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Meet Our CEO

Meet Our CEO

Many jewellery retailers have used TKE services to help drive traffic into their retail store and book appointments for events such as Bridal, Customer Appreciation, Estate Sales and brand specific such as LeVian, EFFY and more.

Personal phone calls inviting customers to in store events makes them feel important. The smallest personal touch can have a measurable impact on how the customer feels about your company.  Personal calls represent interactive marketing and a personalised approach that solidifies brand loyalty.

If your store isn’t making calls, you’re missing out on a HUGE opportunity to have a captive audience.

If you are making calls now, can your sales staff devote the time needed to each customer over the phone without sacrificing quality time with in store customers? Can they reach your entire database? TKE’s callers each make approx. 250 calls per day, per person. It’s all they do…and it’s what they love to do.

Heidi joined the company in 2013 after several years of running a successful transportation company and as an Inside Sales Representative for North American staffing agency. Her previous work with BMO Nesbitt Burns and their US counterpart, Harris Bank, gave her a solid understand of cross-border relationships and corporate processes. Her work for them focused on contingency and system implantation. In addition, she has over 27 years of customer service behind her. Her relationships with her clients and her attention to detail made her the obvious choice as CEO when her father retired.

When she’s not working, Heidi enjoys travelling and is currently working her way through the book “1000 Places to See Before You Die.” She’s always looking for personal recommendations of places you’ve visited so if you see her at a jewellery function, be sure to let her know! When she’s not travelling, she enjoys gardening and jigsaw puzzles.  Heidi finds that doing jigsaw puzzles since she was 2 years old has helped her with a photographic memory.  Often her staff are amazed that she can remember area codes and state FTC legislation without looking it up!

For more information about our Event Marketing services, please don’t hesitate to call us toll-free at 1-877-622-0195. You may also email us at heidi.tke@tomkaufmann.com.

Choose Your Words Wisely

Words are not simply sounds caused by air passing through our larynx. Words have real power. (Hebrews 11:3)

We open our mouth and the words tumble out.  They can inspire, soothe, excite, even cause pain on the recipient.  So, as the old adage goes “Choose your words wisely”

As a telephone marketing company, when we call a consumer or a business on behalf of our clients, we need to be sure we choose our words wisely.  You often only have a few minutes to capture the attention of the listener.

For consumers in the retail world, we want to evoke a genuine interest, we want to excite them about an upcoming event, and we want to be friendly and courteous.  Let them know we value them as a customer.

Conversely, when we call for a business to business client, we want to evoke a sense of businesslike saavy, without coming off as an aggressive salesperson, putting the recipient of the call on the defensive.

At TK Enterprises, we believe in the power of words…and we believe that what you say and how you say it can make a huge impact on the person receiving the message.  We work directly with our clients when it comes to script writing to make sure the message we deliver is the best fit for our client.

For more information about our services, please don’t hesitate to call us toll-free at 1-877-622-0195. You may also email us at heidi.tke@tomkaufmann.com

Why Aren’t You Calling Your Customers?

Why Aren’t You Calling Your Customers?

How can phone calls benefit the retailer?
Phone calls are the only type of marketing where you are speaking with a customer live. This allows you to gauge interest from your customers, book appointments, or to simply be combined with other forms of marketing to create a buzz.

You will also get live feedback from the customers, where it would be impossible with all other forms of marketing. How else would you know that your VIP customer cannot attend the sale, as they are out of town for the graduation of one of their children? This then allows you to reach out to that customer before or after the event to make the phone call even more personal.

Our phone calls also allow you to update your customer databases. When we are calling, because of the nature of the call, the customer will tell us that they have relocated, or that this is the wrong number etc, thus allowing you to update this internally to avoid calling and/or reaching out for future events.

At TK Enterprises, we handle more volume than many retailers’ store staff can handle.  Our callers don’t have all the other responsibilities that a salesperson would. This frees up your sales reps to do what they do best….sell!

How can phone calls benefit your customers?
Your customers are subjected to all forms of marketing all day long. They see billboards, emails, website banner ads, radio and TV commercials, but very rarely do they receive a personal call inviting them to an in-store event.

When we call your customers, we are giving them the information for the event and they have the opportunity to have a conversation with a real person, in real time and can ask questions to the caller accordingly.

Additionally, they may have seen the email or advertisement for the event and thought “Oh, I need to get around to calling,” but haven’t found the time. We give your customer a platform to speak and share feedback.  If the customer has any concerns or questions, they have a live person who can get them information.

How many customers can we call?
Each caller can make between 200 and 250 calls between 10am and 6pm local to the retailer’s time zone, Monday through Friday, with some exceptions on Saturdays.

