Be Nice; It's a Great Differentiator

A few weeks back, during an interview for Dealerscope's upcoming Hall of Fame profiles, I asked Bob Cole to name the secret behind the success of his company, Bob and Ron's Worldwide Stereo. "Be nice," he said. The answer is so simple it's almost laughable. It's also very true. A lot more goes into a successful business (as is certainly the case with Bob and Ron's) than just being "nice," but success is fleeting without it. "Being nice" is what customer service, the cornerstone of most great companies, is all about. It's also one of those concepts that's so basic business owners often forget how much it matters. Cole's answer got me thinking about some of the small businesses I patronize in my hometown of Huntington, N.Y. I consider myself lucky because I'm within walking distance of the downtown area where a handful of long-time small businesses have survived a multitude of downturns, and they continue to thrive. When I think of the owners and managers of those businesses, they could all be characterized as "nice." A few come to mind.

I recently remodeled my kitchen and needed new appliances. I have plenty of retailers to choose from in my area, including the Home Depot right up the street and an independent down the block. A couple of years ago, I bought a washing machine from the Home Depot where, during 30 minutes, I was passed around to four different sales people. None of them had a clue what I had talked about with the previous associates, so I kept quoting the discounts, one better than the other, that each had given me. I finally walked out with a great deal, but the disconnect left me unnerved. What if I needed service? What if I had to make a return? How many associates would I end up being bounced around to? This time around, I figured I'd try the independent, Appliance World. The display window features high-end Wolf and Viking appliances and the show floor has several impressive working kitchens. I was always under the impression that everything would be far beyond my budget (something Cole says is one of the biggest fallacies that plague independent dealers). I was wrong. The staff worked mainly with my wife (big points there) and delivered a great package that was within our range. She refused to shop further because, in her works, "the people are so nice." When we had to swap out the range, which was already installed at that point, there was no hassle. Customer service at its best.

Another good example is my mechanic, Chuck, at Faithful Automotive. I have plenty of mechanics to choose from within walking distance of my house, but Chuck always delivers. I never question the price because the customer service is always spot on. I'm always greeted with a smile and a "Hi, Jeff!" I've been taking my cars there for about 10 years, and I'm still amazed when he greets me by name. "That's because he's so nice," my wife always says.

In this age of cutthroat competition, national chains and deep discounts, independent dealers have to, at all costs, make the effort to differentiate themselves. Sometimes all it takes is being nice....

Jeff O'Heir
Editor in Chief
Dealerscope Magazine

Dear Kevin and Staff,

I wanted to inform you that the professionalism of your sales staff carries over to your delivery people as well. I received a call letting me know the truck would be arriving at my house in 15 minutes. Sure enough, in less than that time they arrived. The men left the truck in the street, and chose instead to take the extra time to walk the washing machine up to the house. They brought large sections of cardboard to cover the carpet they would be rolling the machine over. When the old machine was removed, I asked if I could clean the area behind the machine, before the new appliance was installed. The head delivery man said his workers would clean the floor for me. I provided them with a bucket of detergent and a mop, and watched as this delivery man got the area spotless He even got down on his hands and knees with Simple Green to scrub some dirt not removed with the mop. Time was taken to check the machine was hooked up properly, and test the different cycles. Then I was given a basic lesson on how to use the various controls. Before the men departed, they asked if I had any questions. A customer appreciates this level of professionalism and caring from the moment one walks into the store, to the set up, and delivery of the appliance in one's home. That is why I only consider buying at Appliance World when it comes time to replace any appliance. The experience is always a pleasant one. Thank you.

Ricki

We attended the Convection Cooking Class with Chef Gunter last evening. It was entertaining, delicious, and really informative. We want to thank everyone at Appliance World for giving us the opportunity to learn, in such a fun way, about our convection oven. Thank you!!

