HENDEL’S HISTORY BOOK, cont.
Unlocking Compressors-Building Credibility
Frequently people called Hendel’s and inquired about the cost of compressor replacements. The customers were always asked "How do you know your compressor needs to be replaced?" We offered our customers a free second opinion. Many times our technicians found the compressors had not failed but were just "locked up."
Repairing the compressor for just the cost of a service call instead of paying $500 to $600 made our customers very happy. They told their friends and the word-of-mouth advertising was far-reaching. We also changed our Penny Saver ads to read, "YOUR COMPRESSOR MAY NOT BE BAD. Just call Hendel’s for a free second opinion." Our credibility increased and we gained many new customers.
Hendel's Showroom
One day Linda and I took the kids to the Miner’s Camp Restaurant in Mesa. I noticed a large potbelly stove in the lobby of the restaurant. I mentioned to Linda that because we were in the heating and air conditioning business it would be nice to display that old stove in our store window. I asked the owner if the stove was for sale and he said he would take $1800 for it. Linda and I didn’t have that kind of money but a few weeks later I found a similar one at a neighborhood garage sale and purchased it for $250. I put the stove on display and then thought that it would be appropriate to have something to represent the cooling end of the business.
Every Saturday morning on the way to work I stopped at a few garage sales. Not only did I collect old electric fans, I began collecting other things like antique tools, radios, toys, bicycles, flashlights, cameras, and many other items!
After several years I had quite the collection. I decided to enhance the showroom by intermixing all the different air conditioners in the showroom with antiquated objects. So I brought my various antique collections into the showroom and put them on display. The collections have brought a surprising amount of attention to Hendel’s Air Conditioning showroom. The displays became so popular that I appointed one of the employees to conduct tours.
We currently have a desert botanical garden under construction that is nearing completion. Here again we used our unique marketing philosophy to dedicate a portion of the floor space in order to draw people’s attention. In addition the various displays at Hendel’s creates a very soothing atmosphere.
