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2010.03.08 17:57:48
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Happy Monday:) It has been an exciting and frustrating few weeks. I have been involved in exploring the possibility of upgrading our infrastructure. What a crazy and amazing new world! I have been working with our new guy assigned to build the plan, and wow what a talent. I am learning about the technology and all of the possibilities that exist now! I am excited to see what he comes up with. I hope to be able to announce that our systems will be updated sooner than latere, but who knows. I will keep you posted....
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2010.03.02 18:18:18
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"What do you first do when you learn to swim? You make mistakes, do you not? And what happens? You make other mistakes, and when you have made all the mistakes you possibly can without drowning - and some of them many times over - what do you find? That you can swim? Well - life is just the same as learning to swim! Do not be afraid of making mistakes, for there is no other way of learning how to live!"
-- Alfred Adler
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I have to say that I have mastered this concept. Good or bad, I am not sure at this point, but I do understand what he is saying. I used to worry about making mistakes and how I would be judged by others. Now that I am older I embrace the mistakes, I do not like them but I embrace them. I have concluded that all learning begins with mistakes. Life is funny...
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2010.02.05 14:26:55
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Well, this is a little embarrassing... I have not uploaded a post in days!
I am not sure where the past 2 weeks have gone! I have been in a focused "move ahead" zone and have forgotten to update the Blog! The strange thing about the no post is that I have thought about or run across numerous ideas to write about, but just have not followed through.
As of next week, I will update the site on a regular basis...another reminder that I can get so involved in my own life/business that I forget to keep in touch with what I know needs to be taken care of.
Happy Friday!
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2010.01.28 22:51:49
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I read the most inspirational post on Facebook last week. In a nutshell the gentleman who posted indicated he was riding the bus on his usual day to day routine, but this day he sat next to a lady( a perfect stranger) who he cried and comforted. The woman was on her way to the hospital to visit her son who was seriously injured, however she was notified in transit of his passing. She and this gentleman where comforting and crying together the entire way to her stop in front of the hospital ….what an amazing story of humanity! It still gives me goose bumps… I am amazed at the compassion of this man to console a perfect stranger on what must have been the absolute worst moment of her life!
I strive to be a good person: caring and compassionate, but I am not sure if I could have done what this man did. I was humbled to read this post and to know this man…is only 17 years old. He is an amazing individual and when I grow up, I want to be just like him! I share this message with you, to inspire you…and encourage you, as I was both inspired and encouraged.
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2010.01.25 16:29:53
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Happy Monday! I spent the weekend hibernating...not necessarily the best use of my time, but a viable option!
I spent last week dealing with many different projects and even though the tasks were short lived, the energy it required took its toll on my spirit/body. I am happy to report that some down time has recharged those reserves and I am looking forward to the challenges and assignments I have this week.
I hope that each of you has a prosperous and productive week!
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2010.01.21 17:41:35
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I had the privilege the other day of meeting a gentleman that really had the full spectrum of customer retention down to a science. He nailed almost every aspect of the customer buy cycle. I had requested to meet him because it seemed from the paper trail his company has left on the internet that he could give me some great insights.
I have to say that I was thrilled to meet with him and to see what he has been able to accomplish. He is not afraid of scrutinizing and optimizing every aspect of his business. It was a refreshing look at a company that was NOT struggling in these economic times. His approach is based off of what we at CLC recommend. He builds relationships from the very beginning and follows up with care and concern and human touches with every contact. These strategies are often overlooked in most companies, but because he has done all the things he needs to and continually improves his systems he is excelling in an industry that has been hard hit.
I left the meeting with a sense of pride…not only for him and his business, but for Tom. Tom really understands how to create systems that not only generate new customers but keep customers in a kind and thoughtful way. I know the principles Tom preaches are absolutely the way to gain customer loyalty and increase profits! Read the articles Tom has written and see for yourself. His insights are on target and geared at helping his clients make and retain more money!
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2010.01.19 21:47:59
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"Practice isn't the thing you do once you're good. It's the thing you do that makes you good."
-- Malcolm Gladwell
A simple principle but something I do not really enjoy doing. I must admit that I often think that practice is something that can be skipped, why do it?
Today I was reminded on why practice is a step that should not be skipped. I fell flat on my face today when I attempted to pitch a sales presentation that was new and obviously not rehearsed thoroughly.
