On Thursday, February 9, 2012 customer service expert Bill Drury will present a workshop entitled, "A Passion for Service" (How to Win Customers and Reduce Lost Sales). From 1985 until 1990, Drury was the National Training Consultant for the Zig Ziglar Corporation.      

Some disturbing service facts:

FACT: 96% of unhappy customers never complain about discourtesy, but 91% of them will not buy again from a business that offended them.

FACT: Customers who encounter poor service tell an average of 11 other people about their bad experience.

FACT: 68% of customers who stop doing business with a company do so because of perceived indifference -- nobody cares.

FACT: Courting new business can cost up to five times more than strengthening relationships with current clients.

26th Business Climate Survey

Attention Chamber Members

In the past few days, the 26th Business Climate Survey conducted by Marvin and Company, the local chambers and the University at Albany School of Business has been mailed to over 13,000 members representing 10 Chambers. This year an online survey is available for your responses if you choose not to return the mailed survey. To reply to the survey online, please use the following link:

 http://www.zapsurvey.com/Survey.aspx?id=ea042407-609d-4309-b937-23fb1fb6c34f&cid 

If you are unable to click on the link provided, simply copy and paste the address in your web browser. 

Please join NYS Health Commissioner, Dr. Nirav Shah, at a presentation and discussion of "Governor Cuomo's Budget and Reform Message for Building a New New York" on Thursday, January 26, 4:30 PM at the Bethlehem Town Hall. 

The Bethlehem Business Women will hold their next monthly meeting on Wednesday, February 1st at the Normanside Country Club, Delmar, NY.  Their Social hour will begin at 6:00 P.M., followed by dinner and the business meeting.  The meeting for February will include a presentation titled "A Woman's Journey to Financial Independence" by Lisa Pett of Edward Jones.  For membership information, please contact President Mary Redmond at : mredmond57@verizon.net.

The Voorheesville Friends of Music is pleased to present the Grammy Award winning group New York Voices, who will performing a concert on Friday, Feb. 3, at 7:30pm in the Lydia C Tobler Performing Arts Center at the Clayton A. Bouton High School in Voorheesville. New York Voices is a vocal quartet who specializes in singing four-part vocal jazz music. As part of their visit to Voorheesville, the group will be working with the High School Chorus presenting a workshop during the day and working on a piece that chorus students will perform with the New York Voices that evening.

This is a unique opportunity to see an internationally acclaimed group in your own backyard. Tickets for the evening concert are $25 and are on sale now. Ticket information, including the order form, is available at   www.voorheesville.net/FOM. Order your tickets now, as this concert is open to the public and is expected to sell quickly. For more information about the New York Voices, visit their website at  www.newyorkvoices.com .

Join the American Heart Association on Friday, February 3rd for National Wear Red Day.  Let you and your business team up with the American Heart Association in it's dedicated fight against Heart Disease.  View their Flyer for more information on this day and thier cause.

Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy will once again be offering their Eat for the Environment for 2012. The next event will be held at Garden Bistro at 1839 Central Ave in Albany on Tues., Feb. 7th from 4-10pm. Enjoy a great night of dining while supporting a great cause. Please remember to mention that you are dining in support of Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy, as a portion of your dining bill will help benefit their programs. Additional dates for this program are March 13th at Mangia Cafe in Slingerlands and Tues,. April 17th at Gold Coin Restaurant in Slingerlands. Mark your calendars for these great dining events.  

Teens ages 13-17 can spend Saturday nights from 7-9 PM at the Albany JCC,(340 Whitehall Rd. Albany), playing sports and hanging out with friends starting January 14th-March 10th.(Free/Members; $10/Guests) Join them on their special trip to West Mountain for Snow Tubing on February 11th from 6:30 - 10:30 PM. ($20/Members; $30 Guests)  Contact Andrew Katz at 438-6651 for more information.

Invest in the 2012 Capital Region Bike Rack Program! This program can provide free bike racks for the public and non-profit sectors, up to a $1,000.00 value or a 50/50 cost sharing for the private sector, up to $1,000 total value (up to $500 from the Bike Rack Program). Application materials and more information can be found HERE. Please submit applications to Carrie Ward by February 17, 2012. This is the last year of the bike rack program. 

For more community events visit our website.  

Help Wanted

Adams Station Apartments is looking to fill 2 positions at their Delmar complex. One position is for a Full-time receptionist. The other position is for a Part-time Assistant Bookkeeper. The part-time position offers flexible hours and is for a 20 hour work week. For more information call Elisabeth Ruthman at 518-857-6685.  

The Community United Methodist Church of Slingerlands is accepting resumes for the position of Music Director/Worship Accompanist for January 2012. For additional information and qualifications click here.  

Delmar Place is currently seeking reliable candidates for openings in their Resident Care Department. They are looking for LPNs for 7am-3pm shifts and Med Techs for 11pm-7am shift. Interested candidates should apply online at http://www.delmarplace.com/careers/ or in person at 467 Delaware Ave, Delmar, NY. 

M & T Helping Hands, LLC. is looking to hire a part time caregiver for weekend hours.  For more information please contact Michelle at mandthelpinghands@gmail.com or call 528-2622.  M & T Helping Hands, LLC. "Helping Seniors Day to Day"