Excellent customer service and local support have been a winning combination for Perfect Home Furniture in Airdrie, which has won Gold in the 2020 Best Furniture, Home Decor and Appliances categories in the Best of Airdrie Readers’ Choice Awards.
“We noticed an overwhelming amount of the people from Airdrie going out of their way to support local,” said sales manager Brad Seward.
The local theme extends to a second location in South Calgary, which is also owned and operated by Airdronians.
“The community is really focused on supporting each other. We try to make sure we elevate our standard, so they keep us in mind,” he said. “The people around here are a big part of why we’ve been so successful.”
Part of elevating the store’s standard includes providing a wide variety of products and creating a welcoming atmosphere, Seward said.
“We play our music a little bit louder than everybody else, and we want to be our customer’s friend,” he said. “We try to build a relationship with our customers and give them an elevated level of service.”
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, customers were greeted with the smell of fresh chocolate chip cookies and coffee. If children were present, hot chocolate and a visit to a big TV with Netflix were on the menu. Since new health and safety protocols have been put in place, this service is sadly on hold.
“It’s not always easy to buy furniture when you’ve got kids in tow...we’d have our customer experience specialist make sure it’s okay with mom and dad and then take them over there, figure out their favourite show and give them some chocolate chip cookies,” he said.
Seaward said it’s all about providing the customer with a “stress-free, low pressure” experience with a variety of products, styles and price points.
“We do a ton of customization,” he said. “There are all kinds of different options that customers can choose from.”
If a customer finds any frame of furniture they like, various configurations and hundreds of fabrics are available to choose from, Seaward said.
“We’re just here to help customers meet their needs and build their perfect home,” he said.
Seward, who has worked at Perfect Home Furniture for three and a half years, said it’s always rewarding to earn a customer’s business.
“It becomes a personal relationship,” he said. “When you’re able to smile and shake hands at the end of it all. You know the customer's happy, and you’ve served your purpose.”
The customer-sales relationship continues until the product is in their home, and often goes beyond just that when the customer refers a friend or family member to the store, Seward said.
“If we keep doing that and building our reputation that way, then we’re doing something right, and we’ll probably win a few more of these awards,” he said. “I can’t overstate the point that we really appreciate the support we get from the community.”
This is the fourth Readers’ Choice Award Perfect Home Furniture has won.
“It’s nice to see the community give us the support year after year,” he added. “The people around here are a big part of why we’re successful.”
