Tonight my husband and I spent several hours at Sportsman's Warehouse in Bend. My husband loves to go duck hunting every fall. A couple years ago I bought him a new shotgun for his birthday and last year we picked another one out and we purchased it. Over the last couple years the regulations have been changed so that when you hunt water fowl you must use steel shot instead of lead. As REALTORS® we know the danger of children and lead based paint, so imagine what it would do sitting in the river.
Back to what this has to do with real estate, CUSTOMER SERVICE. We went to Sportsman's Warehouse with the intention of purchasing another shotgun. The gun my husband is using has too tight a pattern and it is ruining too much meat. I know those of you that do not enjoy hunting and are against it are bored to death by now, but bare with me there is a story related to us here.
Shotguns have what is called a choke in it - you must use a choke or the steel shot will destroy the threads at the end of the barrel which are what hold the choke in place. We knew from the previous year his choke although the widest spread was still too tight and he had spent some time with this and found what is called a skeet tube, this morning was opening day of duck season in Oregon. At daylight he and Max were on the river waiting, ready and excited, only to be disappointed again. The ducks were flying and hunting was good, but they will be ground up into pepperoni as the shot was still too tight.
My husband's birthday is in two weeks, I thought well here comes shotgun #3 - but when we got to Sportsman's Warehouse we were assisted by a great guy named Dave. Dave was more than willing to sell us a new shotgun, but when he heard why we were looking he said that there had to be a better solution.
Dave pulled out some books, he read, he pulled other guns, he looked at the barrels, the chokes and spent 2 hours helping us. Dave helped us discover that although my husband's gun is a Benelli which is a decent gun it is not designed to have a scatter effect. Even with the widest choke in it. However, he did help us also discover there is a choke made for this gun that is meant to give a better scatter.
So, the moral of this story which is the same as real estate is - by providing a great service to your client, you will build the relationship. Guess where we will go for the next firearm we purchase. Yep, Dave at Sportsman's Warehouse will get our business.
Thank you Sportsman's Warehouse, you have given my husband a new lease on this year's hunting season and you saved me hundreds of dollars.
Sportsman's Warehouse is located on Hwy 97 in Bend, Oregon and is not just a place to purchase your firearms. They have everything you could need for the wonderful outdoor living we enjoy in Central Oregon.
Thesa Chambers • Broker • RE/MAX Sunset Realty
541-771-7064 Cell • 541-536-0117 Office • 888-868-2050 Toll Free
Mailing Address • PO Box 3510, La Pine, OR 97739
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Thesa.... this is a good story and should be used for any type of service or customer service.... any service industry and just life in general.... It's amazing the smile that you can put on someone's face when you take the time to help them and or educate them.
Thesa - Regardless of the business - great customer service can make or break the business. Sounds like your experience was a great one, glad you saved some money:)
Gotta love sale people like that. I have a few and I would never give my business to anyone else. Great tie in to Real Estate.
Guns...humm...I was thinking of getting one for my families protection but my wife has deterred me from doing it with a child in our home. I even tried the pellet gun...nope she prefer not and I do not want to cause a stir with her:)
I somewhat miss hunting. I have done it for a few years now...Great service pays off and it will reward him in the end.
No matter what the industry, customer service will make or break the business. Isn't it wonderful to find someone who cares? And so nice of you to spotlight him for doing it. I hope someone emails the link to your blog to his bosses.
Thesa--Good service always sets apart one professional or business from the other.
Thesa,
Good customer service is so important and is so often missing. I know I am loyal once I get good service from someone I go back and ask for them the next time.
Great analogy These and Oh so very, very true. Integrity and honesty go a long way. More than most people think
Thesa, Great service like this is becoming much harder to come by these days. Those of us that continue to be like Dave will continue to do well.