So one morning, I had the opportunity to stop out and visit Shafnisky Electric, a "Lehigh Valley Family Fun" Sponsor. I enter their office where I meet the Office Manager, Heidi, a petite woman, nice as can be and so down to Earth. We start "gabbing" about the business, where I learned more than I had expected. She also serves as the "Dispatcher" and "Customer Service Specialist" too.
For those who have worked with contractors, you know, that on many levels, there is just something missing. Sure, they know their craft but in my experience they lack that "Customer Service" Feel. Return phone calls are few & far between...basic questions are never answered without a service call, which ultimately equals an invoice...and I could go on.
But Shafnisky Electric felt different...and I had to find out why.
I met up with them for lunch a few weeks ago at a local eatery. I needed to find out what separated them from the competition.
Tom Shafnisky, owner & operator of Shafnisky Electric is also a family guy. A devoted husband, and father to 4 little ones he also takes the time to be the Assistant Youth Group Leader at Holy Family of Nazareth Church. As if that wasn't enough, he is a Substitute Teacher for the Institutde of Technology AND the President of the Electrical Contractors of the Lehigh Valley. Gosh, I'm out of breath typing his credentials!
Sure, he has a great resume and he has kids...but so does every other contractor in the Lehigh Valley. What makes him different?
The man could not stop talking about his family. And I mean that in the nicest possible way. Losing his Parents at an early age, he understands the importance of being there for his kids. "I'm a "Hands-on Dad", he explains. "We have fun going for walks, grocery shopping, we have movie nights and make popcorn...Daddy makes it fun". He believes in stressing the importance of Honesty, Integrity and "Your Word IS Your Word". He understands that he is responsible for forming his kids' lives and making them responsible adults.
Ok, so you know a little more about him...but how did Shafnisky Electric begin? He started back in 1988, his business was simple. He worked out of his car and helped his family & friends with their electrical needs. Hence the beginning of Shafnisky Electric.
So, while sitting there at lunch with Tom & Heidi, I started to understand how Tom feels about his clients...they are never an interruption to his day. As he ate, he took phone calls from his technicians, answering questions and providing direction, all while showing a great deal of respect. At no time, did I feel that this was forced behavior or a show for me. By the end of our lunch, I wanted to be part of Shanisky Electric Team!
When you call Shafnisky Electric, you will never be handled by a "Call Center". You will talk to Heidi directly, as she is your first point of contact. When she is not in the office, she checks their voice mail system often to be sure all calls are handled in a timely manner. And yes, this includes evenings & weekends. When a service call is left after hours, Tom is paged immediately.
Heidi also explained to me that many people call with electrical issues that can be handled "over the phone". I'm sorry, What? Helping people with an issue "over the phone"? Now that is what I call CUSTOMER SERVICE! However, I do want to mention not everyone wants to fix their own problems, so in that case or when additional help is needed, a Service Technician is dispatched.
Tom also stressed to me the importance of the "Return Phone Call". "There is nothing worst, wondering what is going on, when you have a problem", says Tom. They like to be upfront with their clients and provide as much information as they possibly can.
I guess to 'NutShell This', Shafnisky Electric is a family-owned business, that is run with the same principles as the Shafnisky family: Respect, Integrity, honesty, with "Hands-On", Customer Service and a "No problem is too small" attitude. Now, that's what I call a true service provider.
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