I did stumble through, but the fear of falling on my face in front of LIVE people, was terrible. I am not sure of the outcome, but for sure I have learned a lesson!
Practice, Practice and Practice…it does make perfect!
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2010.01.14 16:37:33
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The other day I contacted a marketing director looking for help. I was requesting some time to help me understand the ins and outs of the industry they worked in. I was rejected. I was not surprised by the rejection to meet, but for the reason why. As I mentioned I was requesting time to meet to be educated about their business…my motive was to see if our business model made sense in their industry. The person questioned what my purpose was and I explained. Then we came to the question of what my company did. I explained that customer retention was our area of expertise, at that moment the tone of voice changed and I knew I was done. I had inadvertently hit a nerve. Here is what I find interesting; she instantly said she was not interested and that she does not have the budget or the time to speak with me. She indicated that her IT department was working on something to help with the retention problem. I again explained I had nothing to sell and was just looking for information, but she had shut down. She indicated that retention was a problem and that she was well aware of the issues, that it is something brought up each week in their sales meetings. However, the problem exists because of a lack of resources and time. Without another word, I understood that her industry was the perfect candidate for our services. My hunch had been that the employees were stretched to capacity and that budgets had been slashed and the resources were scarce or non-existent. I learned more from her explanation of why she didn’t need my services or what she thought I had to sell, than I probably would have meeting her face to face. It is surprising to me that when people who are in desperate situations are determined to stay in that position. I have not given up on this lead, I think we can easily assist her organization and provide her additional revenue, reduce her time restraints, reduce the churn rate and increase the retention rates.
As Nike, so elegantly says, “JUST DO IT”. We, at CLC are here to walk with you and guide you through the other side….to SUCCESS!
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2010.01.12 20:40:48
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I just read the best statement! It made me stop and say "hmmmmmm" ....I love when a statement challenges me!
Here it is....
Stop running away from those who LOVE you. Go where you’re celebrated not where you’re only tolerated!
Is that not a refreshing take? I just love the thought,. All of us have people/clients/customers who LOVE us! Why do we seek the approval and the frustration brought on by those who do not LOVE us? The ones, that no matter what we do - will not ever be more than tolerable of us and/or our service. We all offer something special and spending time on those that just tolerate us is a waste of time and money. We NEED to be spending the time and our resources on those who LOVE us, or at least want to LOVE us.
I am going forth looking for people who LOVE me and will spend less time and energy on those who just tolerate me. I am worth celebrating and I would like to be surrounded by those that agree.
We at CLC strive to be our best and provide our clients with the highest quality! We assist our clients in doing the same with their customers. We realize that no matter how hard a company or individual tries, there are some people/customers that just can not be saved and will NEVER be satisfied! Learn from these situations and correct any operations or internal issues that have shown up and move on. Give yourself time to be LOVED by your clients, but if you aren't loved and cannot salvage the relationship know that it is okay! Learn from the situation and know you can't save all of them! Continue to provide top notch service to those who LOVE you and more will come!
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2010.01.06 16:44:06
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"Old times never come back and I suppose it's just as well.
What comes back is a new morning every day in the year, and that's better."
-- George Edward Woodberry
Isn’t that an interesting twist of thought? I know that in these troubled economic times most of you are wishing the “old times” would come back, but that is not going to happen. I know that I personally, am grateful for the new morning every day and for the opportunities the new day brings. I do not always like what the new day brings but I do appreciate the fact that I am provided a new day. Those “old days” were good and I miss aspects of the Good times, but I do believe that the new opportunities will bring even better times. I attempt to not look back and keep reaching toward the future. I sincerely hope that you embrace the new day and opportunities, as well.
CLC is here to assist in any way possible to change those opportunities into strategies to make tomorrow even more profitable!
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2010.01.04 16:08:43
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Since my post last week, I have been working on accepting the change ahead of me. On preparing myself for the next journey. I read the quote below and it really spoke to me:
"Don't wish it were easier, wish you were better. Don't wish for fewer problems, wish for more skills. Don't wish for less challenges, wish for more wisdom."
-- Earl Shoaf
I have to admit that I am the one that typically wishes for things to be easier and for life to have fewer bumps. For some reason, this quote spoke to me and I really shifted my attitudes towards how I see the “bumps in the road”. I agree with the quote and realize that if I have the skill set to deal with the challenges that I will be able to handle any situation. Let’s face it; the “bumps in the roads” will always be there….no matter how hard we wish!
