A Vacuum for a Birthday Present? Absolutely!

Nov

10

2009

My husband loves Dyson vacuums. He’s never owned one, but being the technology geek he is, he stops and watches the commercials every time they come on. Well, after nearly five years of asking, I’ve finally decided to get him one for his birthday in November.

 

With such an assortment at Sears.com, I had no idea which Dyson vacuum was right for us. I found it extremely helpful to review the customer ratings and discussion forums on the vacuums page.

 

 
  

The community provided such great insight, I was hooked from the beginning. After about 15 minutes of research, I feel I am educated and ready to make that purchase next week. I’ll keep you posted on which one I finally settled on.

 

SHC-MichelleH is a wife, mom and Sears Holdings employee who blogs about her experiences using Sears.com.

Review your latest Home Goods purchase and enter to win!

Nov

01

2009

So you've just purchased a brand new Coffee Maker and you've got something to say about it - now's your chance to put that review to work!  From November 1st through the 7th, each time you write a review about any product purchases that fall into the "For the Home" category, you'll be entered to win one of 10 Kenmore Small Kitchen Appliances.  There are a few simple guidelines for the reviews:

1. Each product review must be of a product included in the website product catalog
2. Each product review is subject to editorial review
3. If the product is being reviewed for the first time, all review fields marked as mandatory on the website should be completed
4. Content of the review must be relevant to the product being reviewed
5. Content of the review must not contain profanity, non-family-friendly content, derogatory, or other inappropriate content;
6. Each review must be original content and uniquely created for Sears,  , must not be copied from any other online or offline source, and must not infringe the copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity, or other personal or proprietary rights of any person or entity
7. Each product review must be a minimum of 250 characters in length (about 45 words)

These are some seriously great prizes:

 

Kenmore Grind & Brew Coffee Maker

Kenmore Elite 4 Slice Toaster

 

Kenmore Elite 2 Slice Toaster

 

Kenmore Elite Food Processor

 

Kenmore Elite Stand Mixer 

Stay tuned right here to see who the winners are - we should be announcing them sometime around the week of November 20th.  Check out the official rules here. 

Sears Hometown Shop Talk – Shop Your Way

Oct

05

2009

What’s the mark of a superior shopping experience? Is it great customer service from knowledgeable sales people? How about a store with a large selection and a convenient location?  If both are important to you, you’re in luck, because Sears Hometown Stores want you to “Shop Your Way.”  It’s a philosophy where shopping revolves around you 24/7.

 

The in-store experience that you have come to expect in a Sears Hometown Store is even better because it has been integrated with the on-line convenience of sears.com. You can now research and compare products on-line at home on your computer or on-the-go with your mobile phone.  And when you’re ready to buy, your local Hometown Store will have your merchandise ready for pick-up.

 

You will still be able to rely on the personalized customer service in a Sears Hometown Store, and if a product is not carried in-store, your sales person can help you find what you need among the thousands of items sears.com. You can even have it shipped to your home.

 

With so many options available, Sears is offering customers a premier shopping experience. If you’re a regular Hometown Stores shopper, make sure to take advantage of these online options.  If you haven’t shopped a Sears Hometown Store in a while, come back and rediscover a store that revolves around you.

 

Please voice your opinion and leave us a comment and please support your locally owned and operated Sears stores.

 

About Me

 

My name is Steve Swank, and I am the Divisional Vice President of Finance for Sears Off-Mall Formats.  My wife, four kids and I recently relocated to Chicago from Texas when I joined Sears over the summer. We are looking forward to experiencing snow and using our new Craftsman snow thrower that we purchased on sears.com.

 

About Sears Hometown Stores

 

Sears Hometown Stores are two Sears store formats located away from shopping malls. Hometown Store is locally owned and operated Sears stores and Home Appliance Showroom is the leader in home appliance shopping. Our friendly and knowledgeable store owners and showroom managers proudly serve your local community and offer you largest selection of home appliances, tool and lawn and garden equipment, and home electronics, exceptional customer service, best price guaranteed plus credit, delivery, installation and protection agreements.

