RWR REAL WORLD RETAIL
POOR MARKETING EXPERIENCE Store owner Omar Jawad
told ME that their coupon pro- motions never paid off despite three or four attempts to draw new customers looking for a deal.
Te store prides itself on the quality of installers it
employees. Tis is made clear through online
testimonials on multiple web- sites, including Yelp, Google
and the compa- ny website.
“It’s good to work with a friend
most of the time, almost like a marriage. You have your high points and your low points. There are times when I wanted to take a step back, chill out and let him do things, and there have been other times when he’s done the same thing. We have each other’s backs,” said Jawad, who is married with two sons and another child on the way. He recalled being business-mind-
ed even at a very young age. When he was 13 years old, he would collect donations for the American Cancer Society, The Humane Soci- ety or any organization that offered prizes, he said, so he could win something. He remembers winning bikes, canoes and other incentives. “That is where I got the social skills that I still use with my customers,” he said. “When I was 16 years old, I started my own auto detailing business, Wax On, Wax Off, and made $250 to $300 a week. That was a lot of money in 1991. I always knew you had to work hard, and I’d treat those cars well by thinking: Would I be happy with this?” Jawad maintains that same
attitude today and strives to make sure his customers are comfortable
46 Mobile Electronics January 2014
as soon as they walk into the store. “We greet our customers with a warm welcome. We are friendly, and we never pressure our custom- ers to make a purchase they are not comfortable with,” he said. “We focus on quality and reliability. We want our installation to be some- thing that lasts for a long time so we’re not working on cars again for free. They get lifetime warranties, so we want to give them an indus- trial-strength installation.” He emphasized that Sound Depot and Performance is not a fab shop even though they have this capability. They are much more in- terested in retailing: selling quality products at solid profit margins and putting them in cars the right way the first time, so customers don’t come back with any prob- lems. In addition, they offer cus- tomers a 12-month upgrade policy. “This helps us close sales by pro- viding a weary customer with the option to change his or her system later on if they want more,” Jawad said. “We’re good at what we do, and we do right by the customer. Our reputation is so strong, every- one knows they may spend more money if they come here, but it’s worth it.”
“Tey don’t work, not in this business — I don’t think our industry is a coupon industry,” he shared. “Coupons are for oil changes for $19.99. We don’t offer stuff we can sell at those prices.”
He also noted Sound Depot
and Performance hasn’t been listed in the phone book for two years, not even in the yellow pages. “We’re all about technology and people aren’t picking up books anymore,” he added.
THREE BRANDS Memphis Car Audio (15 years) JL Audio (7 years) Elettromedia (15 weeks)
What type of relationship do you have with their sales reps and principals?
“I’m pleased with most of my reps. I have an excellent working relationship that goes beyond business,” said Omar Jawad, co-owner and sales manager, Sound Depot and Performance.
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