New Balance’s Post

Building strong emotional connections with customers is more important than ever in today's competitive market. Emotional bonds drive revenue, foster loyalty, and cultivate grace in business relationships. When customers feel valued and understood, they're more likely to return and recommend your brand. Empathy and authentic interactions can transform transactions into thriving relationships. Here's an example: Meet Demetrio! He is a fantastic server at On the Border restaurant in Atlanta. He's been working there for 28 years—no, that was not a typo. His tenure is impressive, and his level of consistency in service excellence is also incredible. My first encounter with Demetrio was 22 years ago when I used to work nearby and would often visit the restaurant for my favorite salad, prepared just the way I like it. Despite my changing job locations, I would occasionally drop by. And without fail, Demetrio would make a point to greet me, even if I wasn't seated in his section. He's met my husband and kids on several occasions, and his warm welcome always made us feel like part of his extended family. Just recently, I had a meeting canceled and found myself in the vicinity, so I decided to drop by for some work and my favorite salad. It had been a while since my last visit. And who was there to serve me? None other than Demetrio! To my surprise, he still remembered my exact salad order, a testament to his exceptional memory and the lasting impression of our previous interactions. This day was my birthday, and the day I launched my Heart and Revenue business. I don't think it was a coincidence that a change in my schedule led me back to a place I had visited frequently earlier in my career—it almost felt like a rite of passage of sorts as I began a new venture. The moral of the story - prioritizing genuine emotional connections to meet and exceed customer expectations can ensure a thriving, loyal customer base and propel revenue. While hard to measure, connecting emotionally with your customers at all stages of the customer journey can pay dividends for years to come! Take advantage of this opportunity for every one of your team members in your organization to understand the power they have in driving your brand forward - building a thriving brand is a team sport. Demetrio is clearly the MVP at the Atlanta location of On the Border! #CustomerExperience #BuildingStrongBrands #CustomerLoyalty #BusinessGrowth 

I’ve had at least one manager who’d disregard your issues; “when you’re at work, you leave everything else behind.” Reality is we don’t work or function that way; we may chuck an issue aside but it’s still by our side until it comes back in as a toll on us. It didn’t help that I have anxiety disorder, which I was learning to manage. Worse, people disregarded it as mere anxiety; anxiety and anxiety disorders are 2 different issues. Perhaps the pandemic was a blessing in disguise; it teaches us that everyone of us is truly self-employed, as Brian Tracy would emphasise in his talks and books. We are working for ourselves, accepting and agreeing to the terms that come with the job. And the pandemic also teaches managers and supervisors to trust the employees under them to get the work done, even when they’re not being watched. These influence me on what kind of manager/leader I’d like to be. And I’d often tell my team, “If you have issues at home or in your personal life, do let me know. You don’t have to tell me about the issues, just let me know you’re facing them. And we’ll manage your work activities accordingly.” #mentalhealth #mentalhealthadvocate #leadership #leadershipdevelopment

Even if it’s a tough week at work, there are a few ways to make sure that even when life and work are both heavy, you can make it through. And that’s a supportive, nurturing work environment. A team that means it when they say “we will get through this together” and “we are here for you”. It usually makes all the difference. It did for me, when I had my worst times I had incredible colleagues and managers that believed in me even when I stopped believing in myself through hardships and difficulties. I work on paying it forward every day since! #inspiredleadership #payitforward #mentalthealth

I never announce the BIG changes in my life mainly for privacy. BUT about 2 months ago I had a very BIG change happen. I was placed into a BIGGER location with BIGGER problems than I have ever endured as a sales agent. It demanded more from me in various areas like increased accountability to my own errors. With increased traffic, I’ve had to develop time management skills for myself and to help others manage their time better with a new diligence on making sure operations are being completed before they become an issue. (Proactivity) I’ve had to step back and realize that my job isn’t to just sell but to help teach others how to sell like the newer agents in the business. Fostering an environment that allows them to grow to their full potential, guiding them with my expertise, sales knowledge, and of course a tremendously helpful support team like my DM, MD, and ARSM. It’s been a “ghost” type of 2 months not being on any leaderboards but watching others succeed, and I don’t have any regrets about not being on them. BUT here we are on todays refresh….& I can’t tell you the strides I’ve watched my team make already. Its 2PM as I type this….the day is slow for our store but we have the actions in place to DRIVE business for later days. (Calling leads in downtime / Flyering Local Business / Social Media Plays) Not to call ANYTHING early but, I think this month is looking to pay dividends what we’ve been training ourselves on @ team broadwater. :)

