Chuck Burke
Outstanding Manufacturers' Rep
By Melissa Kvidahl -- Gifts & Decorative Accessories, 8/1/2007
What makes a manufacturer's representative extraordinary? If you ask an accountant, the answer might have something to do with numbers. But if you ask buyers and gift store owners, the answer always has to do with having that special something extra that makes a hectic business run a tad smoother.
This year, Gifts & Decorative Accessories is adding a new honor to the list of Retailer Excellence Awards: the Outstanding Manufacturers' Representative. We asked readers: Do you know a rep who goes above and beyond for your business? What makes that representative stand out, and why? This year, one rep stood above the throng of nominations: Chuck Burke, Northeast territory manager for OneCoast.
Chuck Burke has been a manufacturers' rep for more than 12 years, working with Four Star Marketing before joining OneCoast. He's also a professional musician on the side, a passion he has cultivated for 30 years. Currently, he represents an array of companies that includes DCI, Klutz, Stephen Joseph, Naked Bee and Mudpuppy.
Burke embodies “the epitome of what a 'good rep' is all about,” according to Diann Fischer of Diann's Gifts & Collectibles in Kenvil, NJ. “He even calls to remind me of specials and deadlines that I might otherwise would have missed,” says Jeanine Magrann, owner of Lakes Office Supply, Medford, NJ.
Chuck may be attentive, but he's never pushy — many of the clients who nominated Burke stressed that he is never over-assertive when it comes to product selection. Magrann adds, “He's enthusiastic about his products but doesn't pressure me.”
And his attentiveness doesn't end there. Magrann's first experience with Burke was two weeks before Christmas, when she needed a Klutz display. Magrann explains, “He was able to have the fixture and books in the store right before Christmas so I didn't miss out on my pre-Christmas sales.”
For Burke, taking that extra step in customer service is what sets him apart from his colleagues. He says, “I supply customers with sample products for demonstration, do in-store events, and bring merchandise from one store to another if a customer is in a pinch. I'll also make sure they have whatever support materials are available.”
Creativity in presentation is another way that Burke ensures his clients will close up their shops in a happy mood. He consistently contributes ideas to each client concerning how they can sell a certain product — not just why they should. Heather Luzzi, a buyer for the Hobby Shop in Aberdeen, NJ, recalls, “We loved the scratch and sketch books from Peter Pauper Press but the sales were average. We were hesitant on placing the order until he suggested ordering the spinner rack that is usually used for their other books. We took his advice and our sales have tripled.”
Not to mention that Chuck has a genuine enthusiasm for his work. Fischer describes him as “professional, happy, friendly, informative, upbeat, positive honest, trustworthy, sincere, helpful, energetic and personable.”
Who could ask for more? That's why Chuck Burke is being recognized as Gifts & Decorative Accessories' Outstanding Manufacturers' Representative for 2007.
