Flaman Rentals Blog

Disney's Approach To Quality Service

Posted by Steve Whittington Nov 18, 2016

Flaman Welcomes Disney Institute to Saskatoon.

We aspire in the betterment of your staff, and our customers


In 2017 retail brands are scrambling to differentiate themselves.  There is still some product exclusivity left but for the most part product X can be replaced by product Y.  This then just leaves price and the experience.  Customer Experience that is the key to making your customers loyal, giving them a reason to pick your organization over the one down the road. In fact if you are good enough the customer will talk you up and tell their friends if you need product X go see Retailer ABC.  If you are really good the customer will become a promoter, a brand ambassador and is excited about doing business with you and receiving messages from you; the customer might even be delighted by any interaction with your retail brand.   There is a company that creates this experience consistently; Disney.
 
We have been in a boom economy for a long time.  It was good times.  Business was good, in fact it was so good some might be honest enough to admit it was easy. It is not easy anymore.  Combine a tightened economy with a customer that has more choice and the power to broadcast any mishap a brand makes via social media and review sites business has gone from being interesting at times to frightening.  Customer Service Excellence has to be a top priority for every business. I personally lead the customer journey focus at Flaman Group of companies measuring all the touch points to rank for improvement. This is a journey we believe can never stop. This is where Disney Institute comes in and why Flaman Group of Companies has assisted to bring Disney Institute to Saskatchewan. 

So what does bringing to Saskatchewan mean?
 
Well on March 9th Disney Institute will be hosting their full day interactive learning experience:  Disney's Approach to Quality Service sponsored by ACC and Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce and co-sponsored by FLAMAN Group of Companies.
 
Who is Disney Institute?
 
Disney Institute is the professional development and external training arm of The Walt Disney Company. The company showcases 'the business behind the magic' through seminars, workshops and presentations, as well as programs for professionals from many different industries, including healthcare, aerospace/aviation, government/military, food/beverage and retail.
 
What will the course provide?
 
The one-day event will help area professionals begin to examine how they can differentiate their service to become a provider of choice and understand the processes necessary to develop a culture that consistently delivers that exceptional service. This day of Disney Institute training uses business insights and time-tested examples from Disney parks and resorts worldwide to inspire individuals and organizations to enhance their own customer experience using Disney principles as their guide. Disney’s Approach to Quality Service gives participants the chance to explore how customer experience insights and time-tested examples from Disney parks and resorts worldwide can provide relevant illustrations and engaging stories to help organizations deliver the type of long-term results they are capable of delivering.        
 
So I have taken the course…
 
The course woke me up to what I needed to do, in fact the course was transformative to my thinking. The session itself was remarkable in how it brought the concepts to life which provided clarity and deep understanding. I personally came out of the course with a deep belief of what quality service really is and how every single team member at Flaman Group of Companies is so important to making our customers' experiences remarkable. After the course, I applied the thinking to Flaman Group of Companies to aid our culture shift towards the entire customer journey.
 
So why is Disney Institute coming to Saskatchewan important?
 
Beyond learning to create remarkable experiences for your customers, there are other things happening with Disney Institute coming to Saskatchewan.  This course could be the start of movement in customer service excellence which will help define and differentiate how business is done in Saskatchewan. This is not pie in the sky thinking it could happen and imagine where the companies could rise to if they embark on this journey.

Steve Whittington


Walt Disney Company’s 90 years of world-renowned Customer Service Excellence into your organization March 9, 2017 at TCU Place.
 
Disney Institute, the training arm of the Walt Disney Company, is coming to Saskatoon with their full day interactive learning experience:

Focusing on the customer experience has become the single most important way for an organization to achieve success — often becoming its key differentiator and competitive advantage. You have the opportunity to learn Disney’s Approach to Quality Service. One of the world’s most recognized names in business solutions; Disney Institute, the professional development training arm of the Walt Disney Company, is coming to Saskatoon.

