editor’s FORUM Sound Bites to Chew On … and Swallow
Nominees from the Top 50 awards shared some pretty insightful answers in their videos. Wow! We’re right in the middle of awards season, and in this issue, you will find the 2017 recipients of the Top 50 Retailers and Top 50 Installers award. Let me first say: Congratulations! While these recipients are also finalists for the Top 12 in their respective categories—and ultimately the honors of Retailer of the Year and Installer of the Year—I don’t want to overlook the fact that the Top 50 is an award in itself. Think about it: Out of thousands of stores, installation technicians, fabricators, troubleshooters and problem-solvers across North America, the names starting on page 12 are those who best represent our industry in their professionalism, expertise, dedication, customer interaction and work ethic. Not a bad certificate to hang on a wall. Of the retailer and installation videos, the latter sticks with me the most, mainly because the entries consist of individuals describing their attributes, challenges, passion and goals. You get caught up in the personal sharing of having a child, finishing school or moving from employee to owner. These are all distractions and even hardships in our business, but in life, they are blessings. My sincerest congratulations and best wishes to the nominees who shared these special stories. Because a lot of the answers to our questions were similar— do the job right the first time, a desire to be better, make sure the customer is happy—I look for answers that stood out, and I wasn’t disappointed. Many of the nominees expressed refreshing viewpoints that I think we can all learn from. Not all of them made the cut, and I hope this recognition is taken as an honorable mention of sorts. But I felt it was important to share these with the industry. “The thing I want customers to remember about me is probably as little as possible. Everything they asked for was done properly. I’d like the customer to remember me as the guy who did it right and they never had to see.” – Chad Hayden Some stores delegate customer interaction to the salesperson, as is probably the case at Chad’s store. Still, I liked the viewpoint that his goal benefitted the store rather than himself. The customer leaves feeling like the business exceeded his or her goals. “My installation philosophy is simple. Be better than I was yesterday.” – Nathaniel Trierweiler
6 Mobile Electronics June 2017
This is what I look for: a statement of growth and continued evolution. All of us have passion and are good at what we do, but the ability to keep learning is what makes us great. “This year I’ve done a better job of realizing the value of my work, realizing the value of my time, and charging accordingly.” – Jon Schmitz This is not only difficult to admit for some, but also difficult to put into practice. It takes time and experience to build up to the point where you can confidently explain the value that is commensurate with the price you need to be profitable. “My family comes first. Before my job, before 12-volt, before music in the car. Because ultimately, they are going to be around longer than any of these things.” – Jesse Mitchell It may surprise you that this is not a natural sentiment. It takes time or experience—like the joy of a new child or the discord of a job loss—to get to a point where you see and prioritize the real constants in life. “How would my coworkers describe me? Maybe as an a**hole sometimes, but I just try to come in here and get the job done.” – Steve Ledford There were a few of these answers that demonstrated focus on the work. (Still, Steve is a nice guy, though I’ve never seen him smile!) “The thing that I want my customers to remember about the installation that I performed for them is that I’ve tailored a solution for their use, to their lifestyle and for their enjoyment.” – Ron Hoser There’s a significant difference between doing magnificent work and delivering a personalized, fulfilling solution. It’s important to remember that this is what our business is about, and Ron said it perfectly. “How would co-workers describe me? Well … I’m Filipino, and very handsome.” – Jeff Morcilla This one just made me laugh. It’s refreshing to have someone take the question literally! “You see all these router bits? You see all these Sonus templates and Mobile Solutions templates on the wall? Well, they are not mine. But I use them all.” – Alain Sainvil Enough said, and I’m sure Carlos Ramirez was happy to share his toys. Congrats to all our winners!