We at CLC provide the skill set for handling the situations that occur in subscription based companies or any company with Churn challenges. We can teach you how to address the challenges and how to profit from the opportunities those challenges bring.
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2009.12.31 16:07:00
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WISHING YOU A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!!!!!
-From all of us at Customer Loyalty Concepts
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2009.12.30 16:48:01
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I have been faced with the realization that change occurs whether you want it to or not. I am staring “change” in the face and I promise you I was NOT happy to see it!
I sit here contemplating if I have the “stuff” needed to get through it. On one hand I think: of course I do, I am not a timid or scared individual. I am an intelligent being and have been through many challenges, to be better/smarter/stronger for them. I KNOW change is part of life and it is an opportunity and nothing to be afraid of!
Then logic pops its ugly head in and says: What are you thinking? You are not ready for this and how are you going to do this? You don’t have the resources, the budget or the knowledge to get through this one! This is a disaster and it couldn’t have come at a worse time. Why me, why now, why does this always happen? I am tired and battered from spending the past year dealing with change and I thought I saw the light at the end of the tunnel! How can I do this, again?
It is curious to me why I fear change…but, I am scared and in a state of pure panic. I can justify that change is needed and change is an opportunity. However, I feel like the rug has been pulled out from under my feet and that I continually have to face change and that I am sick of always having to struggle. That each and every time, I find my footing something happens and forces me to start all over again. It is a feeling most of you may be familiar with: I venture that some of you are sitting in the “boat of change” with me.
All I know for now is: that I am going to breathe and take some time to process this new reality! I will be back, to share with you my battle with change as I stagger my way down the path, again! I promise you it will not be easy or pretty, I know this since I have been here a time or two! I will however, share my insights and tales of failure/success and all the bumps and bruises I sustain on this new journey.
Stay tuned …you will not want to miss ANY of this!
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2009.12.16 15:40:52
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Hello Blog world.
My name is Karlyn Chrissinger and in Tom’s great wisdom, he has elected me to take over the blog, temporarily in his absence. Tom will be working closely on the operations end of the business for the time being and will be returning in his usual capacity, as soon as possible. As you are aware, I have HUGE shoes to fill and the only thing that keeps me grounded is the knowledge that this position is only temporary!
A little about me:
I am the Director of Sales, Marketing and Business Development for Customer Loyalty Concepts. My focus is on sales for the company, overseeing the marketing department and on new business growth.
Prior to joining Customer Loyalty Concepts, I co-owned and managed Infinity Real Estate from 2001 to 2008. I established my career while employed with US West from 1987 to 1993, where I worked directly with small business clients from set up to billing. The full spectrum of customer service provided the platform for my successful business endeavors.
I attended Oregon State University where I concentrated my efforts on business management. As a dedicated professional I continue to further my experience in the business world with continued education courses and through business networking. At this time, I am a member of numerous Denver organizations. Currently I reside in Denver Colorado with my husband and two daughters.
I was hired in July of this year and am the newest member of CLC. My first assignment was working as an Agent for the company. The experience I gained on the phones was essential to my understanding the full gamut of what CLC has to offer. I moved into my current position in the fall, and I am excited to be part of such a dynamic group.
Enough about me….
Check back and see what I come up with to say….may or may not be beneficial, but you won’t know unless you see for yourself!
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2009.12.14 19:41:55
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I thought I would share with you one of my favorite topics. This is an article I wrote back in June of this year and it gives you an understanding of the methodolgy our company embrasses when we look at helping clients. In fact, this is a re-write of an article I wrote years ago... I hope you find it useful.
A Customer Retention Methodology
"The time has come," the Walrus said, "To talk of many things: Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--Of cabbages--and kings--And why the sea is boiling hot--And whether pigs have wings."
An excerpt from Lewis Carroll’s “The Walrus and The Carpenter”, 1872
A series of articles will present a Customer Retention methodology based on our experiences, successes and failures. We undertake this effort recognizing some of you may view what we write akin to the nonsense spewed forth by the Walrus in the above poem. Proceed we will, because we care very much about the future of our clients and believe Customer Retention to be an important tool to help them and us maintain our economic viability. We fear without strong Customer retention, our fate may be like that of the Oysters who heard those nonsensical words but did not “get it” and continued to gather around the Walrus and the Carpenter. Those phrases were intended to divert their attention from the real purpose. They were to be devoured…not a fate acceptable for our clients.
