Magic Carpet Ride

Owning a dog often means accepting additional home repairs. Buckley, my dog, recently decided to chew a rather large chunk of carpet as an afternoon snack while I was at work.

Never having replaced carpet before, I wasn't sure who to call, so I went with a place I at least know has carpet- Lowe’s.

First Impressions

As I entered the carpet section last Saturday, an employee (let's call him Brad) gave me a “light up the room” smile and offered to assist me.

I shared my carpet dilemma and Brad laughed, explaining that he went through the exact same thing with his puppy.

[In terms of making a great first impression and building rapport, Brad was outstanding.]

After connecting with me and understanding my problem, he started to show off his knowledge.

He detailed the proper way to install a carpet segment and demonstrated the necessary tools. He covered everything intelligently and clearly, and the detail of his comments made me trust that he knows what he's talking about.

Giving away the sale?

After I picked a sample that resembled my carpet color, he broke the news that Lowe's didn't have that option in stock.

Then he leaned in close: “Listen I’m going to be honest. It’s silly for you to spend money here on this carpet. What you need is a carpet store.”

I liked where this was going. 

“They have tons of colors and samples and you can get a foot for about a buck.”

Brad completely passed up a sale to make my life more convenient AND economical. He even recommended a specific carpet retailer and provided directions. 

Now, while Brad gave away the sale and I won’t be purchasing carpet from Lowe’s, he gained so much more. Any time I need home repairs, I'm going to Lowe's.

And who will I look for? Brad. 

Lesson learned: Sometimes customer service isn’t about making the sale; instead, it’s about building trust and credibility through candor and honesty.