Footwear Insight

28 • Footwear Insight ~ November/December 2023 footwearinsight.com Photos : Jonathan Arlia GOLD MEDAL SERVICE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE 2023 TOP SCORING STORE: ALAN'S SHOES, TUCSON, AZ SIMPLY A WINNING FORMULA T he more things change, the more they stay the same. e top-scoring store in Footwear Insight's annual Gold Medal Awards listing in 2019, Alan's Shoes, which has two locations in Tucson, Arizona, is once again at the top of the list this year. Founded by Alan and Annette Miklofsky in 1982, Alan's Shoes is thriving under new ownership, having joined the Sole Provisions Family of stores in January 2021. e Sole Provisions family includes a 24-store nationwide network and an online presence. Tyler Lebour veau, store manager of the Oracle Road location of Alan's Shoes in Tucson, tells us that when it comes to customer service, the formula for success is not that complicated. "One of our favorite things to say in training is: It's just shoes, keep it simple!" he says, adding, "Fun fact is most of our staff, including myself, started out as customers for Alan's Shoes." When it comes to hiring and retaining team members, two keys he likes to focus on are empathy and passion. "Empathy: Our customers are primarily coming to us because their feet hurt and we are here to help as much as we possibly can," Lebourveau explains. "We shoot for a strong understanding of why our customers are in pain accompanied by our staff 's knowledge of common foot ailments to recommend the right footwear for the job. We believe in three crucial components when finding the right shoe for every single customer: Shock absorption, natural alignment, and weight distribution." He continues, "Passion is something that is hard to teach, either you've got it, or you don't. Being passionate about what you do in life makes everything so much more enjoyable. I know we all clock out and head home with a feeling of satisfaction and pride because we helped change someone's life with the right pair of shoes." As part of a larger network of parent company Sole Provision's stores, Alan's benefits from having access to a wider variety of products, brands, styles and sizes. e shop's products range from outdoor and athletic to more casual/business casual, and includes a large sandal selection for most of the year. "When a customer has their heart set on a specific color of a shoe and we just sold our last pair in that particular size, it's a quick phone call and we can have exactly what they were looking for in-store roughly three days later, rather than a two-week turn around for placing an order directly with the brand," says Lebourveau. Looking ahead, Lebourveau says, "I'm optimistic for another great year. We have a very strong staff, a phenomenal support team from those above the store level, and as always a fantastic customer base that we are always happy to serve!" n The Alan's Shoes team in Tucson. Back row, l to r: Robyn Cypher, Sabrina Sanchez, Kaedo Lambert, Rachael Thurman, Rebecca Macwhorter, Chattman Shippy and Chris Moreno. Front row, l to r: Sandra Natera, Tyler LeBourveau, Sarah Stewart, and Hanna Franz. Sabrina Sanchez on the fitting stool with a customer. Rachael Thurman at the register at Alan's Shoes.

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