‘All in the family’ feel at NHS
Personality. People. Family.
These three strong, recurring themes echoed across panel discussions and keynote sessions at the recent 2021 National Hardware Show in Las Vegas.
Several of the talks at NHS touched on these topics, and one in particular framed the issue clearly for those attending the educational panel titled “Young Retailer Insights”.
Three industry leaders took the stage to articulate today’s hardware outlook. One speaker, Cody Goeppner, director of retail at Bleyhl co-op farm stores, captivated his audience describing his business culture which reflected a sense of family togetherness.
“Get to know your teams. Bring personalities into the business,” Goeppner said. “Ask team members: ‘How are you doing? How are you getting through?’ Let them express their personalities and connect with customers, especially younger GenX customers coming in.”
Joining together as an extended family was one of the central themes of the panel discussion on the significant advantages independent hardware stores have over big stores.
“I came from a family business mentality,” Goeppner said. “Your employees are an extension of your family. We pride ourselves on personality. We’re readying for the next generation.”
Instead of trying to compete on big store terms, use your strengths of personality. Be the neighborhood store where your team members know their customers by name. When you recognize customers coming in through the door by their first name, you employ your best strategy: Being yourself.
Your uniqueness and your personal attention are your strengths.
One of the other panelists, Robin Smith, vice president at Petersburg Hardware noted, “We’re here to serve you, the customer. We thrive on that personal level. Tell us what you need.”
A third panelist, Jonathan South, manager at Teghtmayer Ace Hardware pointed out that a big store opening nearby a neighborhood hardware store can have an effect on revenue. How to compete is the question. But people come back. Embracing your place in the market is key.
Foster that pride and personality in your hardware business, they agreed. Encourage it, simply because it’s who you are.
Rich Benninghoff, president and CEO at Malco Products, at his keynote speech titled, “Look good, Feel good, Do good,” stated simply this defining message, “our people are our single most important asset.”
Spending is way up in home building came the message at yet another session titled “The New Normal,” with Bill Darcy, CEO at National Kitchen & Bath Association. He noted that there are more younger homeowners now and demand is strong.
The challenging customer experience, he pointed out, was how to blend together elements of, “a personable team, being available for customers, and being fast.” Accelerated convenience is how he termed the new normal.
At the Top Gun Awards presentation, one of the ‘Top Gun’ winners, Ian McNaughton, owner of Gravenhurst Hardware, serving the Toronto area, echoed similar people-first themes, saying, “Cherish your people. We’re in the people business. Our people are number one. We have lots of laughter in our stores. That resonates.”
He recommended that, “as an owner you should walk in your front door like a customer does. See how it looks and feels. The future will be the experience you provide. It’s ok to be unique, different.”
Alex Genov, customer researcher at Zappos, in still another keynote session, reminded his audience to, “treat the customer the way you want to be treated. Building customer loyalty means winning hearts and minds.”
The messages of taking care of your people and creating an extended family feeling with your teams were prevalent throughout National Hardware Show educational sessions.
“Customers will gravitate toward independent hardware stores,” Goeppner related. “They are comfortable with a family feeling. Those team member personalities must be encouraged.”
The themes were clear: Realize that your strengths are in your people. Embrace your unique qualities. Re-establish your personality with that new wave of young customers today.
Goeppner concluded: “We treat our people like family, and they share their personalities to welcome the next generation of customers who want to fix up their spaces.”