I walked up to the cash register (item in hand) and said: Hey, do you have any more of these?
Nice guy at the register: I can check. How many are you looking for?
Me: About 40. {Nice guy at the register looks a little shocked.}
Me: I have this youth choir and every other year we go on tour and we sing at places like homeless shelters and hospitals and ...
I went on to explain who we are, what we do, and why I needed 40 of this item. And when I was done, this very nice guy at the register said, "Youth choir, huh? Well, I'm the store manager and I'm going to help you. Whatever that price tag says, we're going to take 50% off. Now, let's see if we can find 40 of these."
It was my turn to be shocked. I was floored at the kindness and generosity of this person. I didn't know he was the store manager - but I was really glad he was there!
Unfortunately, they didn't have 40 in stock. Al searched high and low and we just couldn't find what we needed. Visits to other stores were unsuccessful so when I went back to the Bowie store, I planned to thank Al for his time and continue my quest. I was pretty bummed. And tired. I had done everything I could to make it work and it was time to give up -- and I hate giving up.
But Al wouldn't hear of it. By the time the night was over, I had what I needed. And Al's generosity resulted in a total cost savings of more than $650. Can you believe that?
More than that, Al delivered a level of customer service that I have rarely seen. We searched for HOURS to find what I wanted. He adopted my quest as his own. He took my vision and made it his own personal mission-- and he did it with incredible kindness, respect, patience, and joy. You don't find that every day.
On the back of Al's business card, this Vision Statement is printed:
Sears Holdings is committed to improving the lives of our customers by providing quality services, products and solutions that earn their trust and build lifetime relationships.
Lots of places have these types of statements. But Al made it a reality. I've had some interesting experiences at Sears over the years and until yesterday, I wouldn't say that I was a huge fan. Al has changed that forever. If other Sears store managers are half as fantastic as Al, this company is going to do very well for a very long time.
I'll be back to the Sears in Bowie and I'd encourage all of you to give your business to them whenever possible. Next time you're looking for appliances, power tools, home goods, whatever -- please give Sears a try. And if you see Store Manager Al McClain, please tell him again that Holly and VIP say a very big "Thank you!"