Alliance & North Canton, OH
Hot Pots Pottery is run by a crazy man. At least that’s what Troy Myers calls himself. Troy’s two Ohio studios located in Alliance and North Canton are well-known for their fun-loving, inspiring atmosphere and customer service that is second to none. Yesterday marked their 8th anniversary so in honor of such an excellent achievement, I thought it I would share a bit about this cool company with you.
Troy’s background is retail, specifically the grocery industry. His work in a variety of positions in that industry, from bag boy and to produce manager and meat cutter to front manager, has afforded him the opportunity to develop and hone his customer service skills. He is a pro when it comes to this area of business!
When brainstorming ideas of something new and cool to do, Troy decided Alliance needed a paint-your-own pottery studio. Troy feels that being new to the industry without prior experience in ceramics gave the Hot Pots team an advantage. They didn’t know the rules when it came to pottery and what it could do so they pushed the limits! The fact that they had no preconceived notion of how to work with the product allowed them to really be creative as they did their research and training. Eight years later, with Troy at the helm, Hot Pots is a successful studio that offers pottery painting, glass fusing, mosaics and Paint Me.
Troy is emphatic that good customer service leads to success. With customers as the focus at Hot Pots, each employee undergoes intense training. They are taught to think ahead of the customer and to anticipate questions that may arise. When he interviews potential employees Troy is sure to let the candidates know that they are in the people business first then pottery. Consistent comments about how helpful attitude of Troy and his team drive home the fact that customer service is key.
Hot Pots customers are lucky! Upon entering the studio they are met with the feeling that there is nothing in the studio that they can’t do. In other words, customers understand by the relaxed atmosphere and helpful team that they can do anything that the studio offers. How inspiring! Every product line that they carry is available for creation all of the time. You don’t need a class to do something new like glass - the Hot Pots team is ready to walk their customers through anything at anytime. They keep it simple, fun and have few rules. “That’s why we like Bisque Imports” said Troy, “You’re fun!”Troy’s adventurous spirit has given Hot Pots a reputation for doing truly unique and sometimes crazy events. If you can dream it, Troy has probably tried it the studio. Ever considered having a fog machine in your studio? Well, Hot Pots did and as a result, each summer the studio becomes Club Hot Pots – with a fab theme, laser lights, dancing and a fog machine the place rocks! Plus, with two party zones the studio is known for as the place to host a party.
Speaking of fun, each year Hot Pots hosts a contest called Travel Pals. Customers take Mighty Tots on vacation and bring photos of their bisque enjoying their days off to the studio. Local celebrities, including the mayor, award prizes for their favorite photos! The studio gets great publicity and another feather in their cap that says “we are fun!” To quote Dudley Moore in the movie Arthur (one of my favorites) “Isn’t fun the best thing to have?”
While Troy cites the Toucan Scrubalot (#565) as his favorite bisque shape, he admits he has a weak spot for all new BI shapes. Offering a variety of shapes is the studio’s forte so when Troy sees something new he orders plenty. His customers love the new items and how fresh the studio keeps their shelves.
When asked what marketing advice or other tips he would share with fellow studio owners Troy suggests social media and thinking out of the box. Hot Pots urges people to visit their website via small print ads, Facebook and Twitter. Last winter they ran a contest to see how their customers could incorporate the name Hot Pots into snow. From sculptures made with flip flops to large snow sculptures their customers embraced the idea and had a great time getting involved with one of their favorite businesses. The key is keeping your customers engaged!
Hot Pots is a pottery powerhouse. They have the coolest products, coolest events and the most loyal employees. The only time anyone leaves a job at Hot Pots is to go away to college. The employees enjoy each other and spend time together outside of the studio. So the saying should go, “the studio that plays together, stays together”! Their amiable relationship and excellent training allows them to work together effectively as a team and provide the most fun experience for their customers. Fun is their motto.
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