Footwear Insight

Schuler Heaton, who manages the chain's warehouse. —BM Beck's Shoes A year removed from its 100th anniversary, fifth-generation-owned Beck's Shoes is moving forward with confidence despite impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. "We slowed our thought process, but nothing has changed for Beck's Shoes," says CEO Adam A. Beck who operates the Silicon Valley- based chain of 19 shoe stores that specialize in safety footwear but also offer a range of lifestyle and athletic styles. "We are very confident in our business model, and know consumers need our niche-type service and products," adds Beck, who leads the chain with cousin and chain COO Julia Beck-Gomez. "We sell between 2-5 percent of the population within each of our trade areas, and we know that we can improve on that .50 to 1.0 percent within the next 18 months, which is a lot of shoes sold." Beyond mask wearing, the COVID- 19 pandemic has forced Beck's to alter its service approach. "The mask has really been challenging when servicing consumers," admits Adam. "Not being able to read the non-verbal cues has forced us to really take it to the next level with charisma and energy while still adapting quickly to the consumers ultimate needs." Throughout 2020, the CEO says the chain's staff has been among its most important assets. "Our commitment to always find the best talent has not let us down," says Adam, adding a chain strategy to "double down" with recruitment expenditures has paid dividends. "We owe so much to the amazing people that work for us," he says. "Julia and I are motivated to grow internally as well as externally to support the team members/families that have sacrificed to make it happen for us. Words cannot describe how indebted we are to them." —BM Foot Solutions – Lehigh Valley When Mallory Casciole stepped into a new role as the general manager at Foot Solution – Lehigh Valley this past January, she says, "I never expected it to be in the middle of a pandemic!" But Casciole, a pedorthist, kept the PA-based shop running. Even while it was closed from March 17-June 4, she was there answering calls, offering curbside pickup and providing customers with free shipping. "By far the biggest challenge was not actually having our customers be allowed to come into the store," says Casciole. "It's hard to guess what style might work for your customer when you aren't allowed to have them come in and be properly fitted." However, while the store was closed it did a "tremendous repeat style business," notes Casciole. And the store adapted its strategies in order to meet its customers' needs. That has continued after the store reopened, too. "We've always been able to take phone orders, but now we mention it regularly as an option to customers when they call or come in," says Casciole. "We've been open since June and we still receive a steady flow of phone orders. Offering curbside pickup while we were closed and continuing it when we reopened gave customers the peace of mind that we had a contactless pickup option. We also remodeled an extra room we had in the back office area and converted it into a private fitting room. That room has been a great option for anyone who needs a more socially distant atmosphere." Despite the challenging year, the shop's customer base has been uplifting. "The most memorable customer interactions we've had are the customers who come in now that we are reopened and are so thrilled we are reopened and ready to help them," says Casciole. "It's a strong sense of community here. They ask how we are doing, how are families are doing. Many of our customers were worried we might not reopen and couldn't be more excited we are back." In April, the store sent out a letter to its customers thanking them for their continued support and enclosed a mask with every letter. "We sent out hundreds of masks," says Casciole. "We didn't see it as a marketing approach, but rather just a way to let our customers know we were thinking of them, hoping they were faring well, and we would look forward to seeing them again as soon as restrictions were lifted. We got such a great response from that! I heard over and over how impactful it was to our customers." Says Casciole, "Overall, if 2020 has taught us anything, it is that sometimes you have to pivot your approach on the fly. What was working yesterday may not work tomorrow. Being flexible on all operational aspects is the key." —CG Comfort Footworks In this year like no other, one thing Tim Ricket says he is definitely grateful for is his staff. "I have the best staff anyone could ask for," says Ricket, owner of Matthews, NC-based Comfort 26 • Footwear Insight ~ December 2020 footwearinsight.com "Our com- mitment to always find the best tal- ent has not let us down. We owe so much to the amaz- ing people that work for us." Adam A. Beck, Beck's Shoes "It's a strong sense of community here. They ask how we are doing, how are families are doing. Many of our customers were worried we might not reopen and couldn't be more excited we are back." Mallory Casciole, Foot Solutions RETAIL Foot Solutions Beck's Shoes

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