Have you ever thought about what makes clients like (or love) you? [Translate: Are so impressed with you that they become your best marketers?] I had an experience recently that really highlighted this for me. It was with a furniture repair shop – specifically the Furniture Workshop in St. Petersburg, Florida.
One of the legs of my coffee table had come loose, and though we tried to fix it, ultimately resorting to Super Glue, nothing worked. We looked for another table and couldn’t find anything we liked nearly as well. So, a couple of weeks ago I plopped the table in the back of my SUV and took it to the Furniture Workshop.
I was met by the owner, Russ Sines, who was instantly warm, funny, and friendly. He explained that the workshop had been opened by his father in 1935. Within moments, I knew that he would do a wonderful job repairing my table. And in the few conversations we’ve had over the past week about the fee and when the repairs would be completed, Russ made me laugh every time and think to myself, “Why can’t all the businesses we deal with be this wonderful?” Russ knows the value of relationship. He knows everything matters. You can’t sustain a business for 73 years without being really clear about those things.
The table will be ready tomorrow. I know it will be perfect. But the thing is, I’m looking around the house for other pieces I can bring to him. I’ll miss just chatting with him. And you can bet I’m telling my friends about him.