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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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Here’s a quick and easy tip for you! Looking for an easy way to add color to your chocolates and decorate your moulds? Nonpareils are a great option and a little bit goes a long way!
For example, decorate Easter eggs and bunnies using nonpareils to add Spring colors. Or, since Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, use a mixture of pink and red nonpareils to decorate chocolate lips and hearts. And later in the year, place a bit of melted chocolate on the eyes of a moulded jack-o-lantern after it is set and and then sprinkle with orange and yellow nonpareils for a spooky Halloween glow.
You can get creative and have fun with this tip at each holiday!
Last week RCI was on a Winter Getaway in Barbados, building connections with fellow candy makers and suppliers. Check out photos on the RCI Facebook page!
Tags:
Candy Making
Colors
Holidays
Photos
Seasonal
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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This week’s tip is to make caring for your community part of your company culture. As a business you have a great opportunity to give back to the community that supports you and to provide opportunities for your staff to give back as well.
Volunteer together as a staff The options for volunteering as a group are endless - serving a meal at a soup kitchen, preparing a meal for the families at the local Ronald McDonald House or doing yard work for a senior citizen are just a few ideas to get you started.
Make product donations to local charities Most candy and chocolate stores are asked for product donations on a regular basis. Are you giving? While donating to every single request may not be financially feasible, consider creating a policy for these requests such as a set number per month on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Provide paid volunteer hours for staff By providing paid hours for your staff to volunteer, you are solidifying that this is an important part of your company culture. Consider providing two hours per month for your employees to give back to your community. Best practice would be to require a form be signed by a supervisor where they are volunteering to ensure accountability.
It has been shown that individuals who volunteer have higher life satisfaction. And satisfied employees often are going to be better workers. So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to get out and give back!
P.S. Kettle Talk, RCI’s quarterly publication, had a feature story and interview with Kriston Dean of Purdy’s Chocolates in the Jul/Aug/Sep 2012 issue. She discussed how they give back as a company. RCI members may access past issues of Kettle Talk by signing in on the RCI website.
Tags:
Employee Management
Owning a Business
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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You’re very diligent to clean fingerprints and smudges on the front of your candy cases but have you given thought to how often you clean the inside of your cases and other fixtures? This week’s tip is to remind you that cleaning behind fixtures is just as important as cleaning the front of cases and fixtures.
As you know, presentation matters when it comes to displaying your beautiful chocolates and candies in the store. You may not think the inside of your cases would get dirty but dust could collect there in addition to smudges from moving product in and out of the case. A pristine case will help increase the perceived value of your products so take the time to ensure it is clean both inside and out.
How often should you clean the inside of your cases? That depends on how often the doors to the cases are opened, when product is moved, etc. Whatever you decide, be sure it is added to the cleaning schedule so employees don’t overlook this important task.
P.S. This tip was from the GMP series featured in the Jan/Feb/Mar 2012 issue of Kettle Talk. RCI members may access the entire series by signing in to the RCI website and viewing Kettle Talk issues from 2012.
Tags:
Cleaning
GMP's
Merchandising
Quality Control
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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Welcome to 2014! We hope you had a great time bringing in the New Year!
This week’s tip is to get your office organized. You’ve just been through a mad holiday season and orders and receipts were flying left and right. Now that December is behind us and before Valentine’s Day is upon us, it’s time to get your office organized again. We’ve found some great office organizing tips on Pinterest!
Organize the Papers on Your Desk with Labeled Folders
Use Clipboards to Organize Items You Need to Access Easily
Create Moodboards for Upcoming Merchandising/Packaging
Get Those Unruly Cords in Order
One last thing - get a labelmaker. We talked about this fantastic tool in Tip #7 and still think it will change your organizing life.
P.S. If you are heading to the Philly Candy Show this weekend, stop by the RCI booth and meet the staff! Be sure to mention you read the Tip of the Week blog!
