An afternoon spent chasing down a simple haircut was the driving force behind one of the territory’s most popular new businesses: a one-stop-shop Internet directory that co-owner Bruce Flamon says is going to put the "customer" back in customer service.
It’s been less than a month and Flamon’s newest venture, 1-855-VISERVICES, is already flooding the radio, newspaper and Web with advertising, driving business into the territory. During a recent interview, Flamon said he got the idea one afternoon when he got off work late and couldn’t find a barber who would stay open to cut his hair.
That’s when he partnered with longtime friend Randy Liburd and started hunting down businesses that would go the extra mile to deliver great service to their customers –maybe even right to their own front door.
"We’re looking for plumbers, electricians, a barber who will come to your living room or hotel room and cut your hair," Flamon said.
So far, the company has about eight clients on its website, which will eventually be opened up to smaller companies and one-to-two man operations that will be added to the directory and launched to the general public in a couple months.
At this point, however, the company is in its first phase and has been targeting larger operations, such as the popular Fat Boys eatery on the East End, that will help spread the word and get the ball rolling with the tourist industry. Fat Boys was one of the first clients to sign up, and thanks to the new website, has already seen a difference in its customer base.
"It’s been bringing in a lot of people," Fat Boys’ Alex McGowan said recently. "When you ask the customers where they heard about us, they tell us about the site, so we know it’s working."
And hearing what the customers have to say about the businesses in the 1-855-VISERVICES directory is also an important component, Liburd said.
"We want people to call back and let us know how they did," he explained. "Then we’ll work with the manager or owner of the business to see if they can do better."
Along with picking up businesses, Flamon and Liburd have also been searching for employees to act as sales representatives and have already held two job fairs, where prospective applicants have been encouraged to dress properly, and bring a detailed resume. The next fair, Flamon said, will be held 6:30 p.m. Monday in the conference room at St. Thomas’ Bolongo Bay Resort.
Though the official launch of the comprehensive public directory — Flamon said he hopes to have all the categories filled by Feb. 1 — is still on its way, the group already has plans for expansion in the future. Along with creating an iPhone app for the directory, Flamon said they hope to help streamline the government’s service as well, maybe by taking over the website directory and helping to fix customer service relations within the different departments and agencies.
"It’s not about money for us," Liburd added later. "It’s just awesome for us to have the opportunity to be able to help change the impression people have of our customer service here in the Virgin Islands, and to be able to hold businesses accountable for the way they treat people."
To find out more about the company, or to sign up as a client, call 1-855-VISERVICES (1-855-847-3784) or visit http://www.1855viservices.com/.
