CES Gardner: A Family to Anyone Who Walks Through the Door
One day, an older woman and her son walked into the Concord Electric Supply branch in Gardner, Massachusetts, for a new fan because the lights on hers weren’t bright enough. Now, maybe if she’d walked into a different distributor she would have simply gotten the new fan. But she didn’t. She walked into CES Gardner, so things went a little differently.
Leaving with a Smile
“She wasn’t familiar with LED, so I walked her through it,” said CES Gardner Operations Manager Derek Franks. “I thought it might be easier for her to try new light bulbs instead of replacing the whole fan. I gave her four on the house and told her that if they worked, she could come back and take care of it. If not, we’d find her the right fan.”
There wasn’t anything unique about that customer interaction for CES Gardner.
“We want everyone to walk out with a smile,” said Franks. “She came in and didn’t know what options she had. I talked to her and got her the info she needed. We want you to leave with a smile, not questions.”
Coming Back with Cookies
She did leave with a smile. She also came back with one… and cookies… and a thank-you note.
“It was a happy thing, a great feeling,” said Franks. “We love knowing we helped someone. I’ve found that a little experience and a little happiness can really ease someone’s day.”
Franks loves knowing the branch helped someone, and he also loved the cookies.
“They were shortbread buttercream cookies — delicious,” he said. “The branch manager came out and said, ‘Cookies!’”
The team that helped her together enjoyed the cookies together.
The CES Gardner Family
“There’s only three of us in the store,” explained Franks. “It’s me, the driver, and the branch manager. We all high-fived each other. We were glad we did good.”
They work so well together in part because they’ve known each other so long.
“You have to understand us. I’ve known the branch manager for 20 years, and I’ve known the driver for 25 years. Lunch is never a question around here. We bring each other snacks, coffee, lunch. We’re a family and we try to open up that family to anyone who walks through the door.”
That’s why Franks loves coming to work every day. It’s also why customers keep coming back. CES Gardner will do everything they can to help anyone who stops by the branch. If you’re ever in the area and need a hand, it’s safe to say we know a team that will take care of you.