Today we’d like to introduce you to Joan Hallagan.
Joan, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My father opened Hallagan Business Machines in 1961 as a typewriter company. At the time my mother was pregnant with their ninth child and they decided to take the risk to open the business. His commitment to both a quality product and exceptional customer service are what made Hallagans successful.
After I graduated college I began working at HBM. I took over the business when my dad retired about 25 years ago. Though we no longer sell typewriters we still have that same dedication to providing our customers with a product we believe in. We have been a certified RISO dealer since 1994. RISO’s line of environmentally friendly, efficient, durable printers are popular among educators and artists alike,
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t think any small business owner would describe their experiences as a smooth road. One of the biggest obstacles in our industry is that the technology and our customers’ needs are constantly changing. That means that we need to be constantly changing too. HBM has evolved and reinvented itself many times over the years in order to stay relevant.
Hallagan Business Machines – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
HBM had been a certified RISO dealer since 1994. RISO’s commitment to creating a quality product was in line our commitment to our customers. We provide our customers with Riso supplies and services throughout the Chicago-land area and all across the country.
Riso’s line of inkjet printers make printing in color Eco-friendly, efficient, and affordable. These machines are the perfect choice for schools because they allow teachers to print their curriculum in color at a fraction of the price of other printers.
Riso’s line of duplicators have become increasingly popular among arts institutions, zine, publishers, and designers. These machines offer independent publishers a high-quality duplication process at a much lower cost than other print making techniques.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I would have to say that the thing that I am the most proud of about our business is our loyalty to our customers. In today’s world it can be difficult to find quality customer service. Many of our customers have been with us for the past twenty five years. We sell a product that we believe in because we want is the best for our customers. If there is ever an issue we make it a priority to do everything we can to fix it. Hallagan’s is a family owned and operated business and we want our customers to know that they can count on us.
Contact Info:
- Address: 6850 W North Ave
Chicago, IL 60707 - Website: www.hallagans.com
- Phone: 773-637-0626
- Email: info@hallagans.com
- Instagram: hallagans
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hallagans/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hallagan-business-machines-chicago
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