The Customer is always right....right?

I know exactly where this saying came from.  It was from a savvy business owner who was trying to effect the attitude of his employees.  The last thing you want to do as a company is argue with your customers.  I remember one time we had a customer come into our store to look for a new vacuum.  My customer was telling my employee that her last vacuum was a "Rydel" vacuum.  My employee corrected her and said No, we are Rydel and we don't make vacuums, we just sell them.  Well, my customer was quite sure that she owned a Rydel vacuum and my employee felt it was real important to set her straight that she didn't.  In the end, we lost the sale.  Do you want to guess why?  This should have been one of those cases of "the customer is always right!"  Who cares if she thinks she has a Rydel vacuum!  Just move along and be helpful.  Now,...Is the customer always right?  No Way!  If you deal with the public in your job, you know this, but....the attitude is right.  If you are in customer service or sales, this attitude can go a long way in helping you, because even if the statement isn't correct, the attitude will help you gain and keep your customers.  If you think about it, our attitude or outlook on life can make such a difference.  Isn't that true?

The Big Green Egg

We recently started carrying The Big Green Egg.  I've been asked by some people why we have this kind of product in our store.  What's this got to do with healthy homes?  Well, let me say that so far it has been a pleasure to have the worlds finest smoker & grill in my store.  I had the opportunity to retail them and was reluctant at first to do so, but after using one and cooking on one, I realized we needed to make these available for people in our town.   I think it fits perfect into a healthy home concept.  When most families barbeque, they usually eat better.  There's more fresh food being prepared.  Not just meat,...it usually includes veggies, salads, seafood, etc.  It also brings family & friends together and creates a good time for all.  In a day & age of eating out and so much processed food being consumed, I think this is a great product to include as part of our healthy home line-up.  I'm so happy to have it!

The Big Green Egg is more than a BBQ, grill or smoker.  It is a device that will let you get so creative in cooking different foods.  It will awaken the chef in you and those "good times" around your household will become more & more plentiful because you will want to cook more often with it.

Green to the extreme. A movie I watched.

I watched a documentary on Netflix the other day that I enjoyed. It was called "No Impact Man." It was about a man who made it his goal to have as little impact on the environment as possible for one year. What made it interesting was that he dragged his wife and child into the goal as well. His wife did not really seem too happy to be part of the project as she had grown accustomed to certain things that were now going to be cut out of their lives. I think a lot of us can relate to that fear. Before I watched this movie, I didn't know what to expect. Was this some hippy family that no one was going to be able to relate to or some tree hugger who can't come to grips with reality??? I was pleasantly surprised. It was a normal family just trying to see what it would be like to take their impact on the environment more seriously. Now, they went to extremes, but in the end they didn't keep some of those extreme habits. They decided what things to keep and what things we're not worth it in a modern world. As I watched it, I was inspired to make a couple of changes myself that I will write about later. For now, if you're looking for ideas on how to be green, this would be a good documentary to watch. Enjoy!

Saving money in a tough economy.

Let's face it, we are in a tough economy right now and I don't know of anyone who hasn't had to adjust thier spending habits. We've all made cuts in one way or another and I have to say...it actually feels good when I save a few bucks. Many people look for bargains when maybe in the past, if they needed something they just went somewhere convenient and bought it. Not now!...If we need something we search for the best deal. Depending on what we need, we look at the paper, cut out coupons, look through the advertisements, go to the Internet, check out ebay, craigslist or maybe we visit consignment shops in our towns. We go through a lot more work to save some money and when we do save.....it feels great, because we know how hard it is make a buck now days.

I thought it might be helpful to let people know that there are small businesses (Like Mine) that are very conscious of having better than usual deals for today's economy. I ask myself everyday..."Do we offer a good value to our customers?" If the answer is ever no, then I know my company is in trouble, so I make sure the answer is a definite Yes! We look for bargains within the companies we deal with. They have been making some special offers and we take advantage of those and pass on the savings to our customers. Some companies have made new products at lower prices just because of the economy and they're still excellent quality. If this is happening for us, it must be happening for other businesses too so keep that in mind.

My point is, when we are searching for those great deals lets remember to check out our small businesses too. As small business owners, we know you can go online and we know you're looking at the ads in the paper and we know what you're looking at, and how much it is selling for. Any smart business owner is going to make sure he or she is competitive to gain your business. A lot of small businesses will offer extras that even the big department stores can't match, so please don't assume you are getting your best price without at least checking with your local small business. It's a tough economy....but I'm convinced we are in this together and can help each other.