 

Sears Hometown Stores established in 1993

www.SearsHomeTownStores.com

 

Sears Home Appliance Showroom established in 2007

www.SearsHomeApplianceShowroom.com

 

Sears in Spanish

http://espanol.sears.com

 

 

Sears Hometown Shop Talk – Customer Satisfaction

Oct

02

2009

What do you think about when you are asked about great customer satisfaction? 1) Were you greeted promptly? 2) Were you able to locate the products or services you were looking for? 3) Was the store neat and clean? 4) Quality of the product? I think the number one driver of customer satisfaction is often overlooked by many store managers, business owners, and service providers.

 

All of the above are valid drivers of customer satisfaction, but dedicated, knowledgeable associates are the key. Each one of us is a consumer and we all experience frustration with customer satisfaction from a store manager, business owner, or service provider on a daily basis. These frustrations usually end up driving us away from their place of business. Unfortunately, sometimes we settle for the best of the worst in satisfaction because we have no other options.

 

Imagine if your business had engaged, knowledgeable, and friendly associates! What would that do for your business? Customer surveys attempt to quantify the level of associate engagement, but that responsibility really falls directly on the associates’ supervisor or manager. Do we really spend enough time every day teaching, coaching, and training our associates? We all worry about sales and getting our assigned tasks done. But, how much energy do we put in developing our number one asset – associates?

 

Food for thought. Every business has had a great associate who decided to leave for one reason or another. When the associate leaves, there is a void, which impacts your business. The question I ask is, “Why did that associate leave? How could we have kept them on the team?” In most exit surveys, the number one reason quoted is not salary or benefits or work environment or schedule. It is “how I am treated by my immediate supervisor.” The simple answer to retain associates is to make sure you treat them with respect, listen to their ideas, and teach, coach, and train them every opportunity you get.

 

I started with Sears in 1971 as a tire installer in a small store in New Rochelle, NY where I was born and raised. A little known fact about me is that I have only received a W2 from one company, Sears! I have had many assignments and in almost every case I’ve been fortunate to work with teams that are passionate about our business and care about our associates! When I first started out as a Division Manager, I definitely had different priorities than today. I had four young children involved with lots of activities and a house to maintain on a limited budget. So, I made two requests of my boss. First was to make sure my paycheck was accurate and on-time and second was to have a flexible work schedule (so I can be a part of my children’s lives while working a 50+ hour work week). Obviously, my managers delivered and I, in turn, delivered by working extremely hard to meet or exceed Sears’ expectations.

 

If we look at each associate and take the time to understand and meet their needs, we will develop great associates who in turn will keep our customers coming back to us!

 

Please voice your opinion and leave us a comment and please support your locally owned and operated Sears stores.

About Me

My name is Jim Flynn. I am the Divisional Vice President, Operations and Process for Sears Hometown Stores, LLC.

 

About Sears Hometown Stores

 

Sears Hometown Stores are two Sears store formats located away from shopping malls. Hometown Store is locally owned and operated Sears stores and Home Appliance Showroom is the leader in home appliance shopping. Our friendly and knowledgeable store owners and showroom managers proudly serve your local community and offer you largest selection of home appliances, tool and lawn and garden equipment, and home electronics, exceptional customer service, best price guaranteed plus credit, delivery, installation and protection agreements.

 

Sears Hometown Stores established in 1993

www.SearsHomeTownStores.com

 

Sears Home Appliance Showroom established in 2007

www.SearsHomeApplianceShowroom.com

 

Sears in Spanish

http://espanol.sears.com

   

Sears Hometown Shop Talk – New Store Openings

Oct

01

2009

This is an exciting time of year for Hometown Stores. Not only are we on the verge of the holiday selling season, but this is when new store openings hit a frenzied pace. Not sure why it happens, but every year we peak around now. If all goes according to plan, we will open an average of two stores a week from here until the end of the year. The challenges abound, but getting stores open on time and under budget is what our New Store Team does best. We know each one is special and unique to the owner and their community and we treat it that way. Despite having been involved with hundreds of store openings, the excitement, the anticipation, the anxiety…and the sound of the register ringing…is still a thrill! (Those who’ve been there know what I’m talking about.)

Working part time at Sears in Brockton, MA during high school, it would have been hard to envision where my career would take me or how the company would evolve. I’ve had the good fortune to work with incredibly talented people and live in some great places (I’ve got to tell you, Chicago is nice, but it doesn’t compare to Newport, RI or Hyannis, MA).  For the last 16 years, I’ve been involved in business development, having worked with Homelife Furniture, The Great Indoors, and Sears Home Appliance Showrooms. But growing Hometown Stores has proved to be the most exciting. With over 200 new stores opened in the last four years…obviously this is a winning format!