Saskatoon Testimonials:
 
"The course was transformative to our thinking. The session itself was remarkable in how it brought the concepts to life which provided clarity and deep understanding. I personally came out of the course with a deep belief of what quality service really is and how every single team member at Flaman Group of Companies is so important to making our customers' experiences remarkable.” 
~STEVE WHITTINGTON Vice President Marketing and Customer Experience FLAMAN - Group of Companies
 
"Treating Donors, Clients and Volunteers the Disney Way is an inspiration everyday since taking my very first Disney training in Regina. Bringing the Disney experience to your business or organization is so much fun!!" ~ CINDY FUCHS Vice President -
The Canadian Red Cross in Saskatchewan
 
Thank you Event Sponsors, Hosts and Marketing Participants: The Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, FLAMAN Group of Companies, the Canadian Red Cross in Saskatchewan, and Saskatchewan Industrial and Mining Suppliers Association.



 The Walt Disney Company’s 90 years of Customer Service Excellence Best Practices March 9, 2017 at TCU Place Saskatoon is now sold out. To receive information on the next Disney learning experience and/or pre-reserve your seats; email info@investinyou.today 
 
As to Disney artwork/properties: © Disney
 
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Flaman Helps Taylor's Dream Come True

Posted by Flaman Mar 26, 2014

Taylor Layton doesn’t let the fact that she has Down Syndrome get in the way of her dream of becoming a successful entrepreneur. She started up her very own recycling company in her small town of Outlook, SK. Her business has flourished from 5 customers, to over 60!
 
Taylor recently entered a contest through the Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program and won. She received $1000 in cash, mentoring, books and other resources to help better her company. She mentioned that she was going to use the money that she won to purchase a new trailer to help her haul all of her recycling.
 
Flaman Saskatoon saw her contest video submission and decided to step in and help. They donated a brand new trailer to her so that she could spend her prize money on something else for her business. Her reaction to the news was priceless. She also received a variety of pieces of jewelry from a Canadian jewelry company called Lia Sophia, which she absolutely loved!
 
Mitch Flaman was on hand in Saskatoon and was the one who delivered the good news to Taylor about us giving her the trailer. Here is what he had to say about the experience,
 
“I had a pretty good feeling that Taylor was going to be excited when we presented her with the trailer. Let's be honest, who wouldn't be stoked about receiving a free trailer. When we presented the trailer to Taylor and she ran up and hugged me, that was something else. To me we were giving someone a trailer. Nothing more, nothing less. A piece of our inventory that I see daily. To Taylor, we were giving her more than just a trailer. We were giving her the opportunity to expand her dream and see her business come full cycle. Without that hug, I don't know if I fully would have understood how much that trailer really meant to Taylor. That is when it became real special to me. I'm super pumped for Taylor and her family and hope nothing but the best for the future and the continued growth in making a "Greener Outlook"
 

Flaman is so happy that we could help Taylor out with her dream. Who knows how big her business is going to get. Great job Taylor, and keep up the good work 


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Third Time's A Charm

Posted by Jennifer Thompson Jun 26, 2012

For the third year in a row, Flaman Rentals in Saskatoon has been named a Consumer Choice Award Winner. This division of Flaman rents out enclosed and flat deck trailers, along with agricultural equipment like discs, land rollers or mowers.

I recently attended the Consumer Choice Award ceremony with our marketing VP Steve Whittington at the beautiful Delta Bessborough in Saskatoon. We got to sip champagne and rub elbows with a lot of great business owners in the city, and of course, celebrate our own success!

This award is special because the winners are picked by our customers. It means a lot to us that people recognize our efforts to offer great customer service. We were also very pleased to win a Consumer Choice Award three years in a row. This means our team is consistent taking care of our customers’ needs. And we’re proud of that!

What’s great is that the Consumer Choice Award is becoming a trusted name in the Saskatoon area. Looking at the other winners gathered in the room that night, we knew we were in good company amongst other top businesses in Saskatoon.

