What does customer service mean to us? We always like to think about service in terms of what we’d want if we were the customer. In general it means that when you come into our store, you are treated with care and welcomed with a smile. It means that you are not only listened to but everything that is important to you is heard. It means that all your questions are answered with truth and informed by the years of experience that each of our teammates have under their belt.
The biggest challenge that most retailers face (Metropolitan Appliance included), is balancing price, customer service, and speed. There are many large retailers out there, that over time, have reduced staffing levels to keep their costs extremely low. In these stores, you may have experienced wandering through their appliance area for minutes and minutes without being spoken to or asked any questions. For some people, this is fine. They have done their research online and know exactly what they want. They know what fits in their space, the dimensions of the item they are looking for, the brand and the model. They are good to go in their minds and they just need someone to ring up their purchase so they can go back home and get on with their day.
If you are anything like me, you will require more. Sure, I have spent some time researching online and have a general idea about what I want, but I need some in-depth “Q & A” with a person who has more knowledge than I do about appliances and experience addressing all of the potential installation perils that lie in wait. In larger “big box” stores, you may be rushed as there may be others waiting and you may get some impatience from the associate helping you, which is understandable since they are the only one in their department. You really cannot blame them though. They want to help everyone they can and only have so much time in the day.
The picture that I am trying to paint is that over the years many of these larger retailers have sacrificed their customer service for lower prices. That in and of itself is not necessarily a bad thing depending on what you require as a customer. For our team, however, everyone who walks through our doors will receive the attention and knowledge that they want and need. We know that the additional time needed to listen and furnish recommendations as well as the time that it takes to ask questions about your unique installation situation are all worthwhile in getting you a product that is perfect for your needs while at the same time mitigating a lot of the most common challenges that prevent installation from taking place.
When it comes to our pricing, we are part of a national buying group that allows us to place orders with other smaller retailers across the country to leverage our collect volume to keep up with those larger stores. Furthermore, you’ll find that stores like ours are able to extend rebate and financing promotions that the larger stores may not even have access to as most of the manufacturers understand that these additional incentives are important to purchasers that come into independent appliance stores whereas they require too much explaination to be of value in larger “big box” stores.
We are very proud of the service we provide. It really shows if you look at our Google Reviews rating (4.9 out of 5) or our Yelp rating (4.5 out of 5). We strive to make you our number on priority in our store or if you call us over the phone. When we talk to you, you have our full attention.
Our customer service doesn’t end when you purchase your appliance and leave our store either. We get just as many rave reviews about our installation technicians as we do about our salespeople! You are essentially inviting Metropolitan Appliance into your home and we are grateful for the opportunity to give you friendly service and a technically perfect installation. One of the biggest benefits to buying from Metropolitan Appliance is that because we do not outsource any of our installation work we are much more flexible with our delivery dates and are very sensitive to urgent issues — especially if your mother-in-law is coming over for dinner and your range just quit working!
So, search for the best price, absolutely! (We price match!) Look up reviews of businesses, for sure. Make informed decisions on products, no doubt about it. There is a reason that certain brands are rated higher than others and there is also a reason why some retailers are rated higher than others. Customer Service shouldn’t cost any extra when buying from our store and better service is like icing on the cake.