Smiles are in the aisles
A customer service model is one that consistently provides value and knowledge on a one-on-one basis. This is – or should be – the focus of all independent hardware stores.
It’s what sets you apart from the big box stores.
“Our goal is 100% customer engagement. We came up with the ‘concierge’ concept. Concierge is more than just a greeter, it’s a ‘customer caretaker’ to ensure all of our customers are getting cared for,” said Todd Callan, chief operating officer at HomCo Lumber & Hardware, based in Flagstaff, Ariz.
Callan has worked at HomCo for 21 years and took over all operations eight years ago.
HomCo has several entities under one roof. The business has 50,000 square feet of retail store, which includes a fireplace department, building materials center, cabinet department, Stihl/Ariens repair center and a lumberyard. Orgill is their distributor. Seventy-five percent of their business is commercial sales.
Callan talked about their customer service model and the expertise at their business that sets it apart as an independent operation.
“When a customer enters the store, our concierge asks: ‘What can we help you find today?’ And offers coffee, fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and popcorn. The smell of baked cookies and fresh popcorn is amazing and is a great way to break the ice with any customer let alone one that’s having a bad day!”
The concierge at HomCo directs the customer to the proper aisle and will then radio an associate in that department notifying them that a customer is headed their way. Example: Man wearing the blue hat is coming to the tool department and is looking for a drill.
“We now have engagement as soon as they enter our store followed by someone waiting for them in the department to help them with their project. Engagement from the concierge also deters shoplifting by checking backpacks and large bags at the door along with checking receipts as they leave the store,” said Callan.
If someone leaves their store empty handed, the concierge will ask what they were looking for and keep a log of possible items they should be carrying. All in all, concierge has proven to be a success with the customer engagement and service model.
The home improvement center currently has 119 employees and services all Northern Arizona and a few neighboring states. Orgill is their distributor, and the business was founded in 1975 by Don Brackin and today is owned by his son Mike Brackin.
There are effective ways to put your team’s expertise at the forefront of your independent hardware business. The HomCo COO talked about some of these.
“We don’t hire for a specific position we only hire great people. We provide a 60-day training program for all our new hires. Every associate is trained on our POS system followed by working in every department. They’re trained by the Lead in those departments,” said Callan.
A scorecard is given to the Lead to grade whether the new team member would be a fit for a department. At the end of training the new hire is to pick the top three departments they most enjoyed.
“We then compare that to the Lead scorecard to see where we have a match. Once matched, the new hire is set up for success to work in a department they showed the most interest in. In return, we have a Lead who is invested in the associate and the associate is committed and empowered to be an integral part of the team,” said Callan.
He passed along some tips to independent hardware owners trying to improve their customer service model.
Callan said to follow what he called the 3 C’s: Core values, culture and communication. Core values are the foundation of a company, or I IMPACT; culture is what drives a company; and communication is the glue that keeps it together.
“We hire, review, coach and unfortunately let people go according to our core values. We only hire people who fit our culture. We don’t care how many years they’ve worked in this industry, if they’re not a fit for our culture we won’t hire them,” said Callan.
The communication is the hardest part of any company due to everyone’s different communication styles.
“We have quarterly ‘1-2-1’ sessions with all of our associates to make sure they have the opportunity to voice concerns whether it’s personal or work related. Along with that we have monthly department meetings and weekly supervisor meetings to ensure everyone is in the know when it comes to the vision of the company,” said Callan.
With a final thought on customer service expertise, Callan said: “We are not in the hardware and building supply business we are in the people business. We need great people to work for us to exceed our customers’ expectations.”
