Guest Editorial

by Howard J. Anderson, Stony Brook Sew & Vacuums, Inc.

Would they vote for you?

We just had an election where many new politicians were voted in because people wanted a change. There wasn’t a real clear reason of what the change was going to be; people just wanted change. In your world, or store, do you want change? Are you looking for reasons and ways to change? Do the reasons and the total plan have to be thought out before you start change? Or, do you keep things running the same because that is the way you always did it, hoping tomorrow will be better?

Twenty years ago when I first entered the vacuum retail business, I was told by a vacuum store owner that opening a vacuum store was easy. “All you have to do is rent a small store, throw up some vacuum bags on peg board, and you would be in business.” By the way, he is out of business. Did you ever think that a hardware store, Home Depot or Lowes, would be selling a $500 vacuum? Everyone understands that retail has changed and will continue to change, but as an industry, have we really changed all that much?

I try to visit stores when I am out of town and sometimes I quite frankly am stunned by the condition of some stores and embarrassed to be in the same business. I know that is not your store! I want to say that I have plenty of room for improvement. My stores are far from where I want them to be. When people ask what you do for a living do you proudly say “I own a vacuum store!” Or do you hedge a little and say “ I’m in retail.” Can I dream a little? Could owning a sew and vac ever be viewed by the public the same as owning a Hallmark Store or a nice Italian Restaurant if we all just changed a little? It could be like turning a your favorite pizza shop into an fine Italian restaurant. The veal parmesan is the same but the service and the ambiance make the customers willing to pay more.

Our customers are people who want better quality products, at a fair price and want to be treated special. Are we positioned to be there for them or do they want to get out as soon as they walk in the door? We need to change our look from a dirty repair shop to a clean, bright, warm vacuum and/or sewing boutique. We need to change our attitude from “I’ll be right with you as soon as I can.” to “Hello! So nice of you to stop in today. Looks like your vacuum needs my help. Let me take a look at it.” We need to change from filling their needs on our schedule to making their visit to our store a learning experience in cleaning or sewing that they will tell their friends. 

So, how do we change? First, we have to become students of retail. We need to study other retailers in other industries to see what they are doing. Our customers are going there. We need to fit in with other high-end retailers so our customers feel good. Second, we need to invest in our business -- new floor surfaces, new paint and well dressed and groomed associates. Third, we need to be Demo Ready. Our sales floor should be like a Broadway Stage. Everything in the proper place, current floor models in new condition, demo props ready and add-on sales items close by. And finally we need to Always Be Selling. We need to invest time and money so our employees make our customers want to come back time after time to spend more money with us. If we do not become more profitable, we won’t be able to attract good people to help us grow. 

I will be teaching classes at VDTA Show next month. One is called, The A.B.S. (Always Be Selling) System: Make More Money With Less Effort! One of the things you will learn in this class is how to follow the template that will make more money with less effort in your business. I will show you how to increase your average repair department revenue at the same time increase your machine sales. This is an easy change that anybody can do! Come to my class! 

Does anyone want to change? Of course not. Is it easy? Heck no! If we start the process, it becomes easier every day. But you may ask “Is the vacuum and sewing business worth it?” Sure it is! Most retail has one revenue stream; we have at least four: machine sales, service, parts and classes. Each one of them could and should stand on their own if we tracked them on their own. 

Imagine if all the TV stations and newspapers in the country started doing stories about vacuum stores. Just like the politicians, all the stories would be “Negative” on how vacuum stores operated. People would start looking at us as worse than used car salesmen! At the same time they praise the big boxes. They ignore the fact that the big box sales staff, if you can find someone, don’t know much and can’t fix anything, Their stories say “They are OPEN!” This could happen if we don’t change because people are writing the stories themselves. Is your story positive or negative? We need to all help each other to change before the electorate (our customers) say, “Vote the bums out!” to us, an industry that is killing itself slowly by resisting change.

Editor’s Note: Howard will instruct two classes at the VDTA Show. “You Can Win” will be Feb. 22 (10:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) and “ABS System” will be Feb. 23 (11:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Check VDTA Showguide for room locations.

Reprinted from SQE Professional January 2007