What do people do during a global pandemic with extra time on their hands and nowhere to go? They revisit their long awaited to-do lists!
“Many turned to home projects, helping revitalize a family business that’s in its fourth generation and more than a century old.” stated Grant Welker, reporter for the Boston Business Journal. These do-it-yourselfers were in need of quality supplies at fair prices, Aubuchon Hardware quickly became their home away from home.
"I think a lot of customers discovered customer service," said executive chairman and third-generation family member, Bernard Aubuchon. Aubuchon Hardware became something of an “unexpected find” for many who were looking to conquer home improvement and maintenance projects.
For years we have grown accustomed to fending off deeper-pocketed rivals like Home Depot, Lowe’s and Amazon, but our small family owned chain has one attribute that big box stores cannot compete with - customer service. Our high level of straightforward customer service originates from the soul of our business. When you walk into an Aubuchon Hardware, you're not just a customer; you're family.
Only a decade into existence, we were faced with our first pandemic - the 1918 Spanish Flu. A lot of what was learned then has been passed down through generations of family. Though times have changed, the need for genuine customer service has not. We have been able to improve our customer service through utilizing technological innovations such as online ordering. Our website, HardwareStore.com, gives customers the ability to buy online pickup in store with optional curbside pickup, find the exact aisle a product is located in, shop by specific category, receive online only offers, and even ship items directly to their local store for no additional charge!
Before the pandemic, online ordering accounted for less than 1% of our total sales. Since the whole world was trending toward digital, we continued investing more into our website and online ordering experience. This investment benefitted us greatly throughout the past year and a half. Not only have we adapted to the new ways of retail, but we have also adapted to the new ways of marketing, moving from physical mail and newspaper circulars to email and social media.
Nevertheless, we continue to thrive, maintaining levels above 2020 revenue while holding our own against stiff competition. Regardless of what the world throws at us next, we will always prioritize high-caliber customer service.