Honest opinions about how to buy Appliances and Lighting.

Friday, October 31, 2008

A Walk Around a Wood Shop

We are incredibly fortunate to be involved with some of the best General Contractors and custom home builders in New England. I love cutting edge work with demanding clients, because it sharpens your skills(there is a point to this post, read on)

Yesterday, I visited a long time client who I had actually never met in my 20 years at Yale. One of his senior people works with three of our salespeople. I have heard a ton about this company and our mutual clients have had nothing but praise from his company's stellar work.

Our meeting was at 2, so I arrived at 1:30. I did so for a reason. I look for visual clues in everything. It drives my girlfriend nuts. Needless to say, the parking lot was immaculate, and the grounds were spotless.


I spoke to the receptionist for about 15 minutes about business, economy and construction in general. I met the CEO promptly at 2, and we walked around his wood shop, which was again immaculate. He said hello and seemed to know everyone of his 180 plus people. We then toured his sales office, HR, woodworking, lifestyle and construction branches in his office


I was there about 2 hours total, talking to his people and looking around his physical plant. Looking at this place and watching him interact with his own company, it is easy to understand how he succeeds in a brutal market with some incredibly tough competition


Great service companies all share the same characteristics: Attention to detail, execution, customer service and are incredibly loyal to their people and customers. Its really that simple. How you are treated by a receptionist, whether your phone call is answered promptly or even how clean the bathrooms are clues on how you will be treated as a customer.


These attributes should be considered before buying an appliance, a car or any other sophisticated purchase, because we are really buying into the organization as much as the product itself.

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