Raving Fan Testimonials & Clients

Bob Phibbs, the Retail Doctor helps a variety of clients improve their business and increase their profits

What fun we had working with you at our convention! I have been working with keynote speakers for more than I care to admit andyou truly had an understanding of their business, the day-to-day competition they face and the steps they need to take to compete. Many of our dealers have commented on the appropriateness of your speech and the fact that they would have loved to have heard more.
Nancy Jewell, Husqvarna Viking

(See the brands who have hired the Retail Doctor at the bottom of this page)

If I had a nickel for every time you were mentioned from the stage (“… it’s like Bob said yesterday .”), I’d be a rich man. You were easily the most-quoted speaker at the show.
James Bickers, Retail Customer Experience Executive Summit

People were raving about your presentation! Everyone said this was the best event they ever attended of any manufacturer!Dean Shulman, President, Brother International

It is rare to find a professional speaker who is willing to immerse himself in our industry and customize a training program specific to our participants. Bob Phibbs has done this for us. He has worked side-by-side with our customers, consulted with them and attended our product trainings. Our customers feel connected to him because they feel he really knows and understands their business.
Donna Keeler, Training Manager, Hunter Douglas Window Fashions Gallery

Bob is a one-of-kind presenter who understands the challenges retailers are facing, has the expertise to offer real time solutions and the attention- grabbing wow factor to make it interesting for them to tune in and stay tuned in. My members are still talking about the presentation but more importantly talking about implementing what they learned and heard that day. Not only have they overcome the fear of something new, they are seeing results.

Your presentation set off a storm of activity at the member level. For weeks now retailers have been actively setting up Facebook pages and using social media. They came away from your session with the confidence and the motivation to try something new. That’s the best result any association can hope for when they hire a speaker. Thank you for the awesome presentation.
Kathleen McHugh, President, American Specialty Toy Retailing Association

If you want to witness something amazing and totally different you ought to catch Bob Phibbs, the Retail Doctor’s seminar on “You Can Compete.” This seminar is highly motivating and thought provoking for a retailer who finds himself in a slump! Bob offers a variety of tools that are both adaptable and enforceable to any industry.
My customers and theirs could not get enough of this energetic seminar filled with tons of exercises that truly get you to thinking about your business, while also keeping the passion. Typically in an industry such as ours (picture framing glass), it was assumed that there was not much more you could do to get your customers excited about glass, but with Bob’s tips on thinking outside of the box and five steps to selling; there has been a shift in paradigm. If I hadn’t been there to witness it myself, I wouldn’t believe it.
Do yourself and your customers a favor and present one of Bob’s seminars, believe me, it will be a business changing experience.
Anissa Burrell-Butler, Sales Program Manager, Tru Vue, Inc

You know your material and the challenges and reactions that people will present when they do not want to make the change or do the work to retrain themselves and their staff, that is invaluable in countering the arguments and objections.
You have a great ability to command attention and get people involved, I also felt like some people who would normally be reluctant to ask questions really opened up and shared the challenges they were facing in rolling out the program. My only regret is that we didn’t do it sooner.
Kurt Rachdorf, Senior Manager, Retail Operations LEGO

Your ability to convey solid business advice and information in a dynamic, humorous fashion made your presentations the highlights of the CGTA show. The general consensus was that you were “absolutely excellent.” But with an important message. Margo Warren, Special Events Manager
I am always apprehensive when I book a speaker from outside our industry but the way you customized your presentation to suit our members hit the nail right on the head and you really connected with them. I have received nothing but positive comments about your presentation and I can tell that our members are excited to get back to their stores and apply what they learned from you. Great job!
Ken Wilson, National Association of Music Merchants

We brought Bob to Portland during the economic crunch as a way to help our our small business advertising partners and to help us reach out to new businesses. His positive, energetic message emphasizing what they CAN do to improve their business was a strong antidote to the harsh economic news. Several members of our sales staff also commented that they felt energized and better equipped to tackle their tasks after hearing Bob.
Judy Rook, Strategic Marketing Manager, The Oregonian Newspaper

You were great, here are a few comments from attendees:
*Great content and lots of provocative information
*Has a very direct, effective approach – can really drive a point home
*Excellent information that I can take home and use – thank you!
*Great speaker – very interactive and helpful.
*Very entertaining. Great information to put into practice.
*Very informative and entertaining – addressed the hot topics at my facility.
*Kept my attention the entire session.
*Funny, smart!
Heather Rojas, Association for Healthcare Volunteer Resource Professionals

You successfully brought applicable and interesting information to both 30-year veterans and newcomers. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend bringing your interactive presentations of retail expertise and innovative ideas to any group. Our managers are looking forward to sharing your insights with their teams and incorporating the “Presentation is everything” philosophy into the day-to-day operations to create the ultimate guest experience. Thank you again for the great ideas. – Annette Tarantino, Retail Visual Manager, Aramark

I have been espousing your philosophy all month! The question for all the mass merchants is: how low will you go, and when will you recognize that it is NOT WORKING! I tell my staff: everyone wants the hot, hard to get girl at the dance, no one wants the cheap and easy girl….same story for retail product. We all want what we have to aspire to own. I am so glad to have found a kindred spirit!
Karen Galindo, Casual Furniture Retailers Association