Sincerely, Jill & Mike

Pat and I both want to thank you for inviting us to the demonstration of Wolf ranges and ovens. It was a very informative evening and the food was Great!!!! Sorry that we didn't get back to you sooner but Irene knocked out our power for 4 days. The Sub Zero freezer kept our food good for the blackout, the refrigerator section did good for 3 days before we had to revert to coolers and ice. We were pretty lucky we lost only 1 tree (thru the roof of my shed) and we had leaves and branches all over our property. Hope that Irene didn't cause you any problems. Thanks again for a lovely evening.

Pat & Mike

I would highly recommend Appliance World for any and all your appliance needs. We were able to see products in operation prior to purchasing and were able to hear the Miele dishwasher we were considering because the products are live and able to be demonstrated. We bought the Miele. The cooking class showed us all the benefits of our Induction Cooktop and our Convection Wall Oven, which are both fantastic units. Danny and Chris teamed up to handle all our questions whenever we called or visited the store. Additionally, all our product specifications were sent to our contractor and cabinet company, so everyone involved knew what we were purchasing. Our kitchen renovation couldn't have turned out any better and every step of the way, Appliance World excelled. Even their delivery people uncrated every single unit -- there were eight -- bringing them into the kitchen wherever our contractor wanted them. We couldn't be more pleased with the whole process and though first time customers, we will continue to do business where people really care. Thanks Danny & Chris.

Bev and Frank/Cold Spring Harbor

My husband and I enjoyed our convection oven cooking class and the resulting meal. It was a great experience. Chef Gunter was an expert in his ability to teach a novice group of new oven owners. Please pass on my "kudos" to him. Are there any classes about the use of the microwave/convection oven? Chef Gunter said it was a very different animal from the regular oven.

Sincerely, Teddy

My wife Deborah and I want to thank Appliance World for the cooking class we took tonight at the Huntington store. Gunter and his wife were terrific, the food was great, and we learned a great deal. Our experience with Patrick (our salesperson) was outstanding, and we look forward to the delivery of our Electrolux appliances. We will certainly recommend your company to everyone we know. You guys are great at what you do!

Sincerely, Steven & Deborah

We went to the cooking/dinner class yesterday evening. We had a great time.The staff at your company were wonderful and we are very happy we made our purchases at Appliance World. Thank you.

Sincerely, Seeta

Michelle and I went to a convection cooking class last night at Appliance World - it was terrific! Thank you! Cheers!

Kristen

The cooking class last night was excellent. Besides the food being delicious (my husband did enjoy it!), I learned a lot about my oven and how to use it. I had no idea how to use the convection oven before attending! I'm actually looking forward to cooking my next meal in it - that's our secret! Our compliments to the chef - he is wonderful!!

Arlene

Thank you very much for all your work on this and for the good deals! We really appreciate it.

Best regards, Ginny

I wanted to take the time out to thank you guys for helping us out. Long after the sale, the service is always outstanding. In these tough economic times, very often people just forget what business is all about. We had a very irate customer, and with your help, the situation was taken care of and all is well again. So, again, on behalf of both Raf and myself, thank you. This is just one of the many reasons Northport Development will always come to you and not the competition.

Sincerely, Sal

It is with great pleasure that I write this letter to you. As you know, I am completing the renovation of my kitchen here in Huntington. What is almost as exciting as a new kitchen is the ease, quality and cost commitment it took for me to get there; largely because of your service and recommendations throughout the process. You all have been extremely professional, caring and friendly, as well as the most reasonably priced vendor of high end appliances around. You truly are an authority when it comes to detail and quality. So thank you for being most gracious and kind in what could have been a very frustrating and difficult process.

Yours truly, Allison

When you step into Appliance World in Huntington Village, you're probably taken aback by the impressive showroom with its beautiful kitchens, showing off the top-of-the-line appliances that the store sells. What you may not realize, however, is that Appliance World is much more than a store. In addition to its vast selection of appliances, cooking classes and demonstrations, Appliance World is an incredible center for philanthropic work, offering its facility to various charities to raise money for worthy causes...