When should phone calls to your customers be made?
If your event is appointment based, you’ll want calls to take place one week in advance of the event. This gives your customers time to clear their schedule and plan ahead. If your event is an open invitation, calls should take place three to five days before the event; this creates a ‘buzz’ and ensures that the customer won’t forget by calling too far in advance.

What are the overall benefits of using our services?
The biggest benefit is our ability to reach more customers in a shorter time span than your store staff usually can. We can call 5000 existing customers within 2-3 days, freeing up your internal staff to interact with your customers in the store.

At TK Enterprises Inc., we have a lot of experience working with North American jewellers and helping them to host in-store events that showcase their excellent customer service practices. Let’s put our knowledgeable team of phone agents to work for you!

For more information about our Event Marketing services, please don’t hesitate to call us toll-free at 1-877-622-0195. You may also email us at heidi.tke@tomkaufmann.com.

Inside TKE Enterprises – Jason Fenech

Inside TKE Enterprises – Jason Fenech

Here at TK Enterprises, we wanted to profile one of our own major team players at TK Enterprises. Many of you may have spoken to him on the phone or met him at a jewelry trade show but here are some details about him you may or may not know:

Coming from a major corporation to a family owned and run company, what differences do you see?
It was quite the culture shock….in a good way. When you work for a large company your mindset is more on yourself and you tend to be a little bit more selfish. You focus on your day to day duties, your team and basically looking forward to the end of every day. When I came to TK, the culture was completely different.  There is a larger desire to succeed. Every single member of the team is rowing in the same direction, with the end result of helping our customers succeed. Every member of our team has a vested interest for our company and the overall success of our clients.  

What about your job makes you want to jump out of bed?
Our customers! They rely on us so much, either to increase traffic for their event, or setting appointments for their sales reps, that every single day is a new and exciting challenge. The other thing that makes me want to jump out of bed is our team! It’s great to come in every day and work with a group of individuals that you truly trust and can have fun with! 

Do you feel that the work you do makes an impact? And if so, on who?
Absolutely what I do makes an impact! That is what I love most about working for TK Enterprises. Every single day we make calls for our customers and they are relying on us to make their events a success. Heidi and I are the first point of contact for our customers and it is always great to hear how much the phone calls have attributed to their store’s success.

If you weren’t working at TKE where would you be working?
I really don’t know. Since I started with TK Enterprises, I honestly have not thought about it.

What makes for a great day at work?
Honestly, most days at work are great! But, when a customer reaches out to us to tell us how great their last event was, it always makes every day better!

When you’re not in work mode, what can you often be found doing?
In my downtime, I enjoy watching sports, spending time with friends and of course family.  I have a wife, a 3-year-old daughter and twin girls that are due any day now!

Jason joined TK Enterprises team in 2017, bringing with him over 5 years of managerial experience in a call centre environment.  Jason is a proven leader, who thrives on building and developing a highly motivated and successful team, to not only meet, but exceed client expectations. Jason understands his customers’ needs and effectively communicated them to his team. He enforced TK Enterprises Organizational Values and Best Practices and is an integral part of the management team.

At TK Enterprises Inc., we have a lot of experience working with North American jewelers and helping them to host in-store events that showcase their excellent customer service practices. Let’s put our knowledgeable team of phone agents to work for you!

For more information about our Event Marketing services, please don’t hesitate to call us toll-free at 1-877-622-0195. You may also email us at heidi.tke@tomkaufmann.com.

5 Ways to Increase Foot Traffic at a Brick & Mortar Retail Store

5 Ways to Increase Foot Traffic at a Brick & Mortar Retail Store

My retailers are finding that traditional shopping which used to be at a brick & mortar store are now migrating to online shopping.

How do retailers combat this?  How can they get customers in to their store, increase foot traffic and hopefully increase sales?

The Omni Channel suggests the following 5 Ways:

  1. BOPIS – Buy Online Pick up in Store – it’s the perfect example of combining eCommerce with traditional retail stores. BOPIS gives customers greater control and convenience when purchasing their items.  Additionally, when BOPIS customers come to pick-up, The Omni Channel’s research has found that these customers make another purchase at least 40% of the time.

 

  1. Local Inventory Availability – If the customer can’t see that the item they want online is available at their closest location and on the shelf, they won’t risk the trip out to the store. According to The Omni Channel, 64% of customers expect to be able to view local product availability prior to visiting the store. Additionally, 81% of consumers said they have looked up inventory on a retailer’s website before visiting the store and 80% are less inclined to visit a store if a website does not provide current product availability

 

  1. Personalized Promotions – Offering an in-store promotion through email, social media and telephone calls will help build brand loyalty and invite customers to experience your store environment. Customers want less of a generalized targeting promo and more of a personalized one.

