_________________________________________ Buckman
’ s Inc / Buckman ’ s Ski & Snowboard Shops
Customers ’ hero
Having created two very different yet complementary businesses that balance out seasonal demands , Jeff unites them through extraordinary levels of customer service . “ This has been something that we have emphasized forever , and we really do take it to the next level . I will give an example from the chemicals side . One of our drivers was running late and the customer was extremely upset about it . Our technology meant I could track the truck and reassure the customer he was 20 minutes away , but because it had caused the customer a problem , I told him that order would be free of charge , to recognize the inconvenience . That customer ended up calling back and apologizing , acknowledging he was having a bad day , but if we cause a problem , or make a mistake , we do whatever it takes to correct it .
Looking after vendors , serving customers and being kind to staff , and being honest ; all of those sorts of values are relevant to everybody
“ On the ski side , we ’ ve met customers at the airport with their skis that needed mounting the day before , to ensure they make their flight ,” he continues . “ We do whatever is needed to take care of the customer . It ’ s the best advertising we can do , and they will recommend us as well . We want the customer to think ‘ wow , that was really great ’, and in a market where we ’ re selling things other people sell , it ’ s a unique selling point ( USP ) to have this level of service .”
As a result , whether it ’ s a Patagonia jacket or five-gallon drum of sodium hypochlorite , Jeff ’ s team constantly looks for ways that it can help customers , or in his words ‘ be their hero ’. “ One of the products we carry for pools are pouches of water balancers . Customers sometimes want bulk loads of these , and for those customers , we will keep ten percent extra in our warehouse , and then when they need it , we have it . We find that customers
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