One thing that sets this business apart is the way we operate. The organization is lean and empowered. Team members are talented and accountable. We measure results in days- not weeks or months. New ideas are welcomed (actually required) and processes regularly reviewed and amended…change is a constant. All of this allows us to move, adapt and execute fast while ensuring a high degree of quality and consistency. When combined with the energy and enthusiasm of our owners, it doesn’t get any better for people who thrive on this sort of stuff.

 

If you’re able and can spare the time, please support locally owned and operated Sears stores.

About Me

My name is Peter Nero. I am the Director of New Stores for Sears Hometown Stores, LLC. I have two kids and have pretty much worked for Sears forever.

 

About Sears Hometown Stores

 

Sears Hometown Stores are two Sears store formats located away from shopping malls. Hometown Store is locally owned and operated Sears stores and Home Appliance Showroom is the leader in home appliance shopping. Our friendly and knowledgeable store owners and showroom managers proudly serve your local community and offer you largest selection of home appliances, tool and lawn and garden equipment, and home electronics, exceptional customer service, best price guaranteed plus credit, delivery, installation and protection agreements.

 

Sears Hometown Stores established in 1993

www.SearsHomeTownStores.com

 

Sears Home Appliance Showroom established in 2007

www.SearsHomeApplianceShowroom.com \

 

Sears in Spanish

http://espanol.sears.com

  

Sears Hometown Shop Talk – Take a Little Raford with You

Sep

30

2009

Most people will read this title and think to themselves, what could “take a little Raford with you” possibly mean? To me, it is personal reminder of how important the customer is in retail.  It is easy to get caught up in the daily activities or running a retail store or working for a large corporation and forget about the most important asset that any retailer has.  It is not the inventory, the store location, the land or even the brand image, it is the customer.

 

On my first trip to Northern California with my wife some years ago, we were stumbling through the Russian River valley with no real plan.  It was a fly by the seat of your pants vacation, no plans, we will figure out as we go along.   Looking for a place to stay one night, we stumbled upon a bed & breakfast with a couple of palm tress in the front yard and I said “we have to go in here”.

 

Well, needless to say,   that was my first Raford House experience and now I cannot go to California without a stay there.  The inn is always neatly kept and clean, not fancy, but not shabby by any means.   The difference that this inn has over any other in the area is the innkeepers, Rita and Dane.  Both go out of their way to make sure every guest in their home is comfortable.  They make you feel as though you are one of the family and not simply a patron who is paying to stay there.

In the morning, Rita makes one of the best breakfasts that you will have and Dane is always there to greet the guests and to talk about what plans they may have for the day before he heads off to work.   He makes sure everyone has directions to where they are going and points out the best place to stop for lunch, wine or if you want to canoe on the Russian River.  The thing that stands out the most to me is this: Before Dane leaves and the guests head out on their daily adventures, Dane gathers Rita in front of the fireplace, thanks everyone for spending part of their vacation with them, wishes everyone a great day full of fun and exploration, and for those who have to leave and go home to make sure and “take a little Raford with you” wherever you go.

 

All departing guests are given a special gift when they leave. It is not a 10% off coupon for your next stay or a bottle of wine; it is a large bear hug from Dane.  Many people have probably read Jack Mitchell’s book, “Hug Your Customer”.  I would venture to say that Dane has not read Jack’s book nor did he go to business school to learn the theories of customer satisfaction and the best methods for customer retention.   It is the simply the theory of making a personal connection with every customer and making them feel special.  It is as simple as thanking every customer who decides to walk through your door, even if they are not buying, and make them feel as though they are the most important asset that you have. Help all of your customers “take a little Raford with them” as they leave your store.

 

I would like to hear about a customer service experience that was above and beyond what you expected.  Please reply to this blog post and let me know about your experience

About Me

 

My name is Jon Phillips. I am the Director of Field Business Development for the Sears Hometown Stores. I look forward to hearing about your great customer service experiences.

