The Abt experience
One of the most vital ways that Abt Electronics distinguishes itself from the competition is in the experience it provides customers.
Abt Electronics operates around the motto “The answer is yes to any reasonable request.” That means, says Abt, that if the customer wants something reasonable — for example, if a stove is dented during delivery and the customer asks for a new one — the company does it, no questions asked.
And to ensure that all reasonable requests are honored, Abt authorizes employees to make the decision themselves about whether to honor a request.
“We let all our new employees know that, ‘Hey, you don’t need to go ask a manager to see if you can help this customer make sure they get this TV out right away so they can have it for a birthday party,” says Abt. “Just go put it in a car and get it done. It’s hard to instill, because people aren’t used to making their own decisions, and you really need all your employees to have that attitude, not just the managers.
“A new employee may say, ‘Maybe we’re giving too much away. We’re going to lose money on this sale.’ We accept that on a short-term basis because we need to make people happy. We’re just one store, and they need to come back to us. So we never penalize anyone for doing too much. They get it, but it does take months to really understand it and believe it.”
In addition to the customer service experience, Abt has worked hard to ensure that customers have a positive shopping experience in the store. For example, he installed fun, interactive displays that have nothing to do with electronics or appliances, the showroom features a large courtyard with a fountain and kids can play with a large bubble machine or watch tropical fish in a 20-foot-long saltwater tank. It’s simple things like these, says Abt, that really help the company stand out.
“We’ve got a single store, so we enjoy the products, we enjoy all our exhibits ourselves,” says Abt. “It’s kind of like collecting art — we just collect it in our business. It’s really priceless, because it makes us unique.”
And being unique is what it’s all about when it comes to Abt’s retail success. By taking steps to stand out from the crowd — from setting the right price to creating a stellar experience — the company has not only weathered the growth of big-box electronics chains but thrived alongside them.
“We want to enjoy our work, our business, and I think our customers benefit a lot from that, too,” says Abt. “We’re a serious customer, but we’re all about having a good experience for ourselves and our customers. We are one store, and people usually do have to drive from far away to get to us. But we’ve been successful for 70 years.”
HOW TO REACH: Abt Electronics, www.abtelectronics.com