I grew up working at Ralph’s Hardwood Floors, the company my father founded in 1965. I enjoyed the work, but when I went off to college at UW-Oshkosh, I didn’t think Ralph’s was the career I wanted.
Then one day Dad called me at school and asked if I’d go by a customer’s house near campus and give an estimate for new hardwood flooring they wanted. He didn’t have time to make the 45-minute drive down from Black Creek, and I was right there. He figured I could handle it.
I wasn’t so sure. I had never quoted on a job before, and I had never been the main point of contact for a customer. It seemed like a “sales” job to me, and I didn’t think I’d be comfortable in that role.
But Dad asked, so I did it. I put on my best corduroy pants (they were in style at the time!) and my nicest shirt and showed up to give the estimate.
Then a funny thing happened. The homeowners were nice people, and we began shooting the breeze, getting to know each other. I relaxed and started being myself instead of a scared college kid.
When we got to their floors, they told me the look they wanted and how they were thinking about getting it. Then, without at all feeling like a salesman, I gave them a recommendation based on the experience I already had working with Dad. I liked them, and I truly wanted them to get the floors that would make them the happiest.
They had been considering a red oak floor, but I suggested that white oak would look better with the trim they already had in their home. After I showed them some samples, they agreed.
After the installation, they were very pleased with the results, and it gave me a great feeling to know I had played a part.
That day, I realized that “sales,” when done with a sincere desire to help people, is something that I actually enjoy. It’s not about being pushy or trying to make money at the expense of our customers; it’s about getting to know people and helping them get what they want so they’ll be happy customers.
I realized that’s something I’d enjoy doing the rest of my life.
We recently put together the 2014 edition of the Ralph’s Hardwoods Idea Book, and it celebrates this process of helping customers get the floors of their dreams. It features stories and pictures of projects in which we’ve helped homeowners create beautiful floors that are uniquely their own.
These are the types of projects and customers that keep me excited about the work I do every day. I think the Idea Book will help get you excited about the possibilities of how Ralph’s can help you!
Photo courtesy of mer chau. Available under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License.
