If you are nice, I will buy...

I wanted to blog about this for the past week, but with my trip and all, I was focused on blogging about OK and memories and the like. But now, I'll share my experience of getting some great service.

Kurlancheek Home Furnishings

Since I moved into my new digs in May, I've had yet to get a dining room table. I didn't want to get anything elaborate for upwards of $1000-2000 that many dining room sets cost. And I didn't want a cheap, put-it-together-yourself solution either. For the past few months I've been getting inserts in a free flyer for this furniture store in Exeter for a five peice set for $299. Looked pretty decent. So, I went to what I thought was the store in Exeter.... how many furniture stores could this little Route 11 town have? But the name on the building said, "Kurlancheek" and that was not the name on the flyer. The Kurlancheeks used to have a store on Kidder Street in Wilkes-Barre (where I bought my first bed when I moved out on my own, way back in 1997) and I think some other locations as well. I was quickly approached by a woman who I asked what I was looking for. She quickly cleared up that they were not the store on the flyer-- but didn't say anything bad about them. I was comfortable with the name; I trust the Kurlancheek name. So, I bought a pub table with four chairs for pretty much the same price- and never even considered going to the original store I was headed to-- it was a happy mistake.

But what impressed me was three days later I received a hand-writen thank-you card on personal stationery from the saleswoman. She thanked me for shopping at Kurlancheek and said something really nice in the card: "Enjoy your new table and chairs and all the happy gatherings around it." That makes a huge difference in my book. I will most definitely shop there again, and would recommend them to anyone. No pressure- just friendly service. ;)

Journey's and My Reef Sandals

Before my trip to OK, I was getting some things at the Wyoming Valley Mall in Wilkes-Barre. I was looking for a pair of black flip-flops. You know, a cheap pair. But I didn't want them to be too cheap- not the flimsy kind. I really wasn't able to find what I was looking for. I somehow ended up in Journey's- that really cool and hip shoe store that also sells funny and retro shirts. I was perusing the sandals- not seeing and cheap flip-flops, when the salesguy approached me. Cool dude, probably a senior in high school or in college-- he was friendly, asked what I was looking for, etc. I told him I was looking for something black, but didn't see anything ... he asked me if I ever wore a Reef sandal. No. He said, "Man- you gotta try them on." So I did. Comfy. When I took off the sandal, he picked it up and said, "And the best part is, it comes with its own bottle opener!" He turned the Reef sandal over and pointed to a bottle opener. I was sold. Did I need $45 flip-flops? No. Did I need a set of $45 bottle openers? No. Did I like his enthusiasm for the products he sold and I loved that we approached me and made a suggestion, so I rewarded him with a sale. I think that's the reason I sold a lot of newspapers as a teenager- not because someone wanted or needed the Tulsa World, but probably because they saw my enthusiasm and recognized my hard work and they wanted to buy. I am in sales to this day- and I think that this trait carried through.

How did the Reef sandals fare? AWESOME! I've worn them every day since, except to work. They are super comfortable and were a huge hit at the party in OK. A little bird told me if you search on YouTube for "Reef sandals video" you just may find me in a video demonstrating them.... Seriously, though- they are cool. I just did a search for mine to put a pic up, and Zappo's has them for $50... you can get them cheaper from my new friend at Journey's at the mall!

The bottom line is that I love when people love their jobs. And I can't stand when people can't stand their job-- folks, it shines through and scares me away. I've been in stores where people don't greet you or approach you, and where the clerk doesn't even say a word- one girl actually pointed to the register at my total and was miserable the whole time. I know she could talk because she was talking before. When people hate what they do- I don't feel encouraged to buy from them. On the flip side, when I am simply browsing and someone connects with me, I end up buying something. And, when someone like Dorothy at Kurlancheek sends a lovely card- I will remember. Good service to me breeds good business- and when service is good- the best possible thing can happen-- people will tell their friends, their coworkers and their family-- word of mouth is the best advertising you can as for.

So that's why I wrote this blog. To publicly praise these great salespeople. Keep up the great work!