Village Connection, December 2007

My wife and I were impressed by your professionalism, knowledge, and overall service when we purchased our new LG fridge.

Michael

Thank you for your assistance in securing a refrigerator for our school. We were pleased with your service and cooperation. Huntington teachers always try their best to frequent and support the businesses in our town, and be assured your kind nature and professionalism will not go unnoticed; teachers talk a lot. Thank you again and the Woodhull staff wishes all of you at Appliance World a Happy Thanksgiving.

Sincerely, Maryann

Thank you very much for the very friendly, professional, and expeditious manner in which you took care of our dishwasher purchase and subsequent issues. We are delighted to have patronized a local business that clearly cares about its customers and its relationship with them in the future. Your approach to solving our problem was refreshingly easy, non-confrontational, and accommodating - why our support for local businesses is important. It's quite unlikely that we would have received the same courteous and quick service at one of your huge and impersonal competitors.

Very truly yours, David and Anne

Thank you, Vincent, for making our shopping for the Weber Grill such an easy task.I'm sure my niece, Karen will be very thrilled to find it in her yard.

Sally

Thank you doesn't seem enough for the beautiful evening. On behalf of all of us thanks for your hospitality. Everything was great!

Regards, Carol

It would be remiss of me if I didn't acknowledge the exceptional service and professionalism you demonstrated when I informed you of the damage I uncovered after my Binford 5000 Galactic El-Supremo Mondo Boffo Viking Grill was delivered. This Viking Grill is clearly the high watermark of grills and very expensive. You didn't hesitate one moment in ordering a new grill for me after I explained all that was wrong with the first one. In a tough and competitive retail environment there aren't many stores and, I'm sure, even fewer salespeople, who would've listened as well as you did, cared as much as you did, acted as quickly as you did and fixed the problem as elegantly as you did. For this you have created a very satisfied customer and a very loyal one. Appliance World is, to my mind, more than a store now. It's become a symbol of what's right in selling high-end appliances. It's become one of those places where price isn't the most important consideration. It's the whole package. It's the people, the expertise, the selection, the commitment to quality, the service and, finally, the comfort in working with people who care. That's a very cool place to be. Thank you.

Sincerely, Jeffrey

Mike and I just wanted to thank you for hooking us up with Kevin at Appliance World when we ordered our new kitchen appliances. Kevin couldn't have been nicer or more helpful! He really did treat us like family. I just recommended him to a client of ours. Thank you again. We're so happy with everything we ordered.

Suzanne

My thanks to all, and especially to charming Cheryl, for rescuing me today when my car broke down in your parking lot. Cheryl phoned for help (3 calls!), and I was able to enjoy your AC and admire your appliances while waiting to be towed. Everyone on your staff showed concern, and I am most appreciative. Since I had to break down, Appliance World, Huntington, was the best place to be! Thank you again for your kind assistance.

Mary Lou

I have been a customer of your firm for over three years. Most of my purchases have been in your Oyster Bay store where both Stan and Larry have attended to my needs in a very professional manner. I have just completed remodeling my kitchen. This involved the purchase of numerous appliances. The order was challenging as there were some back orders. Additionally there was the challenge of delivering parts of the order to two different cabinet makers as well as my home. I am writing today to particularly compliment Laura and Stephanie of your Huntington warehouse. Throughout the accumulating and processing of this order they both were most accommodating. Their assurances that the various deliveries would arrive at the right places and times was most comforting. Their understanding of my needs and their ability to get the job done will surely affect my decision to do business with your company for many years to come. Thank you for having such professional people available to help me with my appliance needs.

Sincerely, Gary

Thank you for inviting Kevin and myself to the cooking classes. It was a lot of fun!

Sincerely, Kate & Kevin

I just wanted to thank you for your kindness to us and your support of our daughter Katie. We enjoyed the cooking class so much and emailed pictures I took to her. I am saving all the recipes for her til she comes home. We are so fortunate that we are able to send and receive frequent emails to Katie. She is doing well and we are very proud of her. Thank you again.

Chris & John