 

About Sears Hometown Stores

 

Sears Hometown Stores are two Sears store formats located away from shopping malls. Hometown Store is locally owned and operated Sears stores and Home Appliance Showroom is the leader in home appliance shopping. Our friendly and knowledgeable store owners and showroom managers proudly serve your local community and offer you largest selection of home appliances, tool and lawn and garden equipment, and home electronics, exceptional customer service, best price guaranteed plus credit, delivery, installation and protection agreements.

 

Sears Hometown Stores established in 1993

www.SearsHomeTownStores.com

 

Sears Home Appliance Showroom established in 2007

www.SearsHomeApplianceShowroom.com

 

Sears in Spanish

http://espanol.sears.com

    

Sears Hometown Shop Talk – Holiday Shopping Tips

Sep

29

2009

Is it really too early to think about the holidays? Many of us would say “yes” it is. But, reality hits. The temperature in Chicago drops from 75 degrees to 54 degrees with 25 miles per hour wind gusts, my girls ask about Halloween costumes, my parents want to know Thanksgiving plans and now the holiday season is closer than I realize.

 

I ask myself how can I make holiday shopping easier and save myself the stress and anxiety of picking up last minute gifts.  We all know it is never fun picking a gift from the holiday gift leftovers. So, I gave myself the task of planning early and in my research I found some great tips.

 

First, make a list. I know it sounds so simple since 82% of us are doing it today and it is the easiest way to get started.

 

Second, set a budget (and don’t forget to save your change). In a time when many of us are being careful with our spending it is important to set a budget and see value in the budget. 

Then I realized there is a great budgeting tool available to me and everyone else this holiday season.  Why didn’t I think of this sooner?  It is the  Sears Christmas Club Card.  You can find the card at any Sears Hometown Store and it pays me back.  I can start saving today and place money on the card weekly either by stopping in the store or on-line plus Sears will pay me a 3% reward on the money I save.  Now I know I am way too busy when I didn’t think of this sooner. I will be starting my savings today.

Another great tip is to get the “easy” gifts out of the way early with Sears Layaway. My grandma always said it was the smartest way to shop. Gifts to the paper boy, teachers, and your boss don’t need to come out of your holiday budget for the family. So how can I do that without breaking the bank? First, my $500 holiday budget is now 3% higher (thank you Christmas Club Card savings program). Second, because Sears Hometown Stores has layaway, I can pick out all the gifts I need, pay for them over an 8 week timeframe, and have them just when I need them. Look out Will (he’s my boss), your Craftsman hammerhead (the hottest gift in tool innovation) is going on layaway today. 

  

The most important holiday tip is to enjoy the season, family and time together.  I know it all sounds so simple but every now and then a few tips can help make the holidays easier.  When you are shopping and working on your holiday lists, please stop by your local retailers and share your favorite tip.  We would love to hear your feedback at Sears Hometown Stores.

About Me

My name is Keri Durkin and I am the Division Vice President for Merchandising, Planning and Assorting for Sears Hometown Stores, LLC. I am excited to see how far my budget will take me this holiday season.

About Sears Hometown Stores

 

Sears Hometown Stores are two Sears store formats located away from shopping malls. Hometown Store is locally owned and operated Sears stores and Home Appliance Showroom is the leader in home appliance shopping. Our friendly and knowledgeable store owners and showroom managers proudly serve your local community and offer you largest selection of home appliances, tool and lawn and garden equipment, and home electronics, exceptional customer service, best price guaranteed plus credit, delivery, installation and protection agreements.

 

Sears Hometown Stores established in 1993

www.SearsHomeTownStores.com

 

Sears Home Appliance Showroom established in 2007

www.SearsHomeApplianceShowroom.com

 

Sears in Spanish

http://espanol.sears.com

 

 

Sears Hometown Shop Talk – 1st Rule of Sales: Kill ‘Em with Kindness

Sep

28

2009

Recently, I visited a local coffee shop on my way to work. I visit this same coffee shop everyday due to its convenient location. As a creature of habit, I order the same thing everyday…coffee with cream. The service is usually fine and the process is operationally smooth.