 

  1. Transform Stores into Experience Centers – another way to increase foot traffic is to turn your stores into experience centers. From lighting to knowledgeable staff, coffee or tea on hand, comfortable seating, etc. this will help drive brand loyalty by offering a unique, consistent and pleasant in store shopping experience.

 

  1. Go Mobile – Go where your customers are: on their phones. This could be anything from Sticky sites that build loyalty and raise your conversion rate to a mobile friendly website.  Text or call your customers to invite them in to the personalized promotion or BOPIS discounts you may offer.

 

At TK Enterprises Inc., we have a lot of experience working with North American jewelers and helping them to host in-store events that showcase their excellent customer service practices. Let’s put our knowledgeable team of phone agents to work for you!

For more information about our Event Marketing services, please don’t hesitate to call us toll-free at 1-877-622-0195. You may also email us

The Beauty of a Pearl

The Beauty of a Pearl

The creation of a pearl is, in and of itself, a beautiful thing. Often called Gemstones of the Seas, they are rare and amazing. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a grain of sand that enters the oyster, but a parasite.

The parasite enters the oyster’s shell and is an irritant between the oyster’s flesh and it’s shell.  This causes the oyster to secrete a hard, pearly substance which coats the ‘foreign body’ to protect itself.  This substance is called nacre or as it’s more commonly called, Mother of Pearl.

Oyster farms and ‘man made’ pearls are created by purposefully introducing the irritant, usually a grain of sand.  But it’s not as easy as it sounds.  Oysters are part of a family of Bivalves.  It’s a group of animals including oysters, mussels and clams.  They feed by filtering particles out of the water and quite often encounter grains of sand.  So, if they take in grains of sand in their nature habitat, why aren’t pearls more prevalent?

According to Feedthedatamonster.com, unlike grains of sand that oysters can expel, parasites have a mechanism to minimize the risk of being expelled.  They can attach themselves to the flesh of the animal, making it more difficult for the oyster to rid itself of the parasite.  So, it does the next best thing.  It protects itself against the parasite by encasing it in a beautiful pearly cell of calcium carbonate.  Voila! a pearl is created.

So, to quote Joyce Hifler, the popular author of “Think on These Things”:

“Life is made up of a few moments all strung together like pearls.  Each moment is a pearl.”

This makes me think that while there may be a moment in our life that we look back on as negative or parasitic…the beauty that emerges from moving past it and learning from it is the pearl.

Happy National “All is Ours” Day!

Happy National “All is Ours” Day!

Nowadays, there’s a National Day for almost every day of the calendar.  Something to celebrate – everything from Hot Dogs to Administrative Assistants!

On April 8th, people around the world observe National “All is Ours” Day.  There are two ways to look at this day.  First, it’s a time to reflect on all the amazing things in life and the beauty of nature.  Secondly, it’s a day to appreciate all that we have, not what we are missing.

Here at TK Enterprises, we are taking this day to reflect on all that we have.  The great teamwork we see in our fellow staff members; the relationships we have built with our vendors and our clients and the joy we all have about what we do for work.

Our team of management will always step up to the plate to pitch in.  No one is above a certain job.  Whether it’s replacing toiletries in the restrooms or upper management making phone calls to pitch in and get the job done.  We all strive to do our very best each day.  We know that our clients depend on us.

The relationships that have been built with our vendors is immeasurable.  If there is a last-minute job order or a problem with tech support, we know we can pick up the phone and ask for help.  The relationships we have built over the years have cemented a strong foundation between the companies and we know they are doing whatever they can to assist us.

Client relationships are fundamental.  The Harvard Business Review states in their article The Value of Keeping the Right Customers, that depending on the industry you’re in, acquiring a new customer is anywhere from 5-25 times more expensive than retaining an existing one.  We believe it.  We enjoy the relationships we have with our clients.  We find out about their lives, their families and what they do when they’re not at work.  People do business with people they like.  And we like our clients.

So on this National “All is Ours” Day, we say thank you for all that we have.  Thank you for the opportunity to serve our clients; thank you for the opportunity to be a client for our vendors and thank you to our fellow co-workers for bringing their best each and every day!

#NationalAllIsOursDay #ColdCalling #Sales #EventMarketing

The Perfect Holiday Gift

The Perfect Holiday Gift

The holiday season is quickly approaching and something many of us look forward to all year long. It is the season of giving and being able to connect with loved ones that you have not seen in quite some time. It is a reason to bring people together, to reminisce and to create new memories.

A constant struggle this time of year is trying to decide on the perfect gift for the special people in your life. We all plan and try to create a list of potential gifts that are best suited; but then when it comes time to purchase the gifts, you ask yourself “Is this gift really good enough?” or “Does this really suit them?”.  Without a doubt, when that person opens your gift, you want nothing more than to see the excitement on their face and satisfaction that you made a great choice. The simplest and most impactful solution – jewelry.

