Footwear Insight

36 • Footwear Insight ~ November/December 2024 footwearinsight.com GOLD MEDAL SERVICE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE 2024 "Soleful Endeavors (formerly Foot Solutions Scottsdale) is a 'Sit and Fit' retail store with no online sales or service. We are dedicated to ascertaining the client's problem whether it be foot, ankle, knee, hip or back pain, difficult to fit feet (we get a ton of narrow feet) or 'fashion orthopedic' shoes for special occasions. My associates and myself have to first understand the Problem before we can offer Solutions. It is a very intimate situation where we actually inspect naked feet for pressure calluses, bunions, hammertoes, edema and on and on. We do a gait analysis and check for leg length differences. We measure both feet both non-weight bearing and weight bearing. Staffing is always the biggest challenge. Finding people willing to learn how to offer our unique experience rather than just clerking is tough! Going the extra mile and offering fit and fashion sets us apart from online and other shoe stores." Sue Orischak, Soleful Endeavors "We take customer service very seriously and we always strive to give our customers the best experience possible… We design, manufacture and fit custom-molded shoes, sandals and orthotics in our store. We are one of the few stores le in the country that does it all. We are also a diabetic shoe supplier for some of the largest Insurance and Medicare providers in the area. Best-Made Shoes is a nationally accredited Pedorthic facility and has two board-certified pedorthists, the first father and son pedorthists in the history of Pittsburgh. Our store also makes house calls to private homes, hospitals and nursing homes for people that can't get to us because of Illness or lack of transportation. Best-Made Shoes also does shoe repair which is a lost art in the United States… ese are some of the reasons we have survived with the Internet, DTC, throwaway shoes and other causes that contribute to the decline of independent stores." Marc Rosen, Best-Made Shoes "When our first store opened in 1914, a sign was hung over the door telling shoppers 'You are always a guest before you are a customer.' We try to honor that today. I don't think there is a secret formula for great guest service, but there are things we try to do. Listen to your guests (we send out guest service surveys to help us there), to measure service efforts (we have a mystery shopping company provide us guest experience reports), and to continually work to coach associates. We don't hit home runs all the time, but we just keep trying to stay focused on the guest. We are a small company, but we have worked over the years to add services that our guests value. We offer different ways to shop — guests can pay in one location and pick up in another, they can buy online, and have it shipped to them or to a store, and they can shop in store and have the item shipped to them from another store. We offer store-to-store specials and can notify the guest that via text when the order has arrived. We have the Aetrex foot scanners in our store, which help to add value to the in-store experience. We also run many community-centric initiatives, like our shoe donation program, our college scholarships, and broad support to local fundraisers." Chris Stanley, Lamey-Wellehan Shoes "Our customer service philosophy is rooted in the belief that every customer deserves a personalized experience. As part of our 'Sit and Fit' process, our sales team greets every customer, seats them, and takes the time to assess their footwear requirements thoroughly. One of our biggest challenges is balancing the increasing demand for speed and efficiency with our commitment to quality service. We are upfront with customers about our process, emphasizing that finding Sue Orischack, Soleful Endeavors. Best-Made Shoes, Pittsburgh. CONSISTENTLY CONSISTENT Delivering outstanding service year-after-year is the definition of consistency. These seven stores have earned Footwear Insight's Gold Medal Service Award for Customer Service every year from 2016 through this year's 2024 awards. Reyers Shoe Store Niles, OH Schuler Shoes St. Louis Park, MN Stan's Fit for Your Feet Brookfield, WI The Foot Spot Leawood, KS Tops For Shoes Asheville, NC Valley Sole Huntsville, AL Woldruff's Footwear & Apparel Goshen, IN

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