The Camera Shop

I was thinking about a camera shop the other day and I thought I would write this as it is fresh on my mind.

I was browsing a famous big box store the other day when I noticed in the electronics section a nice camera. It was on sale for $599.00 and I was surprised that they carried a camera that expensive. Now, I expect them to have the cheap point & click camera's but not something that extensive and nice. I thought to myself even though it was an expensive camera to me, someone who's looking for this camera probably knows it's a good deal. Then I thought about someone who might be willing to pay this kind of money for a good camera. Would they be able to ask the kid behind the counter to help them learn about the camera? Does the kid know anything about it? We all know the answer to those questions,....so where would you go to get familiar with this camera? It wasn't that long ago that if you wanted anything for a camera you would go to a camera shop. There you could touch the camera, & the sales associate would get you familiar with the buttons on the camera and he or she would answer all your questions. If you wanted to compare camera's you could do so at that time. One problem though......the camera shop would want $649.00 for the same camera. Why? Because they are greedy? Because they enjoy charging more? No,...It is because it costs them money to pay those associates to be experts in their field and then for them to spend time with us. One thing I think we all need to keep in mind is that getting professional help with products is going to cost us a little bit more and I'm OK with that. If enough of us are OK with that too, we will keep the professional around longer and we will make smarter purchases.

I actually don't know much about camera's and I definitely don't know much about running a camera shop but I think it is ridiculous that you can buy a $599.00 camera in a big box store. I think there are some things that should be sold independently....from a professional, not a cash register attendant!

That's my humble opinion,.....What's yours?

Who do you support?

I want to talk about what some people do as consumers and just vent for a little bit.  When we are ready to buy something we all want the best price.  Our money is precious and we work hard for it.

But many people have the habit of going to a small business to learn all about the product they want to buy, because the small business expert knows everything about the product and will spend time telling them all about it.   Then, that customer will walk out and go buy it somewhere else because they can save a FEW dollars. They're confident in what they're buying because the small business helped them figure it out.  Well, If we have ever done that....shame on us!

I remember one time this woman came into my store to look for a new vacuum.  She didn't know what to buy and she needed our expertise.  I gladly helped her and showed her a few choices that I thought matched her needs.  Before she left we settled on one that we both thought was a good choice.  She was a little apprehensive though, so I suggested she take the vacuum home and try it.  She did and in bringing it back she exclaimed "I love it, I just have to talk to my husband."  She called me the next day and said "my husband agreed we should buy it, However, my husband went online and we can get it for $20 Dollars cheaper.  Will you match the price?"  I couldn't believe my ears.  After all the time, service, and advice that I rendered her, she wanted me to match the Internet price that was only $20.00 different.  Well, out of mere principal, I said NO.  I reminded her of what I had already done for her and then reminded her of all the things I would do if she purchased it from us.   Guess what?....She bought it online.  She bought a vacuum that she had never known about before she met me.  One that I let her try in her own home for free.  Shame on her for wasting my time and using me!  I was so mad and I have to admit,.... I'm getting a little hot thinking about it now.  Don't worry.....Serenity Now! Serenity Now!.....OK much better.

All I want to say to all of us as consumers is this:  Don't do that!  Either decide you are going to buy something for lowest price or you are willing to consult a local small business and get help with your purchase.  It's OK to ask the small business operator if they are competitive with Internet pricing or ask why you should do business with them instead of going on the Internet.  A good business will have good answers for those questions but, be aware.....you probably will spend a few pennies more, but if you get expert help and end up with the right product, Haven't you actually saved money?  Something to think about.  Let me know what you think.

The Butcher, the Baker,...the Candlestick maker.

It wasn't that long ago when everybody was a specialist and they made a living doing ONE thing. When we as customers had needs, we went to these specialists. When we needed meat, we went to the butcher. When we needed shoes, we went to the shoe store. When we needed a vacuum, we went to a vacuum shop. I was thinking how things have really changed, and I'm one who usually embraces change but, I have to admit,... I wonder if we're heading in the right direction? It seems like a really nice idea to be able to go to specialists and form relationships with these people as the years go by. I know that some of these specialty businesses are still around today, but for the most part, they are drying up, especially in areas where the big giant stores have taken over. It's Sad, isn't it? The fact is that times are hard on a small business and the costs of doing business is higher than ever before. We really need to rally behind these businesses that are still going today. Why? Because they are truly experts in their profession and we can't afford to lose their expertese. It is my opinion that doing business with these folks is the most primitive way to do business. It is the best way. Think about it....you need a service or product,....you go to the specialist. He or she provides exactly what you need......you provide them with money for that service..... The specialist uses that money to put food on the table for their family. No where else can you have such an impact on someone personally when it comes to giving someone your business. Something for all of us to think about.

