As small business owners, we here at Lake Washington Sports & Spine like to observe the success of other small businesses (even outside of medicine) as models for how to treat our patients.
One such business is my bike shop, Edge & Spoke in Redmond. Edge & Spoke has recently rebranded from their prior name, as the former store manager Brian "Venny" Venable purchased the shop in early 2014.
I like to think of Edge & Spoke as "my bike shop." As a cycling enthusiast, it's nice to have a shop that you think of as your home base. I've lived in other communities where I did patron a local bike shop, but did not feel a kinship with the management. Rather, they just happened to be the bike shop closest to where I lived. I don't feel that way about Edge & Spoke. To me, they feel like part of my cycling family, and I know that if I have a cycling need, they are where I will go.
Here are some lessons I've learned from Venny and his team about how they do business, and hope to bring to our business at Lake Washington Sports & Spine:
1. Sales through service:
I first met the Edge & Spoke team one year ago when I first moved to the Redmond/Bellevue area. I was looking for a new commuter bike for my 8 mile ride to work. I already had a nice road bike and a serviceable mountain bike, but I wanted a bike that could handle the weather, hills, and night conditions in the area. Because I was planning to ride the bike frequently, I set a high budget for what I was willing to spend.
At every other bike shop I went to, I found that the sales people were focused on selling me something as close as possible to the upper end of my budget. I didn't mind that approach necessarily, since I was open about my budget, but it was clear their sales algorithm was designed to maximize profit.
I had a very different experience when I met Mason at Edge & Spoke. He spent about 30 minutes interviewing me about the specifics of my needs, asking thoughtful questions about the details of my commute, and the specifics of which route I was taking to work. He then made a point of DOWNSELLING me to a bike that was about 2/3 of the cost I what I was willing to spend, but he thought was a better fit for what I needed.
He then spent about an hour fitting me on the bike. It was the most thorough fitting I've ever had on a bike, and included swapping out some parts to make the bike a better fit.
A year later, I can say that Mason's advice was correct- I love the bike he recommended, and it's added greatly to me enjoying my bike commute. I also appreciate that he placed my needs ahead of just making a sale. The next time I needed to make a bike purchase, they had earned my loyalty, and I made a point of only shopping with the Edge & Spoke team.
I had a very different experience when I met Mason at Edge & Spoke. He spent about 30 minutes interviewing me about the specifics of my needs, asking thoughtful questions about the details of my commute, and the specifics of which route I was taking to work. He then made a point of DOWNSELLING me to a bike that was about 2/3 of the cost I what I was willing to spend, but he thought was a better fit for what I needed.
He then spent about an hour fitting me on the bike. It was the most thorough fitting I've ever had on a bike, and included swapping out some parts to make the bike a better fit.
A year later, I can say that Mason's advice was correct- I love the bike he recommended, and it's added greatly to me enjoying my bike commute. I also appreciate that he placed my needs ahead of just making a sale. The next time I needed to make a bike purchase, they had earned my loyalty, and I made a point of only shopping with the Edge & Spoke team.
As a small business owner, the lesson that was emphasized to me was that the best way to make a sale is emphasizing the need of the client. By placing the needs of the client first, you build brand loyalty.
2. Know what you are- don't try to be too much.
I enjoy watching cooking shows. On shows like "Restaurant Impossible," one of the key points that they make is that it's a mistake to have too large of a menu. Rather, have a smaller menu you know well, and make sure everything you sell is great.
At Edge & Spoke, they primarily sell Specialized brand bikes. At first I was surprised that they didn't sell 20 different types of bicycles. However, when the Edge & Spoke team shared their logic, it made sense to me. The strength of the shop is that they are a small, intimate shop that provides the best service. By limiting their scope to fewer manufacturers, that allows them to be great at everything they sell. Specialized is a great company with a diverse line that meets nearly every cycling need, so they wouldn't gain much by having the comparable bikes from other manufacturers like Cannondale and Trek- it would really lead to duplication of inventory.
By staying focused, it allows the team to be experts on all things Specialized. I've been in the store several times when the team has been talking to a customer, and they were able to give very specific details about the Specialized supply chain, things like "they over-ordered on the 2013 model, so on March 3 that model should be available at discount." By narrowing the market, the Edge & Spoke team is able to provide better service and value on what they do sell.
At Edge & Spoke, they primarily sell Specialized brand bikes. At first I was surprised that they didn't sell 20 different types of bicycles. However, when the Edge & Spoke team shared their logic, it made sense to me. The strength of the shop is that they are a small, intimate shop that provides the best service. By limiting their scope to fewer manufacturers, that allows them to be great at everything they sell. Specialized is a great company with a diverse line that meets nearly every cycling need, so they wouldn't gain much by having the comparable bikes from other manufacturers like Cannondale and Trek- it would really lead to duplication of inventory.