Your company does not have to follow the oysters’ path. No one thing will allow any of us to thrive in this evolving technology and market based world. It will take all of our talents, wisdom and creativity. We believe our contribution is to share what we see as a practical and logical approach to Customer Retention. Our distribution channel for this information will be a series of articles.
We have written over 40 articles for the newspaper industry that are available under the Newspaper Industry Tab on this website if you would like to read them. Simply substitute the word “Customer” for “Customer” and you will discover the principles applied are the same regardless of industry or company. These articles written over a number of years were designed for our clients to “get” that Customer Retention does not just happen. It is the result of having work processes and metrics built upon sound retention principles and practices. It takes time, patience and a very firm view of acceptable employee behavior. The goal is (1) To provide flawlessly to the customer what they purchased (perfection of execution) and, (2) To know when you have not performed as you desired so you can decisively respond and demonstrate the importance of each customer by resolving THEIR issue to THEIR satisfaction. Some of you may look at that statement and see “good customer service”. It is much more and much more complex. An analogy might be looking at the Model T and saying you have an automobile. Compared to today’s computer dominated vehicles with superior and more environmentally friendly power trains, multiple gadgets, smooth rides and integrated entertainment systems, the Model T was at best only a starting point.
“Good customer service” is an essential building block to developing a good relationship and loyalty with your customers. Customer expectations change as markets expand and customers are presented with alternatives to satisfy their needs…not ours. The game continues to evolve and change and we must fine tune our skills to remain a viable player. Thus, the importance of Customer Retention has increased. The driving force is economics which is the common force that drives many changes in our free market based society.
Our goal is to move from discussing Customer Retention at 30,000 feet above the real world to suggesting specific methodologies we have found to work. Our goal is to be specific enough that you can take what we write and implement it allowing for differences in your markets, size and complexity. Metrics will be suggested so you can keep the ship on course and can evaluate the effectiveness. We know from personal experience there will be a strong motivation to get immediate results and to get this problem handled so you can move on to the next challenge. To a great extent, this is the history of Customer Retention. We often see or hear business owners/managers describe a series of unrelated programs that are labeled as a Customer Retention program. Frustration ensues when these efforts do not produce the results they need to get that positive mark alongside an MBO item or on the bottom line. Customer Retention is instead a series of interrelated undertakings that form a defensive wall between your customers and your competitors.
The following is a broad brush look at our working outline. Each of the major divisions will be further subdivided into a number of specific articles as we work our way through the previous major division. Below is an initial detail breakout of the first major division.
- Establish a strong foundation upon which successful retention programs can be constructed
- View customer retention from the customer’s point of view as they decide whether or not they will repurchase.
- Introduce and integrate the concepts from the customer retention Mission Statement, Value Statement and practical Retention Principles.
- Assess your staff to determine if they “get it” and provide education and training as required.
- Implement the marketing principle of “Never let a third party get between you and your customer”.
- Utilize the Customer Life Cycle model to evaluate where you are today.
- Chart your course in a series of practical and obtainable steps. This is truly a long journey accomplished one step at a time.
- Integrate retention into the customer acquisition process
- Manage new customers
- Manage customer once you have that first payment
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2009.12.11 15:39:21
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I am afraid that I do not know much about this program, but ran into the information and thought I would pass it along. Any program that passes along good will and makes someone feel special, can't be all that bad:)
SEND A HOLIDAY CARD TO A WOUNDED SOLDIER....
Send cards to:
Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20794-5456
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2009.12.02 21:27:04
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Someone asked me about the last blog where I insinuated the internet was doing a more effective job of advertising than the more traditional forms of commerce communications. It is true. Our company has supported newspaper subscriber retention for almost 15 years. In recent times, they have seen a significant drop in their advertising. Some is a result of the economy but a significant amount because advertisers believe they get better returns from the internet.
The internet, as proven by Google, has a better probability of matching your search with a product or service you want because they know more about you. Each of your searches adds to their storehouse of knowledge. It is only a small step from there for them to purchase demographic data which describes you in even more detail.