We knew that we needed to update our selling style in our Cannock Beds stores and telesales teams but were not entirely sure how to go about it. We found Bob Phibbs details on-line and did a bit of research on him and his retail sales training and decided that he would be the ideal person to consult. We did a bit of work before we met him, and then we took our small team of Sales Managers to experience a full days session with Bob on a new way to present our products and inspire our customers.
At the end of the day we were absolutely exhausted, but we are convinced that we have been taught a better way to sell and have started rolling out a programme to teach every person in our business our new methods and style. For anyone who is considering visiting the Retail Doc the best advice that I can give is to come along with an open mind and be prepared to change everything that you do. This is not a fine tuning exercise, this is a selling revolution.
Colin Montgomery, Cannock Beds UK

What impressed me about Bob was his ability to connect with our audience of Star Motorcycle dealers. He did his homework prior to the seminar and his research paid off as he was able to explain concepts that hit home with our dealers.
Bob has a laid back style that allows him to show his knowledge of retail while the audience laughs and enjoys the training. After Bob’s presentation you realize you had fun but you also have key take-aways that you can implement to make a difference in your business.
I told Bob he had to present real world ideas that can be implemented that will have a positive impact on our dealers business and Bob delivered. I would definitely recommend Bob, he understands retail and brings to the table real business concepts that can be turned into actionable items.
Joe Dagley, Motorcycle Product Manager, Yamaha

Bob has a great mastery over facilitation and his unique training system. I strongly recommend Bob to every company that wants their staff to improve their sales.
Kamel Shaaban, Brands General Trading (Dubai)

Congratulations on a stimulating presentation on Monday at our North American dealer conference. Your topics and presentation hit the mark with our dealers who have seen a great variety of speakers throughout the years. As you are no doubt aware, finding a speaker who truly understands the retail process along with its’ creative solutions, is a difficult task.
Your confidence to ask for “any questions you would like me to satisfy by the end of this presentation” sums up the reason I would refer you to others in the future. Keep up the passion , we need it in this retail game!
Craig Lungren, VP Sales, Beachcomber Hot Tubs

You had a lot of great information that you shared, but did not come across as a know-it-all. You took the time to ask the attendees what kind of information they wanted. You didn’t just jam your presentation down our throats. I have been to many conferences in the past where speakers have been rather arrogant. You have a lot of good, solid, practical information. You present it in a casual way which keeps the audience engaged. I have been to a lot of sessions over the years, and yours was hands down the best that I have ever been to.
Jerry Groh, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Our dealers are still raving about our July event – especially your presentation. A few of our dealers even put your advice into practice, and – guess what – they saw an immediate improvement in their business and employee morale. Thank you again!
Shirley Howson, Sr. Marketing Manager, Brother International

When we first engaged you, we had an idea about growing our business, but had little idea as to how to make it happen. Your help in every aspect of the development of our business—menu, recipes, training, marketing, just to name a few–has brought us a national following and tens of thousands of customers to our stores every month. You have been there to help build our brand from 4 stores to more than 100. Your passion during our two-week franchisee training has given them a clear picture of how to build their business. Your wisdom, patience and insight have made us a better company.
Marty Cox, Founder and President, It’s A Grind Coffee Franchise

Bob, our metamorphosis has been wildly successful! There has been a consistent monthly increase in materials circulation averaging from 12-20%! Watching the hungry public gobble up books and DVDs in this area has been the single biggest thrill!
Paula Brown, Chula Vista Public Library

Your keynote address exceeded our expectations. Bob, you certainly were well prepared and kept the client’s attention. Thank you for a job well done. We would highly recommend you and would certainly use your services again.
Pat Poucher, Myriad Software

Thanks again for your inspiring presentation to our members.
Dave Kornheiser, Director of Education, True Value

We have had several occasions to invite Bob Phibbs to provide training for groups of retailers. Bob’s style makes the sessions fun and memorable. His message is actionable, with a to-do list for the attendees that will grow their business if they follow his advice.
Ron Spies, Vice-President, Hunter Douglas Inc. Corporate Education

We flew Bob in and within two weeks Bob provided us with more than 80 concrete ideas that were understandable and capable of implementation for our three stores. Bob was very candid with us and forced us to focus on who we were and enabled us to determine the direction needed to go.
Trent Boaldin, Vice President, Epic Touch

The Retail Doctor was great…In just 90 min he really hit on a few key points that could be helpful for business… We all are selling something in our businesses..products and service.
Tracy McGranaghan, Downtown Annapolis Partnership Secretary, Downtown Annapolis Partnership

I read Bob’s book You Can Compete and with the encouragement of a colleague attended a one day seminar. I was very happy with what was presented and what I took away. Bob had a well organized program with the right mix of lecture, group work, and role play. I was in the corporate world for 25 years and this was one of the better programs I have participated in. Bob brought energy and focus to the group and delivered take-aways to everyone. Great session – read the book but don’t skip the group sessions – they add tremendous value and context to the words.
Bret Wingert, President, Souvia Tea