Jewelry is something that one does not generally buy for themselves and it can be sentimental. It can be worn everyday with any outfit or on a specific occasion. Jewelry is a timeless gift that can be given at any age. The best thing about jewelry is that it can be worn now and be given as a gift for generations to come. We all have relatives that have family heirlooms they’ve had for generations or heard of proposals that were initiated with a great grandmother’s ring. Jewelry truly is the gift that keeps on giving.

A perfect gift for a parent, or grandparent is something that symbolizes family. Jewelry can be extremely customizable and definitely the gift of a lifetime. There are many rings or necklaces that can hold the birthstones of your loved ones or a charm bracelet with pendants that embrace the personality or hobby of someone that you cherish.

A gift of jewelry begins a story, a special piece to mark a special date. A child can receive their first charm on a charm bracelet or a pair of earrings on their graduation day that their mother received on hers. One piece of jewelry can collect a lifetime of memories that can be passed on. Jewelry is meaningful and reflects a moment in time and that sentiment will be cherished forever every time it is looked upon.  

Especially during  the holidays, jewelry is the best universal gift.  Our unique service is specifically designed for high-end jewelry retailers who are looking to increase traffic for their in-store events. We make phone calls to existing customers to personally invite them to a variety of events that can be held at your store location. We’ve found that phone calls are undoubtedly the best way to send out invites because they are the most effective methods of making personal connections with the people most likely to support your business.

For more information about our Retail Event Marketing services, please don’t hesitate to call us toll-free at 1-877-622-0195. You may also email us at heidi.tke@tomkaufmann.com.

A Diamond is Forever, or is It?

A Diamond is Forever, or is It?

A diamond is forever…that’s the slogan…but is it? With the emergence of lab grown diamonds, it begs the question. Is it forever? What is a diamond if not carbon under intense pressure. So if most of the world is made up of natural carbon atoms then diamonds are naturally occurring items.

But with diamonds now being grown in a lab, does that dilute the market? We’ve had lab grown emeralds, rubies and other gemstones for many years. Jewelry stores carry them without any issues. Colombian Emeralds are far more expensive than lab grown emeralds. For some people, they are not financially within their means.

For young couples starting out, getting married is a huge step and so is choosing the engagement ring. Birks used to say it was 2 and a half months the groom’s income. For some couples who are starting out, they may be trying to save for a wedding, a home or a honeymoon. A high-priced engagement ring can then cut into their savings.

Enter the lab grown diamond. Now those couples can still pop the question without breaking the bank. Of course, you won’t get the same as you would with a naturally occurring diamond, or will you? The market of lab grown diamonds is still so new. It’s like the breakthrough of a new medical treatment or a new prescription pill. Sure, it solves the short-term problem but at what long term gain? Will the novelty wear off? Will it be a flash in the pan solution? Or will it stick around like synthetic gemstones. That remains to be seen.

Happy International Administrative Professional Week –  Helping Everyone Else Survive Their Work Day

Happy International Administrative Professional Week –  Helping Everyone Else Survive Their Work Day

The personality of an administrative professional is usually someone that is well rounded, who has a glimpse of a characteristic of everyone in the office, making them effortlessly approachable. They are easy going, organized, one of the most trusted and often go beyond their generic duties to do whatever is necessary at the time of need.

Administrative professionals are often the hub that brings everyone together, whether it is for meetings, questions or concerns and are depended upon in the absence of their executives. They are accountable for the little things that are missed or the loose ends that need to be mended to keep the flow of the workday or events progressing. It is the little things they do that have the biggest impact; that take the load off others in the office and drive an overall successful company.

Listening to a radio station this morning, on 93.1 CHAY-FM, they were conversing on how administrative professionals, especially assistants, know their executives sometimes better than they know themselves, or some even more than their significant others!  They are someone that spends more time with you throughout the day than most and who are there in the blink of an eye, no matter the request.

It is not about the administrative work, but it is learning how their executive thinks, their needs, and putting it above their own.  It is being able to give a sense of ease to their executive so they can focus on the needs of the business, bringing in business and making their day a little more tranquil.

The workplace is an ongoing force that changes daily and though there is very little time in a workday, today above all days, take a moment to show appreciation for all that your administrators do for you!

Give your administrative team a break today, and give TK Enterprises Inc. a call for all your event marketing needs! For more information about our Event Marketing services, please don’t hesitate to call us toll-free at 1-877-622-0195. You may also email us at heidi.tke@tomkaufmann.com or fill out the form on our Contact Us page and have someone contact you!