Playback - Fall 2008 - (Page 19)

“I wanted it to be a place for everyone to come, relax, have fun and not be bothered,” says Scott. “No high-pressure sales, just a wonderful atmosphere that’s conducive to making music. There are big, fluffy couches and high ceilings, private soundproof rooms and places you could bring your girlfriend or boyfriend, where they could just sit and read a magazine for an hour.” When it comes to marketing the store, instead of putting his energies into mass mailings, Scott believes that a personalized approach and excellent customer service has a greater impact over the long run. “When you do mass marketing, it’s cold. There’s no personal touch. I think the biggest compliment is word-of-mouth referrals, and I’ve always based my business on that since day one. We’re so successful because our customers recommend other new customers to us, and that’s the result of good customer service. If you walk into my store with a problem, it’s my problem. We work it out together.” One way that Scott is able to maintain the level of customer service he strives for is by careful screening of potential employees. He often interviews hundreds of people to find the right one or two. “I hire every single person myself, along with my staff. We all have to agree on the people coming through because we’re like a family here. I treat my employees how I would want to be treated.” Scott also has a soft spot for the kids who come into his store, especially those just getting started, as he did all those years ago. “There’s nothing like selling a kid his first guitar and seeing the look on his face,” he says. “It’s not about money; it’s about the feeling it gives you. He walks in, mom or dad buys him the guitar and he starts his life as a musician. That’s the biggest reward to what I do, hands down.” Thanks to his expansive inventory, just about everyone visiting Chicago Music Exchange feels like a kid in a candy store. Hundreds of guitars line the walls, from “the goofiest used guitar to the new highest-end custom models.” What’s more, his client base has also grown to include a variety of touring bands and celebrities, such as the Rolling Stones, U2, Tom Petty, Stone Temple Pilots and, most recently, Johnny Depp. But attracting high-profile clients was never Scott’s intention—nor something he likes to flaunt. “I don’t put autographs or pictures with celebrities up on the walls because I want to make it so anyone feels comfortable in my store. People are just people, and we treat everyone like a rock star here.” I wanted it to be a place for everyone to come, relax, have fun and not be bothered. No highpressure sales, just a wonderful, atmosphere that’s conducive to making music. FALL 2008 19

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Playback - Fall 2008

Playback - Fall 2008 Contents From the President NAMM Events Music in the News Voices of Our Past, Present and Future: NAMM Oral History Program Celebrates a Major Milestone Commercial Retail Reps in the Field NAMM@AARP New Domestic Members Washington Watch International NAMM Foundation Music Notes Resources Viewpoint

Playback - Fall 2008

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