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TOBACCO BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL
JULY/AUGUST 2014
the company’s certification program. “When the boss asked me
to come out and run this store,” recounts Stracco, “how could I
turn down that opportunity?”
Today, Stracco applies many of the experiences he had
as a customer to his approach to managing the store and its
staff. “One thing our company is dedicated to is customer
service,” he says. “If you like people it comes easily, but there’s
lots of competition in this area of the country. We have to be
better [than our competitors]. I make sure our employees are
constantly aware that the customer always comes first. I keep
reminding our sales staff to remember that. ‘The customer is
why you were hired,’ I’ll say. I keep that fresh in their minds all
of the time.”
Employee Education Is Critical
to Customer Service
Being helpful and attentive toward customers is a priority
at Cigars International, but that all falls by the wayside if the
employee isn’t knowledgeable. “Our training is built around
getting manufacturers to come into all three of our stores and
give 90-minute talks about their products to our team,” explains
Stracco. “That’s gone a long way to help build relationships with
the manufacturers, and to develop knowledge we can convey to
our customers.”
The store also regularly holds seminars on new products, and
all store associates are required to attend. “It creates a marriage,
and provides a great process of ongoing education,” he says.
While customer service and training are two of Stracco’s core
competencies, he has many other responsibilities as well. As
general manager, he is in charge of overall operations for the
10,000-square-foot store, which houses well over 1.5 million
cigars, a host of humidors, lighters, and other related products,
plus two bars and 14 store employees.
“The success we’ve got going on is built on our marketing,”
explains Stracco. “We’re a little different than most other big
trench marketing
“We have to be better [than our competitors].
I make sure our employees are constantly aware
that the customer always comes first. I keep
reminding our sales staff to remember that.
‘The customer is why you were hired,’ I’ll say.”