Bob has endless possibilities when it comes to training, motivating, consulting, speaking, book writing and mentoring… Kid you not! Just go to one of his sales classes like I did in Chicago and you’ll know why we need to get out of our sales comfort zone and practice our trade. Bob’s class was designed to review the five parts of the sale and to identify personality types. We were able to accomplish the class goal, which has allowed me to slow down in the field and sell more.
Brendan Kenny, District Sales Manager, Hunter Douglas

Bob is an amazingly talented business professional, writer, motivator, and speaker. His insights into the retail business and hands-on solutions for his clients continue to be cutting-edge. His name has already become synonymous with how to drive small business success.
Ruth Rawlings, Sr. Consultant, Geri Lopker & Associates

Bob focused us with an enthusiastic review of the fundamentals of retail that tend to fall by the wayside when you’re worried about a tough economy. If you need a speaker who will engage and motivate your retail-oriented audience, Bob’s your guy!
Erin Pirro, Business Consultant, First Pioneer Farm Credit, ACA

It has been a challenging year and our retailers need more support now than ever. Bob offered to work with a group of our retailers in the Chicago market and they left refreshed with a new perspective of their business and the economy today. Those retailers who attended Bob’s training are showing sales increases for 2008 while a majority of the window treatment industry is suffering double digit decreases.
Justin Murray, Regional Sales Manager, Hunter Douglas

Bob’s strengths are his wit and ability to build instant rapport without being overbearing. In his line of work, it is necessary to guide and direct without being too dominant. It is a fine line and Bob walks it with integrity and elegance.
Melodie Grace, Director of Procurement, James Hardie

I was able to listen to Bob at the ASTRA convention in my own home state- it was a refreshing reminder that we need to stay fresh and relevant and on our game! This is not the time to attribute lack of sales to anything but our own ability to push forward. I hired Bob at Creative Kidstuff to freshen our thoughts, organization and energy. He did all of that and more- we re-organized, took a hard look at our financials, all marketing efforts and hired Bob to TRAIN our staff– there is a renewed energy on all levels– our average sale has increased and we have a renewed sense of where we are going. I highly recommend Bob- he is a phenomenal guide, trainer and human being-focused on making you and your company succeed! I look forward to an amazing fourth quarter!
Roberta Bonoff, CEO/President, Creative Kidstuff

Bob presented two outstanding sessions at our recent market. Member attendance at both was overwhelming, and their comments on Bob’s presentations are among the most positive we have ever seen. Bob understands retail and small business. He gave our members practical advice on customer engagement and store display techniques that they can take back to their operations to drive an immediate positive impact.
Bob Taylor, President & CEO, Do it Best Corp.

You know how you feel after listening to an inspirational speaker at a conference? You head home with great aspirations and goals and then… reality hits you in the face and the notes end up in a pile on the corner of your desk. Since I started Bob’s mentoring program, I find we get to those ideas every week! I get an experienced and honest (sometimes painful) opinion on how to make my business grow. Having a mentor has saved me time and money by concentrating only on marketing strategies and business practices that really work.
Kathy Mabry, The Village Toy Shop

I love the Sales RX program. As a store owner I could see that I had very week sales skills and I could see that as a team we were all working with our customers differently. When I watched the Sales RX dvd’s I felt relieved, this was something I could do. It looked so easy. I started to try my new skills out with customers, the feedback from the customers was fantastic!! I than started to train staff by working with them and in staff meetings going over features and benefits as well as doing role plays. We are all loving our new sales skills, we feel like we are helping our customers and our regular customers now walk into our store and just ask for help. The customers are seeing us as the experts and they trust our ability to help them find the perfect gift. We are still perfecting our skills during staff meetings and we are learning about our customers because we are truly listening to them.
Nichole Menard, Over the Rainbow

Recently, I would wage that many business owners have had stress levels rise to their top limits…and then we joke ‘call the doc’ but after attending a couple of conventions recently, thank you Dr. Phibbs because I am one of the few who can sit in the audience and say, yes, that needs to be on your website, yes facebook can do that, yes, your customers LOVE to interact with you, yes customers are your best business partners…. AND why my stress level is one of the lowest in the room–I called the Dr. and I have been getting on track all year long. Our email blasts are opened at 40 to 50% rate. Our customers love the changes that are happening here at Kidstop and I’m sure will love all future happenings that are in the works! Thanks Bob–and by they way I’m up 24% this year on top of a 15% last year.
Kate Tanner, Kidstop

Bob got the audience involved with parts of his presentation, and they were better off for it. He demonstrated his points with alacrity, authority and humor. Bob opened up retailers’ thinking to new ways of doing regular activities (like greeting the customer) and also brought them back to basics. Heads bobbed in agreement as Bob’s presentation resonated with the audience. The feedback from this seminar has been off-the-wall positive. In fact, as some retailers were leaving, they were asking when Bob would be speaking again at a J.D. Associates/IBM-sponsored seminar!

Debra Neville, Marketing Director, J.D. Associates