision of a world where ALL women are equitably represented at all levels of leadership in business and government. The mission of the organization evolved to address the needs of women throughout their career lifestyle.  As a mentor with the Legacy Leaders, I was able to develop a mentoring relationship with an experienced executive and through that relationship, I have had the opportunity to learn from her (probably as much as she has learned from me).  As a result of this rewarding relationship, I decided that this was an organization that I was passionate about and in early 2020, joined as a member of the Board of Directors.  I love the fact that women of all stages of their life and career have the opportunity to benefit from mentors and I am proud to be one of the mentors making that difference.

Credit Image: Enhanced DNA Publishing

Mentoring Moment 3:  My most impactful mentoring moment was when I reconnected with a former colleague at a conference in which I was a speaker.  We worked on the same team back when everybody was preparing for Y2K (a huge IT project for the business-related changes needed to flip to the year 2000).  She made a point to thank me for everything I did since she was new to the company and in her first job.  She said that I made such an impact on her personally, in her career and really helped her adjust to a new city as well as the organization. I never knew that I had that impact and it was very touching to hear that. She is now a wife, mother and a very successful leader in a different company.  Lesson:  You can be a mentor without even knowing it!  

As we enter into 2021, see what mentoring moments you can have in your life, career and future – whether as a mentor or as a mentee.  Find an organization that can assist you with mentoring resources and begin making a difference to other women by mentoring, investing and connecting with other women.

Denola Burton is the Founder and CEO of Enhanced DNA:  Develop Nurture Achieve, LLC.  Through Enhanced DNA, Denola develops and nurtures individuals and organizations to achieve their Leadership, Communication and Performance goals and objectives.  Denola is also an author and publisher and created the Enhanced DNA Publishing Division of her company where they assist new and newer authors in publishing their books according to the Independent Book Publishing Association (IBPA) standards.  Denola retired from Eli Lilly and Company after 27 years where the majority of her career was focused on Employee Relations/Human Resources.  You can connect with Denola on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIN and Twitter at Enhanced DNA Develop Nurture Achieve or on her website at www.EnhancedDNAPublishing.com.