Tags:
Cleaning
Leadership
Organizing
Owning a Business
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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Now that the holiday season has passed, and before you begin forging ahead preparing for Valentine’s Day, this week our tip is to be sure you take time to thank your hard-working staff. Remember that your staff has different personalities. Some may feel appreciated with a verbal thank you; some may appreciate a card while others might enjoy a cup of coffee or other treat. Use a variety of methods to be sure your employees know they are valued and appreciated for the hard work and extra effort they put into making sure your business had a successful holiday season.
Need proof that it works? Check out this great infographic that illustrates the value of appreciating and thanking your employees:
Explore more infographics like this one on the web's largest information design community - Visually.
Happy New Year!!
Tags:
Employee Management
Owning a Business
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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From home to home, and heart to heart, from one place to another. The warmth and joy of Christmas brings us closer to each other. - Emily Matthews
Today is Christmas Eve!
While we know you are likely still working hard to get your customers home with their favorite sweet treats for their families, today’s tip is to enjoy Christmas with your own loved ones. When you walk out the door of your office or store today, take a deep breath and leave everything else behind you to deal with on December 26 (or whenever you return to work). Focus on being 100% present to enjoy this special season with the ones you love most.
Merry Christmas, sweet friends!
Tags:
Holidays
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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You may have more customers in your store this month than a typical month. Therefore, it’s imperative they have a great experience so that they return. That’s why this week’s tip is to remind your employees of the importance and value of great customer service. Below are a few items from a 2012 blog tip about customer service to consider reviewing with your employees:
- Don’t just greet customers – greet them with a smile.
- Thank customers for their business and invite them to come back again.
- Be proactive – go to the customer in the store to offer assistance.
- Ask customers who call the store if they may be placed on hold rather than assuming and saying “Hold, please.”
By providing exceptional customer service, you just may turn that customer who walked in by chance into a new regular who visits your store for treats throughout the year.
Tags:
Customer Service
Employee Management
Owning a Business
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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Did you know this Monday, December 16 is National Chocolate Covered Anything Day? This week’s tip is to get your customers’ creativity involved in celebrating this fun candy holiday.
- Social Media - Ask customers fun questions on Facebook and Twitter such as, “If you could cover anything in chocolate, what would it be?”
- In Store – Have a suggestion box in your store. Customers can suggest items for you to cover in chocolate. Then, on December 16 sell some of the items in your store as unique holiday gifts. You might get a new best seller suggested! (Note, be sure to include a disclaimer that any used suggestions won’t be credited to the person who provided the idea.)
- Website– If you’re able to easily implement sales on your website, have a one-day special on some or one of your best selling chocolate covered items. Be sure to use social media and email to let your customers know they should visit your website to celebrate this candy holiday on December 16!
Please share with us in the comments some of the fun or funky items you end up covering in chocolate to celebrate this fun holiday!
Tags:
Candy Holidays
Candy Making
Holidays
Marketing
Social Media
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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Out of respect for confectioners’ busy holiday schedules, December’s blog tips will be quick tips.
Have you had issues with air pockets showing up on your enrobed confections? This week’s tip is to be sure the chocolate curtain on your enrober is as close as possible to the centers or confections being enrobed to avoid air pockets. If the curtain is too far above your centers, then there is more of an opportunity for air pockets to form.
This tip was shared at our 2013 Chocolate Boot Camp education course. Learn more about this hands-on course for confectioners at retailconfectioners.org/bootcamp.
Tags:
Candy Making
Photos
Quality Control
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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Celebrating 100 Tips!
We’re celebrating 100 tips on the RCI Tip of the Week blog this week!
Celebrate with us by using this tip to look back over the past 99 tips. Use the blog archive at right or the search function to find tips by topic (label). From merchandising to candy holidays to marketing and employee management, we have covered a lot of ground since our first tip on January 4, 2012.
We hope you have enjoyed our tips and learned as much as we have along the way. Please take a moment to share the RCI Tip of the Week blog with someone you know; link to www.retailconfectionersinternational.blogspot.com and let others in the confectionery industry know about this FREE resource provided by Retail Confectioners International. We look forward to continuing to provide you with fun, quick and useful tips to help simplify the lives of confectioners!
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