When you utilize the internet, you are in fact doing two-way communication as opposed to the newspaper which is one-way. The internet may be impersonal but it is two way. You ask, your receive information, you make another request and away you go. Over a period of time you can easily fall into a “market segment” and by being part of it, they know which kinds of ads and messaging will increase the probability of matching you with an advertiser thus increasing the probability that you will purchase. It is fast. It is convenient and many, many people like it. Wouldn’t you say it was a good match to satisfy the “all about me” in all of us as well as the fact that we are usually “time deprived”?
There certainly are some privacy issues that are surfacing and they will become a larger issue in the future. Most of us are uncomfortable with commercial enterprises knowing too much about us.
Our company agrees but we also see opportunities for the internet companies to expand their revenues and markets by expanding their own horizons.
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2009.12.02 21:25:15
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My wife read my previous blog and commented on several of my points. She is a veteran of over thirty years in retail and finds the internet process unpleasant. Human interaction gives her energy as opposed to draining her energy and increasing her frustration when she must interface with the internet. It is true, experience with the public in a retail setting is good and bad. It is just as hard to stay “fresh” for each entering your premises throughout the day as it is for the inbound telemarketing agent. The retail customer generally has an “all about me” approach to the transaction and is usually “time deprived”. It is a combination that leads to abrupt and often discourteous behavior portrayed as impatience to find help and anger when what they want and you advertised is not available.
In my case, I dislike crowds and what is fun for my wife is agony for me. I like people but on a more personal one to a small group basis. A large crowd drains my energy and the bustling and dodging is something I work hard not to experience. I go to the mall once every year to buy shoes and the rest of the time my wife does all of my shopping.
My point is that each of us is different. One form and source of communications such as ads must take into account these differences. Of course, much time and money is spent on Marketing by large companies and they segment markets so they can communicate a message using a channel that is appropriate for that market segment. The internet is becoming more and more sophisticated at accomplishing this feat.
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2009.12.02 21:23:39
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Belated though it may be, it is a sincere hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We certainly did as we are fortunate to have both of our daughters and their families in Denver.
Black Friday has come and gone as well as the internet’s Black Monday. I hope you did pay close attention to how the retail clerks in the bricks and mortar stores made you feel. Of course the next trick is to be sensitive to this same situation in reverse when you are interfacing with either your customers or staff and peers. How we make people feel goes a long way to them thinking of us first when they need to make another purchase. Equally as important, will be their willingness to look at your ads, direct mail pieces and to accept your phone calls. Being nice to people and making them feel good can be profitable as well as the right thing to do.
Cyberspaces Black Monday is an interesting phenomenon to someone, like me, who was in their fifties before they ever really got involved with e-commerce. The challenge they face in building a relationship without personal contact is difficult indeed. How does one build loyalty in a single dimension communication? It is impersonal…but efficient for many a time deprived person. It makes the inbound call center contact significantly more important. It is not face-to-face but it is at least a human. That can be good or bad depending on how one feels following the contact. It was your only contact but only one of many for the call center agent. Finding techniques to remain fresh with each incoming call is tough.
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2009.11.24 15:56:37
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Black Friday is the traditional starting point for Holiday shopping. The day after Thanksgiving is when retailers would fill the newspapers and airwaves with their ads. (A trivia point – Thanksgiving is the traditional day for the largest newspaper of the year thanks to advertisers.)
This year it is hard to believe businesses can discount any heavier than they already have. It is the time to have money in your pockets if you want great bargains. Big ticket items are probably as inexpensive as they ever will be unless technology can drive additional costs out of the product. Business owners are sacrificing margin in many cases jus to survive.
My guess is that many, if not all of you, will be at the malls or on the internet selecting gifts for friends and loved ones. When you do, make mental notes of how you feel after every transaction…whether it is face-to-face or on a website. These are the moments when good marketing and sales teams will endeavor to build or add to a relationship. Please recall as you complete each purchase what Maya Angelou, the poet and writer, said that we discussed in an earlier blog.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
This is a tough economy and every transaction is critical for a business to leave you with a positive feeling to encourage you to return. You options to buy are almost endless and more and more businesses are expanding their product line to encompass other’s products and services. We are entering the Holiday shopping season but more importantly the Customer Retention season. Now is the time for sellers to leave buyers with that positive feeling which will bode well or poorly for them after this shopping flurry subsides.
I would enjoy hearing your real positive and negative feeling transactions.!!
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