Store Values:

Each of our stores is perceived as having a specific and unique value to our customers and community.  A description of these values follows below.

Home Improvement Center “Value”

Value: The enhancement of a dream while improving a home

The SOLANO’S Home Improvement Center team realizes everything purchased at their store means someone’s dream is coming true. The sale of a hammer, a shovel, a replacement window, or even five truckloads of lumber and supplies; all are a means to an end. Neither the contractor nor the home owner makes these purchases as “dead ends.” Rather, these purchases provide tools and materials to enhance someone’s dream by improving their home.

As the team understands this “value” that a customer wants from the Home Improvement Center, multiple benefits occur.

First, the Home Improvement Center team interacts with the customer differently than other stores in the industry. The sales team doesn’t come across as “selling” something. Instead, they engage with the customer in light of their “dream.” When the customer is buying that hammer, the team member may ask, “What are you building?” This allows for an interaction that gives more information about the customer’s project…and about their near or long-term dream.

The yard team doesn’t just load the lumber; they ask about what “dream” the lumber is for. The delivery team doesn’t just “drop and go.” They place the material carefully and in a convenient place, making sure the customer knows about the delivery. And the delivery team always keeps in mind, the material they just delivered is facilitating something more important to the customer than just a project.

The second benefit of this concept and type of engagement is the customer begins to realize the SOLANO’S Home Improvement team is more interested in their dream than their purchase. No matter how small the “dream” (hang a picture with the hammer just purchased), or how large (build a mansion), the customer gains a great sense of value from a store that helps them fulfill their dream, rather than just provide tools and materials for a project.

Understanding this value, allows our team member’s to give better advice or make appropriate suggestions, thereby increasing the value of shopping at SOLANO’S Home Improvement Center.

Contractors’ Building Supply “Value”

Value: The ATM of Contractor Building Supplies

The Contractors’ Building Supply is focused on serving contractors. Its function is analogous to an ATM for contractors. An ATM is conveniently located, utilitarian, is able to make quick transactions and always has what you need. THAT is the “value” contractors buy from SOLANO’S Contractors’ Building Supply.

The Building Supply is conveniently located in Mt. Shasta and has the look and feel of a contractors’ job site. The yard is clean, easily accessible and stocked with what a contractor would readily need. The store is like an expanded version of a contractors’ job trailer, stocking the tools and materials a contractor would need to do a task or finish a job.

The Contractors’ Building Supply is not stocked with all of the tools, products and material a contractor would need to complete an entire building project, yet it does have the “grab” tools and materials to fulfill a spur of the moment need, and a yard stocked sufficiently to do certain aspects of a job (a deck, a fence, sufficient lumber to supplement an initial order, etc.)

The convenient location of this store also serves as a hub for contractors to pick up materials. When a contractor calls and orders a certain amount or type of material stocked at the Alpine Hardware or the Home Improvement Center, it can be moved to this location for better customer service.

The knowledge base at this store is more sophisticated in terms of the contractors’ needs and requirements. Unlike a customer’s question about birdseed or refrigerators that can occur at Alpine Hardware, or a home owner’s question about a toilet that may be posed at the Home Improvement Center; the team at the Contractors’ Building Supply knows how to answer questions about materials needed to comply with code, what is the most economical and durable type of decking material, or what is the best load-bearing material for a certain type of beam application.

SOLANO’S Contractors’ Building Supply is a “rough and ready” place for contractors to feel comfortable, special and who always get quick service tailored to their needs.

Rental Center “Value”

Value: Concierge service that provides temporary ownership

People who travel find the concierge service at a large hotel invaluable. No matter how common or strange, the concierge personnel unflappably find ways to fulfill their customers’ requests, AND make it seem easy to do so. Plus, every concierge desk provides the fulfillment of a request with the utmost willingness, friendliness and customer service.

This is the kind of experience customers receive at SOLANO’S Rental Center. No matter the request – a chain saw, a complete wedding event, or a sump pump – the Rental Center team fulfills the request in such an efficient, flawless and friendly way, the customer feels like they’ve just been to a concierge desk. If the item wanted is not stocked – a limousine, a tuxedo or a bounce house – the Rental Center team taps into our Affiliate Network, allowing us to rent whatever the customer wants, rather than just what is held on site.

But there’s more…not only does the Rental Center team effortlessly fulfill rental requests, their attention to detail in preparing the equipment or rental items, training the customer in the usage of it, even how they speak about the item – all give the customer a sense of “temporary ownership.” A “Your chainsaw is ready to fall your tree” concept gives the customer a greater sense of satisfaction in doing “their job.” A bride will more fondly remember (and refer to) “her wedding tent” rather than “the rental tent.”

This subtle difference has a profound effect on helping the SOLANO’S Rental Center stand out as a unique experience; an experience where a customer feels the service of a concierge desk when they rent “their” items to make “their” event or job successful.

 

Alpine Hardware “Value”

Value: Unique Experience of Visiting an Alpine Mountain Lodge…

Value Expanded: A unique experience of visiting an alpine mountain lodge that is warmly inviting, friendly, and engaging. The store has many interesting items to see and affordable items to buy for a customer’s home-improvement and home-enhancement needs. The experience more than the purchased item brings people back.

Intimately linked with other SOLANO’S stores, the target customer for this store is the general public and home owner, but attracts interested tourists and fulfills many basic needs of a contractor. The atmosphere and environment of the store is visually entertaining, with a warm feeling of sitting around the fire with friends and family.

Team members cater to the needs of each customer in a friendly and prompt way and are well-equipped with the knowledge and use of the merchandise carried. The store is well-stocked and competitively priced with quality merchandise. The store’s layout is organized logically, designed with clearly marked aisles so customers can easily find what they are looking for. Reliable and readily available services are in place to additionally serve the customer.

This store maintains a strong and supportive relationship with the community providing outreach and support for a variety of needs. All advertisement builds on this relationship and entices the customer to repeat their experience at the store.

Like an old-fashioned general store that gives personalized service and has been around the town for many years, this store gives a sense of history with the community. Here, the customer feels relaxed and stress free no matter how difficult or complex their project. When the customer leaves, they feel confident they can accomplish their task with great success, and will look forward to their next project with the help of this store’s expertise and merchandise.