A big “thank you!” is due to our rental team in Saskatoon for all their efforts and hard work every day and to our customers for continuing to choose Flaman Rentals.


Steve Whittington (middle) receiving our award from Saskatoon Mayor Don Atchison and Consumer Choice Award President Marcel Sbrollini

Jennifer Thompson arriving at the awards ceremony.
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Celebrating our marketing success

Posted by Jennifer Thompson May 18, 2012

On May 17, I had the honour of attending the Saskatoon Awards for Business Excellence (SABEX) ceremony. Flaman was named a finalist in the Marketing award category.

This was a very exciting nomination for us. The SABEX awards honour businesses in Saskatoon and area in a variety of categories, such as Marketing, Customer Service, New Business and Business of the Year. Winners are selected from the finalists by a group of their peers. It meant a lot to us that we were recognized for our efforts by business leaders in our community.

This was the first time Flaman was named a finalist for a SABEX award.The ceremony was held at Prairieland Park, which had been decorated in a glamorous 1950s theme. After a delicious supper, the awards began, and I have to say I sat on the edge of my seat until our category was announced. We were up against three other great local businesses, so I was pretty nervous. When they announced the winner of the Marketing award was Flaman Group of Companies, I couldn’t have been happier! Our tables clapped and cheered as Steve Whittington, our VP of Marketing, accepted our award.

This award means so much to us. As a member of the marketing team, I know firsthand how much work goes into our marketing programs. We handle marketing for multiple stores, in many diverse divisions like fitness, trailers, grain cleaning and ag. Along with traditional advertising and marketing, I feel that Flaman is leading the way with things like our websites and online community building.  

The goal of our marketing department is to give our customers what they want and create content that is engaging and interesting. To me this is exemplified in our “Great Stuck in the Muck” photo contest. This contest was created as a way for farmers to share photos and stories about getting stuck, which is a universal problem for anyone working outside. This contest quickly grew to be much more than just a photo site. It’s now known as “Facebook for Farmers” across Western Canada. This site was a way we could give back to our customers and I think it worked. The website regularly gets thousands of visitors each month and many more when voting is happening.

I am so proud of our team! Along with those from our Saskatoon office, we have a strong team of marketers and web designers from all our locations. It truly was an honour to be named a finalist and of course we are so thrilled to be recognized as a leader in the business community. Thank you to the Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce and all those in the company that contribute to our success.


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Flaman Rentals wins Consumer Choice Award

Posted by Jennifer Thompson Jun 28, 2011

For the second year in a row, Flaman Rentals has received the Consumer Choice Award for the best Equipment Rental dealer in Saskatoon. 

“This award speaks well for the service we strive to give our customers,” says Ellery Erb, the rentals manager at Flaman Sales and Rentals in Saskatoon.
 
“Our goal is to have quality equipment and trailers to suit the customer’s needs, friendly service at the counter and fair pricing. I think all of those factors combined are what helped us win this award again.”
 
Consumer Choice Awards are handed out annually in cities across Canada in a variety of categories. The awards are based on answers from accurate surveys conducted by a third party research firm, Leger Marketing. Leger Marketing looks at various industries in each city and interviews a sample of people that represents the majority of that city’s population.
 
The first round of research determines the nominees for each category and a second survey asks people which of the nominated companies is their choice for the year.
 
Erb says it’s especially important that this award was voted on by customers, as customer service is the rental division’s number one goal.
 
This year’s awards were presented at a dinner and gala June 23 at TCU Place attended by a host of dignitaries including Saskatchewan’s Lieutenant-Governor Saskatchewan’s David Barnhart and Saskatoon Mayor Don Atchison.
 
Flaman Rentals in Saskatoon employs four full time employees and offers a fleet of 48 trailers and various agricultural equipment for rent.
 
 

Steve Whittington, an executive at Flaman, accepts the Consumers Choice Award for Flaman Rentals in Saskatoon.

 


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