Servicing What We Sell: A Value from the Very Beginning

We've built a reputation of Honesty, Integrity, and Reliability since 1909, and an important part of that is servicing what we sell. Our founder, Alfred J. Richard (A.J.), made it his mission to build a reputation for service and reliability throughout the years. He was always extremely passionate about providing quick and reliable assistance to his customers. After all, he was only a child when he began to develop his love for customer service! "By the time I was seven, I was waiting on customers after school, becoming an all-round hardware clerk," he once said.

A.J. developed the basis of "Servicing What We Sell" during the Golden Age of Radio. In 1929, A.J. began selling Zenith radios in the family's hardware store. Zenith produced several models of five-tube radios, and A.J. stocked them all! Because these early radios were quite temperamental, only a few salespeople knew how to fix them when they had glitches. Factory service on radios and other home electronics was not good at the time, so A.J. made sure to learn the ins and outs of radio technology.

A.J. taught himself how to troubleshoot and repair the products he sold, which allowed him to create a distinct reputation for customer service. P.C. Richard & Son quickly became known for standing behind products after the sale, a unique aspect of the company. If a customer's radio or TV ever suddenly stopped working, they found reassurance in knowing they could call us for help!

A.J. taught us the importance of remaining aware of our customers' needs and delivering exceptional service; a tradition we continue today. As he often put it, Richard IS Reliable. I have protected and worked for those words all my life. You cannot just say you are reliable. You must earn that reputation each and every minute of the day, day in and day out," he once said.

Gary Richard, former president and CEO, recently said, "We take care of our customers before, during, and after the sale. That's the P.C. Richard & Son way. We're in the service business because we want to be in it." His son Gregg, our current president and CEO, adds, "We always keep in mind what the customer needs, and we help them choose the right products based on what will be the best fit for them and their family. And if something doesn't work, we want to be able to control that experience." Everything we do is for our customers, and we stand behind each and every product that we sell. "Between deliveries, installation, and appliance service, we're knocking on 5,000 customers' doors each day."

We're authorized to service nearly all major brands of appliances as well as electronics. Should you experience any issues, our highly skilled, courteous technicians will come to your home with fully-stocked service vans to quickly diagnose and repair all home appliances and TVs 37" and larger. If it requires specific parts not inventoried, these parts will be ordered and expedited to us. A return visit will be scheduled as soon as possible to complete the repair.

Our team's mission is to make every single shopper's experience a great one. We're always happy to go above and beyond to provide excellent customer service.

Acknowledgements: The informative content of this blog is from our book Work Well Done: The 100-Year Story of P.C. Richard & Son by Jim H. Smith. If you'd like to learn more about our rich history, copies are available for purchase at any of our store locations!