Business Solutions for Spring 2018

SPRING 2018 5 SOLUTIONS To find this out-of-the-ordinary merchandise, Bristle, Motsick, and Eckley go on buying trips to markets in Las Vegas, Dallas, Omaha, Minneapolis, and Des Moines. In addition, about five vendors call on them at the shop; three bring camper-like vehicles where the owners can sit and select from samples. Some merchandise is also ordered online. “We have support from Cheryl Hayes. She gives us ideas for great vendors or direction for vendors we are uncertain about,” Bristle notes. How would Bristle describe the store’s environment and shopping experience? She replies, “The Funky Zebras Panora is a quaint little place with an industrial touch. We love helping friends (some might say customers) find things they’ll love, and we’re here to assist in any way we can. It’s such fun helping people find just what they’re looking for. And sometimes, we help them find things they didn’t even know they were looking for! We also provide ‘A Special Shopping Experience’ for parties of six or more, held outside of regular business hours. We serve special treats to the shoppers at these events, such as wine and cheese or whatever best suits their group. All people have to do is call us, and we’ll help them schedule a fashionable gathering with friends or family.” Panora Telco is the Perfect Fit Not surprisingly, a shop with the latest clothing and accessories wants the latest in com- munications services. The Funky Zebras Panora gets its internet and phone services from Panora Telco. “Our business depends on our internet and phone services. When we opened the shop, Panora Telco helped problem-solve our building configuration to figure out how to give us the services we needed to work most efficiently. We’ve never had an outage, which is vital to our smooth operation,” Bristle says. She adds, “The people of Panora Telco are always friendly and helpful, and the customer service we receive from them is timely. They’re also an extremely com- munity-focused provider, which is a plus! We’re so grateful to have Panora Telco in our community.” When we opened the shop, Panora Telco helped problem- solve our building configuration to figure out how to give us the services we needed to work most efficiently.” — KARLA BRISTLE, OWNER, THE FUNKY ZEBRAS PANORA WHO’S MINDING YOUR BUSINESS? Cheryl Castile Customer Service Specialist Cheryl Castile became a Panora Telcom employee in 1983. She previ- ously served as Director of the Panora Telcom Board for five years—the first woman to hold that position. Castile’s career also included managing Coun- try Realty and owning and operating The Vedette along with her husband. As Customer Service Representative, Castile serves both current and new subscribers. She says, “My job is varied; I never know exactly what the next day will bring. I answer questions from subscrib- ers regarding their services or billing, process bill payments, create service orders and trouble tickets for our techni- cians, and schedule appointments. I’m also currently working on the new phone directory to be published in April. My favorite part of the job is the interaction with our subscribers.” Family and community are important to Castile. “I’ve been married to Gordon for over 50 years, and we’re blessed with our son Brian, daughter-in-law Beth, four grandchildren, and one great-grandson. We enjoy attending their sporting events, musical performances, and other school and church activities. I also give back to the community through service to the Chamber of Commerce, Guthrie County Republican Central Committee, and my church,” she notes.