Fort Wayne, Ind.—As its members continually seek to deliver the highest level of customer service, Do it Best Corp. continues to bring them relevant education opportunities to help them keep pace with their customers’ expectations. With this in mind, the 2007 Do it Best Winter Conference & Expo, held January 17-19 in San Diego, gave attendees the chance to learn from some of today’s most compelling customer service experts. In addition, the event brought members together with Do it Best Corp. staff and vendors to learn about new products and merchandising opportunities and enjoy a variety of entertainment options.

According to Dave Haist, Do it Best Corp, executive vice president and chief operating officer, the event is designed to complement the two annual markets the co-op hosts in Indianapolis. “Our markets bring tremendous advantages to our members, including unparalleled buying opportunities, a wealth of education options, and a chance to spend time with their fellow members, our vendors and our staff. The Winter Conference & Expo is a little different in that we put a greater emphasis on relationship-building and education. Altogether, these three events provide our members with ongoing, high quality access to the information and resources they need to grow their business.”

This emphasis on education, combined with a focus on customer service research and strategy, brought an impressive roster of speakers to the 2007 Do it Best Winter Conference & Expo, including three keynote addresses:

• Robert Spector, author of The Nordstrom Way: The Inside Story of American’s #1 Customer Service Company, presented “How to Become the Nordstrom of Your Industry.” Spector’s address focused on the nine principles to building a customer-focused employee culture. 
• The Fred Factor author Mark Sanborn presented “The Ten Commandments of Customer Service,” which included tips on how to deliver a level of customer service excellence that most organizations only talk about.
• Paco Underhill, author of Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping provided insight into what motivates the behaviors of today’s consumers beyond the basics of price, location, and availability.

In addition, breakout sessions divided into “employee” and “customer” tracks, gave members a variety of expert advice tailored to their specific interests. This year’s breakout sessions included:

• In “Motivating the Team’s Passion for Customer Service,” nationally-recognized speaker Mary Jo Paloranta explained how retailers can thrive in today’s competitive environment by making customer service a way of life among their employees.
• Brian Parsley, author of InspHIRED: How to Hire, Inspire, and Retain Loyal Employees, presented “The Difference Between Satisfied and Loyal Customers,” which provided insight into how to create a memorable customer experience designed to increase revenue and create loyal customers.
• “I Quit…But I Forgot to Tell You,” presented by The Kabachnick Group founder Terri Kabachnick, revealed what happens when employees and managers “quit” without actually leaving—and what retailers can do about it.
• The Farnsworth Group’s Jim Robisch presented “Meeting Today’s Changing Service Needs,” which offered strategies for responding to the changing customer service mandate that today’s retailers face.
• “The Front Line is the Bottom Line,” presented by Tom Fife of Challenges, Inc., addressed the importance of training the employees who have the most customer contact.
• In “Reduce Theft Without Putting Customers on the Defense,” Lamb Security Consultants’ Patrick Lamb discussed the cost of retail theft and recommended customer-conscious prevention strategies.

Eldred Proctor from Proctor Lumber in California, MO, learned some valuable tips from the keynote speakers and breakout session presenters.  “When you are hiring people, you need someone with a personable attitude, not just the qualifications.  If they don’t get along with people, they won’t be able to service your customers the way they should.”

In addition to education opportunities, the event featured a unique expo floor arrangement, with tabletop displays from nearly 300 vendors. This informal setting, also used at the last two expos, promoted one-on-one discussions between members and vendors and helped foster relationship building, a key objective of the event. In addition, members and vendors also celebrated “Christmas in January” with exhibits featuring new and top-selling holiday products, giving attendees a first look at new products for the 2007 holiday season.

When not meeting with vendors or attending education sessions, members enjoyed some of San Diego’s finest attractions. On January 17, an Old Town Trolley Tour showed participants the city’s sights, golfers hit the links for the co-op’s Annual Golf Outing at the four-star Steele Canyon Golf Club, and an opening reception gave members a fantastic view of the bay area. On January 18, members enjoyed an exclusive event aboard the USS Midway, which included a tour of the flight deck, dinner, and a show. Finally, on January 19, members participated in a Mexican-themed closing reception at the Marriott Hotel & Marina.

About Do it Best Corp.

Based in Fort Wayne, Ind., Do it Best Corp. is the only full-service, U.S.-based, member-owned hardware, lumber and building materials buying cooperative in the home improvement industry. With annual sales of $3 billion, Do it Best Corp. is the second largest co-op in the industry, serving 4,100 member-retailers in the United States and in 45 foreign countries.