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| Good grooming is in Bobby Antepuesto’s DNA & his kids are showing signs they inherited the gene |
“We want to go where papa have his haircut,” said the Antepuesto boys. Martin, 14, Lance, 11, and Andy, 6, must really like how their dad’s haircut looks like every time their 44-year old dad, Bobby, have a haircut.
So dad takes them with him to Rocky’s Barbershop for the “all boys” trip to the barber.
“It’s also a good time to bond with the kids, adding to the movie marathons and out-of-town trips for vacation or football tournaments we take,” he said.
Good grooming is in Bobby’s DNA and he’s glad that it made an impact with his sons. The kids are showing signs that they have inherited the gene.
“In my line of business, I am in constant interaction with clients and suppliers therefore it is important that I always look my best.”
Bobby puts importance to proper grooming. “You create a positive impression on people around you, most especially with those you meet for the first time. It may not be the most important thing in a business meeting but it helps boost one’s confidence, as ‘visual impact is as important as verbal impact’.”
He has learned that people are very quick in making assumptions based on one’s facial expressions, the clothes one wear or how well one is groomed.
This is why he never misses visiting Rocky’s every time he has a scheduled meeting, which means having a haircut more than once a month is always on his calendar.
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| Regular visit to Rocky’s is a bonding time for this father & his sons. |
It was in 1999 when Bobby had his first haircut at Rocky’s Victoria Plaza and remembered saying, “At last a real barber shop in Davao! I’ve always been a barber’s cut kind of guy. In other words, predictable,” he admitted, smiling.
He instantly felt at home and found the service just as what he expected of a good barbershop. “Having been a long time customer of a famous barbershop in Manila, I automatically had a liking for Rocky’s as it was, I felt, what Davao City needed.”
For the past 13 year, his go to barber is Jun, who he refers to as “the presidential barber.” Bobby tailed him from Rocky’s SM City to Abreeza Mall –and pleads to the owner not to move him to SM Lanang.
“He has excellent customer service, he is very personalized and thorough. I can sleep while having a haircut and not worry about anything.”
Through the years, Bobby has seen Rocky’s expand from its first branch in one mall to more branches in all the major malls in the city. But what impressed him most is Rocky’s never compromised its service, and in fact, added more amenities for the clients, it’s the “extra mile” service is customer service beyond the usual” as Bobby calls it, such as free coffee, a wide variety of reading materials and free wifi, and his favorite— the extended back massage after haircut.
Like father, like sons. Bobby’s kids are Rocky’s babies and have their own “suki” barber as well—Jun, which doesn’t come as a surprise since the boys look up to their dad as their role model.
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| Each of these men ask for their particular barber |
Bobby knows his kids were in good hands the first time he brought them to Rocky’s for their first barbershop experiences: Martin in 2003, Andy in 2007 and Lance in 2007. He felt secure the short moment he was gone to attend to an errand. “Rocky’s is a very safe place because of it’s mall locations plus it helps that the staff already know you, therefore expect the same extended quality of customer service. I can leave them and just come back after, without having to worry about anything.”
When asked why Bobby stayed loyal to Rocky’s and making it the Antepuesto men tradition, “I guess it’s the service that is beyond the usual. Personally I think Rocky’s has raised the bar in terms of the overall experience of a customer, which everyone else is trying to imitate making it the gold standard if you will.”
His most memorable Rocky’s moment? “Hmm…when I got a free haircut and hair treatment coupon,” he shared while laughing.
On Rocky’s 20th year in the men’s grooming business, Bobby says, “Continue doing what you do best and soar even higher! Looking forward to the next 20! Cheers to you and your staff!”
Rocky’s Barbershop is the first barbershop to open in a mall in Davao City in 1996. All its five branches today are conveniently located in malls- Victoria Plaza, Abreeza Mall, GMall, SM City & SM Lanang Premier in Davao City, and Centrio Ayala Mall and SM City in Cagayan de Oro City. 2016 marks its 20th year in the business.
Bobby Antepuesto and his sons, Martin, Andy and Lance, are the featured Father and Sons personalities for December in the 2016 Traditions calendar of Rocky’s Barbershop.
Also published in the SunStar Davao newspaper.
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