 

However, I began to notice that the associates in this location were becoming less friendly each day. They were no longer smiling. No longer said thank you or exchanged pleasantries. As the associate handed me my coffee through the drive thru window, I noticed a sign posted for all employees to read (I noticed it due to the sheer number of exclamation points at the end of the note). I took a second to decipher the note and it stated, ”If you leave the drive thru window open, you will be written up!!!!” It was signed by the manager and clearly visible to every associate and customer. My initial reaction was, “Wow! They better keep that window closed!” Then, I asked myself a couple questions. Why would any manager speak this way to their team? How do the associates feel about this public command and threat? How do her customers feel about this note? Personally, I drove away with a negative feeling about this location.

 

I later found out that they have a new manager and she wanted to make a clear statement to her new team. Unfortunately in her zest for compliance, she lost the team and forgot about her customer. If you have the customer first in mind, you would not post a note like that. Maybe you would post something like this: “Remember to smile and say “Thanks, we’ll see you tomorrow!!!!”

 

This experience was a great reinforcement of the first rule of sales – “kill ‘em with kindness,” which means we must always keep our customers in mind first for any decisions we make. When we treat each other well, our teams well, everyone treats the customer well.

 

So, THANKS and we hope to see you tomorrow!!!! And, please support your locally owned and operated Sears store.

About Me

 

My name is Guy Reda and I am the Division Vice President for Sears Hometown Stores based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

 

About Sears Hometown Stores

 

Sears Hometown Stores are two Sears store formats located away from shopping malls. Hometown Store is locally owned and operated Sears stores and Home Appliance Showroom is the leader in home appliance shopping. Our friendly and knowledgeable store owners and showroom managers proudly serve your local community and offer you largest selection of home appliances, tool and lawn and garden equipment, and home electronics, exceptional customer service, best price guaranteed plus credit, delivery, installation and protection agreements.

 

Sears Hometown Stores established in 1993

www.SearsHomeTownStores.com

 

Sears Home Appliance Showroom established in 2007

www.SearsHomeApplianceShowroom.com

 

Sears in Spanish

http://espanol.sears.com

   

 

Sears Home Appliances - at Kmart?

Aug

03

2009

Yes, you read correctly. In Birmingham, Alabama, Sears is trying a new concept - to integrate Sears Home Appliances into Kmart stores. The store-within-a-store has its own entrance, checkout counters and sales team and offers Sears' in-store and at-home support service options including price comparisons, installation and repair. Take a look at some pictures from the Birmingham store:

What do you think about this? Would having Sears appliances in the same space as your local Kmart make shopping more convenient? Why or why not?

Keeping it Cool

Jun

15

2009

By: The Ice Box 

 

    As the summer comes, people start to rely on their fridges more and more. Cold drinks, mass quantities of food for parties, and even the kids being home from school can put a new level of stress on your refrigerator.

    Does the inside of your refrigerator seem too warm?  You might find yourself thinking, “It seemed to work fine just a couple of weeks ago!” And it may still be working fine- let's take a look at a few reasons that may temporarily make you think your fridge is not working as well as it should.

    Cold drinks are a key to knowing how well your fridge is keeping things cool. Things like orange juice and bottled water are great indicators of how cold your fridge is keeping everything. If the temperature of those drinks are not right, adjust the temperature controls slightly and wait about 24 hours for the temps to change. The cold drinks should change also.

     It is very common during the summer to store a lot of food in the fridge (or freezer) for an upcoming party or event. As you load up the fridge to the maximum, it is important to remember that it takes time to cool all the new food down to the set temperature. The more food you add, the longer it takes. If you know that you have loaded up the fridge, you may want to adjust the temperature control to a little cooler. Remember to set it back to your normal setting once all that extra food is gone!

    Kids are another forgotten contributor to higher interior temperatures. Everyone probably remembers being a kid standing in front of the fridge with the door wide open trying to figure out what to have. (Or maybe you are still doing this as an adult trying to pick out the right snack...) Well, every time that door stays open for an extended period of time the fridge has to work extra hard to bring all of that lost cooling back. You may open the freezer and think the temperature is too warm, not having seen little Mikey holding the door open for fifteen minutes picking out just the right juice box for the moment. Close the door and check again in a couple of hours.

    The key thing to remember is any elevated temperatures in the fridge (or freezer) may be temporary. It is best to check back after a couple of hours before calling for service. If the problem persists for a day or two, then there may be something wrong and you will want to call a certified technician.

    Just follow some of these tips and hopefully you won't have to worry about waiting for a repair man when nothing is truly wrong and instead you can spend your time outside enjoying summer!