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What Do Our Clients Say About Us? Testimonials
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Robert is a good friend and businessman. He left a terrific Madison Avenue advertising job to rejoin the family
business: an established mainline furniture store that served thousands in its forty plus years of business in
Providence, Rhode Island. I had no idea the depth of impact I had on his way of doing business. And more than
anything I could write on this website, his testimonial reinforces our commitment to help more like him:
"But who knew..."
Life was difficult, a closed downtown store with a failed store relocation sale by an outside "promoter". Salespeople who
couldn't or wouldn't take the time to write thank you notes, call their customers when they received merchandise, greet
customers properly, and follow up on their own sales leads. Warehouse personnel that couldn't get out of their own way.
Cash flow problems that would keep anyone awake at night. Worst of all....nobody to discuss these issues with. Well,
almost nobody, my best friends had become my vendor's credit managers. They were very interested in my well being
and survival!
I'm told that most people would have given up. It had been seven long years of struggling with a 55,000 sq ft downtown
location that was a dinosaur. But during those seven years I had managed to open three smaller suburban stores in
wonderful locations. I had dedicated people working with me, but who had untapped and misdirected talent. The stores
were well merchandised with saleable furniture and accessories...and they were beautiful! We had managed to carve
out our own niche in a saturated marketplace and were well respected in our trading area by the customers we did have.
Although our clientele told me that our customer service department needed work.
What to do? I tried sales training...both in-house and seminars for the salespeople. As mentioned above, the various
"promoters" couldn't help. They were very good at going out of business type sales but offered nothing to an ongoing
business...no sales training, no mailing list of people who had been in the store, no managerial training, no long term or
short term goal setting. They only understood how to raise cash, take most of it, and leave you with no future. I tried
weekly sales meetings but they were lacking continuity and besides "try to sell more" and "lets talk about what's wrong"
didn't do much to motivate. I just couldn't be in every area of the business at once. Time would not allow it or at least I
thought it wouldn't. To make matters worse, we had installed a new computer system in January which failed to operate
as promised and left us in a manual mode.
I needed HELP!
I couldn't afford the manager that I desperately needed and I could no longer do it all myself. I was talking to my friend,
Tom Pilcher, the credit manager at Harden and he, through a family member, was familiar with a company who
(according to Tom) could raise a companies overall performance and attitude without the loss of credibility, image, or
future. The "process" as he went on to tell me involved a consultant, a "huge sale" and total involvement of the
warehouse, the salespeople, the office, and most important the management... me. The results which Tom went on to
describe sounded too good to be true and a I've learned from past adventures if it sounds too good to be true it usually is
(I think someone else might have made this statement too). I had to explore even though I wasn't sure this was for me.
What did I really have to lose? Tom arranged for me to meet with a consultant form the company who runs this kind of
store "awakening" and as the day grew near to this meeting I found my tired attitude towards the day to day business
improving...This company and person I was about to meet represented hope and a chance to put my business on the
right path back to an organized and profitable future.
The three hour meeting with consultant lasted eleven hours! I was hooked. Finally someone I could discuss my
business with and who cared about the small business person. Someone who had experience not just in my business,
but in all areas of retail. Not just from New England but the United States and beyond. During those eleven hours the
"process" was explained to me and in the end I signed a contract which would enable me to bring this consultant in my
stores. I was sure I had found a solution to at least some of my problems.
A few months went by and I found myself wondering did I make a mistake with this company. What did I really know
about them? They had a nice brochure and their references were in order, but could they really help me? I didn't want a
quick fix, I wanted long term growth and wanted to build a strong foundation. Would this event turn out be just another
SALE? I spoke with my friend, Tom, and expressed my reservations, I asked him to find out one piece of missing
information. What did the salespeople think of the event? What did they learn about? Did they improve their skills so that
after they would continue to excel? Did the salespeople rise to new levels of performance with higher goals and
expectations? DID THEY THINK THAT IT WAS A WORTHWHILE EXPERIENCE? I felt that if the salespeople didn't benefit
from the event then I would just be fighting another uphill battle in the world of business. The answer was unanimously
YES to all above questions. Not only did they benefit --- they looked forward to the consultants return, for each time he
came back they were able to improve their skills even more. I still had a few last minute questions. I called Albert and
after an hour of discussion he finally said to me... 'Robert, it's about trust; trust that I understand what you're asking me to
accomplish, trust that I will work with the restrictions and rules you have in your store, and trust that together we can build
your business and breath new life into it and you.' What could I say except thank you and see you in four weeks?
The event was exciting and fun. The salespeople learned and learned and learned. The customer service improved
"a little." Albert worked and worked and then worked more. He was in the store before anyone arrived in the morning
and was one of the last to leave at night...seven days a week!! Cash flow didn't change much, but an understanding of
how to manage it and make the money work harder did improve. By having another person (Albert) to assist me in the
running of my stores I was able to finish the installation of a new computer system to better manage my business.
My organization woke up and that in itself was worth the price of admission. But there was more. I learned that it
wasn't just the salespeople's fault for poor performance. I learned that it involves the total operation and that if we are to
survive in a world of category killers we have to act as a united front. I can't blame the salespeople and they can't blame
me. We are a team who must all use our time wisely.
Albert became part of the store and became a friend to all of us. He didn't preach, he explored, practiced new
techniques with our customers, and he explained what needed to be done and why. In the end everyone, including Albert,
were rewarded and this reward was not just measured by money, although there was more of that for everyone too!
Albert asked for trust. I gave it...I won, we all won!!!! What a great beginning. I call it a beginning because it has been
eight weeks since the event and I have just finished a two week return from my friend, Albert. I felt I needed additional
help in running my business and asked him back to help me. Once again it was an educational and rewarding
experience. My cash flow, salespeople, and management style continue to improve and best of all a new contract has
been signed for the spring...and as anyone knows who has ever lived through a long, cold New England winter, Spring
won't come soon enough for us this year, both for the return of warm weather and the return of Albert and his company.
But who knew...Albert Guevara knew!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for all you have done and continue to do for my company."
---Robert S. Savage, President, Herman's Furniture Galleries
Life is good. I'm having fun. Are you? No?
Email me NOW at My StoreFront, Call me at 619.206.3225, or Fax me at 619.374.2067!
I can help. Guaranteed.
Here's some more comments: Visit Here
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