Is there a specialist or tradesman in your area? If so, give them the opportunity to gain your business, because the big giant store doesn't care about you and doesn't need you,... like the specialist does.

What is a steam vapor machine?

Steam Vapor! What is it? Steam vapor is produced from a machine that looks a lot like a canister vacuum. You put water in it and it boils the water and produces hot steam. It is let out through a hose and different attachments. (look at ladybug on our web site)

This system is fantastic for deep cleaning any surface in your home. I have had customers buy Ladybugs for numerous reasons. I've had hotels buy them to kill bed bugs. I've had mothers buy them because they wanted to clean their homes without chemical cleaners. I've had allergy sufferers buy them to kill dust mites on their bedding. I even had cleaning professionals want them to protect their own health but, the most popular reason people buy one is to....Clean their tile! Surprisingly that is the #1 reason. I can honestly say after checking back with my customers later, they are all happy they bought one. You may buy one with a particular project in mind but, most people end up using a steam vapor machine for many things once they buy one. Once you have it for a little while too, you almost can't live without it. I like using one in the bathroom. It actually disinfects just using water and with the right nozzle on the end of the hose you can shoot out yucky stuff from around the faucets and the toilet. Not only is it cleaner,....it smells fresh when you're done using it. I also like the "Ironing Kit" which allows you to iron your clothes with the machine. Not only does it iron better than anything,...it again freshens up the clothes. I'll write again about steam vapor but for now just know....I can't live without my Ladybug!

Excellent results from Air Purifiers!

We have heard of many fine results from people who have bought air purifiers from our store. I have heard..."My husband quit snoring" "my cat sleeps better" " My asthma has been under control" "The air smells fresher"... just to name a few. The most outstanding account I have heard of was a young mother who purchased an air purifier from us and a year later she was in our store to buy a filter for it. Curiously, I asked if she was happy with her purchase. She said emphatically "Oh yes! My daughter has asthma caused by allergies. Every night we would have to give her treatments to help her sleep. Since we have purchased the air purifier we have not had to give her those treatments. It has been one of the best purchases we have made." Accounts like that made me realize that a good air purifier really can help. Even my son, who really doesn't have severe allergies, sleeps better through the night with an air purifier running. Sometimes we forget to turn it on and I'll notice later that he's snoring or working harder to sleep. My opinion is that all of us would gain some kind of health benefit by having a good air purifier run in our bedrooms while we sleep.

The green bandwagon.

It seems like every company under the sun is going green! At first I thought this was great,...companies are becoming more aware of their responsibility to purify this planet. The fact is however, many of them are not! They see that we consumers are aware of our need to be green, the need to be more responsible, the need to respect earths resources, and what do THEY see? Dollar signs! As consumer awareness grows about green products, big companies ask themselves how can we produce products that can be marketed and labeled as green & earth friendly. And this would be great, if only they really were making green products, but they're not. They are just jumping on the "green bandwagon."

I'll never forget getting a letter from one of the companies we get vacuum parts from. They are a major manufacturer of vacuum cleaners sold all over the nation in department stores. They are cheap, flimsy, throw away, disposable vacuums. Their letter heading in bold print was: WE ARE GOING GREEN. I thought to myself,..."great! Maybe they will make a better vacuum that won't litter our landfills so much. Or maybe they will make their vacuum more recyclable." No such luck. They were notifying their dealers that instead of sending us invoices in the mail, they were going to send them via email. Now, I know there are some people that would say that's a great plan to save paper, but knowing the philosophy of this company, I knew it was just a way for them to save money on postage and stationary supplies. I would have been okay with that except it bothered me on how they sold the idea. Making themselves look like some great company that cares about the environment when I really know....they don't! They're just jumping on the "green bandwagon."

So, my advice to everyone is be careful. We are in an age where big companies can get away with frauding us. Just because something reads green, earth friendly, natural, or real, don't take their word for it. Break it down for yourself if it's truly important to you. Ask yourself, what do they mean when they say it's green?

I just want to add that there are companies out there that do care and are trying to make a difference. Companies that make green, non toxic, natural products. We will pay tribute to some of these as we get this blog out there.