caption freeform

City of Highland Park 5th Annual Business Summit Stresses the Importance of Customer Service

The City of Highland Park hosted its 5th Annual Business Summit on Thursday, October 12, 2017, at the Highland Park Country Club. Each year the Office of Business Development and the Business and Economic Development bring business professionals and community leaders together in an effort to facilitate economic growth and vibrancy within the City. This year’s event featured keynote speaker, Darryl Harris of the Carroll-Keller Group, who lead an interactive conversation about the importance of customer service in an age of technology and abundant choice.

“Customer service is what sets your business apart and ultimately leads to loyalty,” Harris said in his presentation. Harris shared a number of skills and strategies to build a culture of five-star customer service. 

Mayor Nancy R. Rotering welcomed attendees and spoke briefly on the history of the Business Summit, which was the vision of Councilman Alyssa Knobel and the Business and Economic Development Commission. “It is our goal to create an environment where businesses can thrive, create jobs, and boost the economy. Each year we are delighted to welcome business professionals and area officials to the Annual Business Summit to share proven strategies, discover new approaches and collaborate to increase business opportunity in Highland Park,” said Mayor Rotering.

City Manager Ghida Neukirch presented the City’s major projects and accomplishments including developments and improvements that are underway and planned in the community.

 “What a wonderfully productive way to spend a morning,” said business owner Sue Monhait of The Ribbon Print Company. “As a small business owner, time is precious. I need a payback for time away from the office and the Highland Park Business Summit really delivered. Not only did I get an update on major City projects, Darryl Harris provided actionable tips on how to excel with customer service. This could sound like a worn out topic - but he had new information and actions that I'm already implementing in my business. This was the best summit yet.”

“The 2017 Summit provided the wealth of information and networking opportunities we anticipate all year,” said Jennifer Lang, Business Consultant, SCORE Chicago Chapter. “In addition, the program actively engaged participants,  providing them tools to use in dealing with the fast changing, often contentious situations they'll face in managing their businesses.”

 “The City truly appreciates the continued community support from the businesses, which makes the Business Summit such a successful event year after year,” said Business Development Manager Carolyn Hersch. “The City’s Business Development Division is honored to serve as a resource for businesses in Highland Park, and will continue to serve our businesses and act as a valuable resource and ongoing partner in their endeavors.”

The 2017 City of Highland Park Annual Business Summit was sponsored by Ravinia Festival, First Bank of Highland Park, North Shore Gas, EquiTrust Life Insurance Company, Mesirow Financial, NorthShore University Health Systems, Lake County Partners, Lake Shore Recycling Systems, Stationery Station, Synergy Marketing Solutions, Amber Insurance, Courtyard by Marriott, and Highland Pop.

Additional Information about the 2017 Business Summit can be found at www.cityhpil.com/BusinessSummit. To learn more about locating a business in Highland Park, please visit www.cityhpil.com or contact Business Development Manager Carolyn Hersch at chersch@cityhpil.com.