Home Appliance Sales and Service welcomes seasoned sales veteran Lenny Kaminski to the team
By Bill Yurgen
The appliance business is not for the faint of heart. In our area, names like Northeast Appliance, Sun TV, Circuit City and, more recently, HH Gregg, have come and gone.
A Better Appliance Store
For locally owned retailer Home Appliance Sales and Service, which thrives where others have failed, the key to success seems to lie in having a few critical elements.
The first is having an in-house service department that backs every sale, and even offers service and parts for brands they don’t sell. Having real-life experience with what works and what doesn’t gives the sales team an extraordinary advantage when guiding customers.
The fact that Home Appliance does its own installations and deliveries doesn’t hurt either.
According to sales manager Dan Edwards, “When it comes to the customer experience, we maintain complete control at the retail end. To us, disappointment is not an option.”
The Dream Sales Team
Another element of the company’s success lies in the bench strength of its organization.
By constantly adding and grooming talent in all aspects of the business, Home Appliance has assembled an enviable staff—especially in the sales department.
Meet Lenny!
Lenny Kaminski, who has over 40 years of experience in the appliance industry, is a perfect example of how seriously Home Appliance takes its dedication to offering superior service. With the recent closure of B&B Appliance, where Lenny was a 25-year veteran, the relationship between him and Home Appliance was as predictable as it was a natural progression.
“This company has such a positive vibe. Beth Grayson, the owner, empowers the sales force in order to ensure customer satisfaction, which in turn ensures their loyalty,” Lenny says. “She’s built a very successful business and is intent on growing it intelligently.”
Does Lenny’s Approach Fit the Way Home Appliance Does Business?
“After being here several months beyond the ‘honeymoon’ period, I have to say I am thrilled with everything about the company, especially the staff. My former employer did not offer service or installation, which is critical as more home owners trend toward built-in appliances.
The most important point is that we are in complete agreement about how the customer should be treated. For me, the key to my success has been to build relationships, trust and customer loyalty.”
Beating the Big Guys
I asked Lenny how competing with the box stores affects business.
“That’s the question I most often hear when I am out and about and tell someone where I work,” he shares.
“They want to know how we can compete against the big guys. My response is that we not only compete, we usually beat their prices. We are part of a network of thousands of independent dealers, which actually gives us more buying power than the big chains. A very important point is that quite often when people buy appliances, they are buying them as part of a home remodel or for new construction.
We will hold and store your purchase in our warehouse at no additional charge until your project is ready for it. That allows you to have flexibility on delivery while buying at the most opportune time. We also are far better versed than the average big box store when customers want advice on all of the new technology that’s so popular today.”
Home Appliance Sales and Service is at 1997 Pearl Road in Brunswick. You may phone them at 330-225-5807. Hours are Monday and Thursday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. The Lodi store is located at 110 Highland Drive. Phone 330-948-4663. Hours are Monday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; closed on Sundays. Visit them at YourHomeAppliance.com.