![\"Dsc09835\"](\"http:\/\/ripples.typepad.com\/photos\/uncategorized\/2008\/07\/21\/dsc09835.jpg\" "\\"Scott")
<\/a>\nShe actually freed things up enough that we were able to attend a July 16 Business After Hours event sponsored by the Floyd Chamber of Commerce<\/a>.<\/p>\n
This month’s event took place at the Hotel Floyd<\/a> amphitheater with hors d\u2019oeuvres provided by Chef Scott Hutchinson<\/a> and music provided by acoustic blues and roots performer Scott Perry<\/a>.<\/p>\n It is one of the few times I get to see the other small business owners of this county. We all have a great time swapping notes. <\/p>\n It appears that most of us are having to work harder to overcome rising costs and to attract new business in the face of a continuing drop in discretionary income. <\/p>\n The saving grace is that people still want and need things to celebrate life or to deal with the problems of life and it is a matter of providing customer experiences that encourage customers to visit and have their choices validated.<\/p>\n If a small business can make a customer feel good about a transaction or series of transactions, that is good for all concerned. The challenge is to provide that service or product in a way that allows the business to prosper.<\/p>\n This is a worthy challenge for any business, large or small: <\/p>\n How do we provide excellent customer experience and make enough profit to continue doing so?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Your comments are invited.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Life is interfering with blogging again. This is a clear example of the well-known principal that sufficient immersion in any activity prevents one from blogging about it as it happens. It is only after prolonged immersion, that ideas force themselves … Continue reading \n