So here’s the funniest thing. I’ve been working on partnerships with different brands to get their products in front of our customers. For each product category, I’m looking to partner with two brands: two dispensaries, two edible companies, two pre-roll companies, two vape cartridge brands, two flower suppliers, two cannabis beverage brands—you get the idea. There’s one company I’ve really been wanting to work with, been working them all summer but I wasn’t getting anywhere with them. So naturally, I started reaching out to other companies. This week I got on the phone with one of them and after a quick conversation the deal was done. It couldn’t have been smoother! I love the simplicity of a straightforward deal. In business, when things line up, you just know immediately. It feels right. On the flip side, if something feels too hard or too complicated, it might not be the deal for you. It may not be the partnership for you. That’s why it’s so important to trust your instincts and have a bit of discernment. Not every opportunity is the right fit, and knowing when to walk away is just as valuable as knowing when to dive in. Overall, it’s been a fantastic week. I ran tours, made people happy, and closed an important deal. Here’s to more wins ahead! Wishing you all a wonderful weekend 😘

“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐭. I went from factory work and lugging salt bags to a professional sales and marketing position where I developed interpersonal skills, negotiation, and how to appeal to work with older adults. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫… (1) Having the mindset that expressing your needs is not you versus them it’s us two working with each other to make a better situation. (2) Think of everyone as a person rather than a “client” every interaction I try to build relationships, and make friends with people. (3) It almost never hurts to just ask. Being able to confidently handle objections with confidence has boosted my self-esteem tremendously. I am becoming less of a pushover in my personal and professional life. 𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞. My self-esteem has definitely skyrocketed because the skills I’ve learned have helped separated me from peers.” - Joseph Cartwright, Sales Manager (South Bend, IN)

The realities of retail crime - impacting the health and safety of employees and customers, as well as the economic impact on retail businesses and New Zealand.

☕ Another travel day, another Starbucks latte...but for me, the real thrill isn't the caffeine – it's that first kick-off call with a new customer. That excitement, that spark – it reminds me just like a new relationship! 💬 But how do we keep that spark alive? How do we avoid burnout and build lasting connections? Here are my tips for brewing a long-lasting customer relationship: 1️⃣ Ditch the Transaction, Deepen the Connection: Forget dry business check-ins. Ask how they are doing, their weekend wins, their family adventures (coffee isn't the only thing with exciting stories!) Show them you see them as individuals, not just clients. Empathy creates genuine connections. 2️⃣ Be Their Hype Squad: Does your company have cool product updates, insightful blog posts, or upcoming webinars? Share them with your customers! Make them feel part of a vibrant community with exclusive updates. Remember, invested customers = invested partners. 3️⃣ Prove Your Worth (and Get Excited!): This is where the relationship spark - showcase the value you bring. Highlight your expertise, how your product helps them, and the real ROI it delivers. Review goals, celebrate progress, share success stories – and get genuinely excited about their wins! 🎉 Like that first sip, genuine care sets the tone for a long-lasting customer relationship. What are your favorite tips for keeping the spark alive? Share your best advice in the comments and let's grow together! #customersuccess #relationships #community #growthmindset #starbucks #earlymorning #travel #csm

Your semi-regular #workwithwade update... It's hard to believe that I've been on this journey for a full 7 weeks, yet that's the case. Some days I feel like it just started, others like it's been significantly longer. My thoughts today/this week... -Self reflection...I've always been big on this, but that's been amplified quite a bit with so much extra time on my hands. -Relationships...I can't stress how important they've been for me personally. More to come on this at a later date, but it's eye opening in both good and bad ways to see how they can change. For now, let's just say that it's essential to know (or come to realize) how relationships can be personal or transactional. The sun is near setting on this journey...and I'm going to continue to do what I've done through the entirety--enjoy each and every minute. "Every sunset is also a sunrise. It all depends on where you stand." -Karl Schmidt #cpg #sales #grocery #retail #crawlwalkrun