Having lived in the countryside all my youth and the last 15 years, I can say one thing: employees of a small town hardware store are a reference when it comes to getting advices on renovation. They have in-depth knowledge regarding structures, finishes, plumbing, electricity, painting, etc. They take their role seriously by asking questions to make sure they find the right part, the right material or the right tool for the task at hand.
They also know entrepreneurs, plumbers, electricians, roofers, etc. by their first names. They understand the ins and outs of renovating. As a rule, we can trust them. And that’s all to their advantage. They often live nearby. And in the countryside, everyone knows each other, that’s a fact!
I’ve been back in the city for the last two months. Let’s just say that experience in hardware stores is both similar and different.
Having started minor work in my new home, I visited many big-box hardware stores for flooring, 1×3, 2×3, 2×4, gypsum boards, screws, wireless switch, glue, sealant, paint, brushes , rolls, masking tape, moldings and so on. Lucky me, I have access to three of these megastores in a radius of two miles from home.
In general, the experience in these megastores is quite good, with the poor experiences being compensated by the good ones. All in all, I always ended up finding what I was looking for, sometimes accompanied, sometimes left to myself. It’s about fifty-fifty.
After more than 15 visits (!) in these stores where one can get lost easily, here are some profiles of employees that I met.
The run away eel. Features: slow, jaded, tanned, zero smile, closed face, sighs constantly, complains about colleagues or the boss, does the bare minimum. He or she uses phrases like “It’s not my department!”, “It’s not my responsibility!”, “I cannot do that! The eel tends to ignore us or get rid of us as quickly as possible. This kind of employee wants to be as invisible as possible. Some succeed literally as well as figuratively because sometimes, I did not see anyone in the aisles to help me.
The frightened deer. Features: nice and polite, but knows nothing. When you talk to him or her, you feel like you’re speaking Klingon. You get the deer-in-the-headlights look constantly. tlhIngan Hol Dajatlh’a ‘?* Do you speak English? He or she does not understand your needs, does not ask questions and has no idea where a specific tool or material is located in the store. Nevertheless, the deer is friendly!
The efficient octopus. Features: performs his job in a super-efficient manner – a real machine!. He or she is focused on the task and does not complain even when overloaded with work. The octopus is not really one to give advice; however, he or she excels at finding what you are looking for at the speed of light. A master multi-tasker, the octopus is like Google Maps, but without the recommendations. This is your convenient go-to person when you do not need advice and you’re in a hurry.
The experienced fox. Characteristics: all smiles, welcoming, takes the time to listen, really likes his or her job, knows the merchandise in the department, likes to share tips and is full-throttle into finding solutions. Employees who share this profile are motivated and enjoy serving people.
An example? As a result of replacing the shower in the basement with a base that was smaller than the previous one (sigh), I needed a vinyl tile – only one! – to patch the floor. Instead of having to buy a $60 package, the advisor suggested that I buy two samples for $1 each. That’s nice! That’s a great customer experience!
Even though experienced foxes tend to have gray hair, some young ones offer great service. It’s more a question of attitude than of age.
Some might argue that it is normal to find these four profiles in big-boxes stores (hardware, clothing, groceries, furniture, etc.). I do not share this view. If you want to excel, stand out and survive in a fierce, global market, it is better to have foxes and octopuses, rather than eels and deers.
* “Do you speak Klingon?” (According to Microsoft’s Bing translator)
Originally published on Les Affaires blog – © Daniel Lafrenière – All rights reserved