By staying focused, it allows the team to be experts on all things Specialized. I've been in the store several times when the team has been talking to a customer, and they were able to give very specific details about the Specialized supply chain, things like "they over-ordered on the 2013 model, so on March 3 that model should be available at discount." By narrowing the market, the Edge & Spoke team is able to provide better service and value on what they do sell.
This made me realize that as a small business owner, we need to make sure everything we do is great. At Lake Washington Sports & Spine, we try to stay true to our vision to "Keep People Active" using our expertise in sports medicine and being great in our use of musculoskeletal ultrasound and exercise prescription. That also means that we can't be great at everything, and recognize that if we can't be great, we are better off referring clients looking for something else elsewhere.
3. Sweat the small details.
I remember when I purchased my first bike at Edge & Spoke, Venny offered me a free branded water bottle. I told him I didn't need one, since I had plenty at home, and then Venny told me about the thought and product testing they did to find the best water bottle on the market. So I took one, and he was right- it's a great water bottle.
3. Sweat the small details.
I remember when I purchased my first bike at Edge & Spoke, Venny offered me a free branded water bottle. I told him I didn't need one, since I had plenty at home, and then Venny told me about the thought and product testing they did to find the best water bottle on the market. So I took one, and he was right- it's a great water bottle.
This is a small detail, but it also gives insight into the way Venny thinks. Many places blow off details like which vendor they should use for their water bottle, but this is clearly something he put thought into. Also, he was excited to share the product to make me happy- by giving me a free water bottle, he made was not making any money. He was simply trying to make me a happier customer.
The take home as a small business owner- when you show your customers that you are rooting for their happiness, you build loyalty.
4. Engaging customers as partners.
Part of Edge & Spoke's commitment to their clients is 1 year of maintenance. This is beyond the industry standard, and I can personally validate this is something they stand behind.
Since I ride my commuter frequently, I've had to bring it in for small adjustments three times (which is to be expected). Every time I brought in the bike, the team has welcomed me and always started by asking me if I am enjoying the bike. That struck me as such a positive way to view the encounter- they could have viewed me coming in as unpaid labor, but they prioritized my happiness over their labor.
One of the repairs they did is something that I think that Edge & Spoke could have considered "user error" on my end- I bent the front derailleur while shifting too aggressively. One of the mechanics, Jack, looked at it, and asked Venny to help him out since it was a more complicated repair. I think that Edge & Spoke was within their rights to charge me for the repair since it was my fault. Instead, Venny repaired it, and promised that if his repair didn't work, he'd swap it out for free.
His repair worked great, and I've ridden hundreds of miles on the repair without a problem. That said, Venny built up a ton of loyalty from me by engaging me as a partner and treating me in a reasonable manner.
As a small business owner, that is the biggest take home for me. Venny treats me as a partner, and has made it clear to me over multiple encounters in the past year that he wants me to love my cycling experience. Similarly, as a physician, my number one priority is that I want my patients to stay active and love what they are doing.
The take home as a small business owner- when you show your customers that you are rooting for their happiness, you build loyalty.
4. Engaging customers as partners.
Part of Edge & Spoke's commitment to their clients is 1 year of maintenance. This is beyond the industry standard, and I can personally validate this is something they stand behind.
Since I ride my commuter frequently, I've had to bring it in for small adjustments three times (which is to be expected). Every time I brought in the bike, the team has welcomed me and always started by asking me if I am enjoying the bike. That struck me as such a positive way to view the encounter- they could have viewed me coming in as unpaid labor, but they prioritized my happiness over their labor.
One of the repairs they did is something that I think that Edge & Spoke could have considered "user error" on my end- I bent the front derailleur while shifting too aggressively. One of the mechanics, Jack, looked at it, and asked Venny to help him out since it was a more complicated repair. I think that Edge & Spoke was within their rights to charge me for the repair since it was my fault. Instead, Venny repaired it, and promised that if his repair didn't work, he'd swap it out for free.
His repair worked great, and I've ridden hundreds of miles on the repair without a problem. That said, Venny built up a ton of loyalty from me by engaging me as a partner and treating me in a reasonable manner.
As a small business owner, that is the biggest take home for me. Venny treats me as a partner, and has made it clear to me over multiple encounters in the past year that he wants me to love my cycling experience. Similarly, as a physician, my number one priority is that I want my patients to stay active and love what they are doing.
Lake Washington Sports & Spine wants to congratulate Edge & Spoke on their rebranding, and thank them for helping Keep People Active!
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