Keeping It in the Family: Secrets to Success
As any business owner will tell you, balancing family life and work life is a major challenge. For the last 65 years, Preston Hardware has taken great pride in being a family business. From its humble beginnings as a local neighbourhood shop to its growth and expansion into one of Canada’s largest independent hardware stores, Preston Hardware has always had a family feeling and focus.
As of 2011, there are 16 members of the Giannetti and Frangione families – spanning
two generations – working for Preston Hardware. Co-owner and President, Mario Giannetti explains: “Our kids worked in the store during high school and university, on their summer vacations. All three owners – myself, Sam, and Mario – never thought they would be interested in taking on a full-time career with the store.” To Giannetti’s surprise, many of the kids wanted to stay and continue to contribute.
The secret to this success? “We’re very lucky as families,” explains Giannetti. “We all get along. The kids all get along extremely well and they respect each other. It’s been a strong part of our upbringing and our way of doing business.”
At Preston Hardware there is a long history of respect across generations for all family members and employees. When dealing with the challenges of a new generation wanting to try new things, Giannetti says that it is important to encourage all employees, not just family members, to bring new ideas to the table. As one of the leaders, Giannetti tries to stay on top of things. “I keep an eye on things,” he says. “If they’re doing well, I give them a pat on the back. If they’re are beginning to derail, I might need to step in and say a few things. This has proven to be a successful way of working with staff.”
At Preston Hardware, the secret is listening. If a member of the staff has an idea, the practice is to listen first, think about it, and have a conversation. It’s important to comprehend all aspects of the idea, what somebody is trying to do, and how they’re trying to do it. This method is also the foundation of customer service – to ensure that customers get the correct product for their needs.
There is an “owner in the store” philosophy that has been passed down over the generations. For first time customers at Preston Hardware, the personalized, hands-on attention and care that is made available by the staff can be a welcome shock compared to the experience they’ve had at other stores. Service is backed by people who truly care about providing you with the best solution for your needs.
Even in challenging times at the store, conflict is addressed with the same values of respect and listening. It’s important to know when to listen and when to walk away. “We talk about it,” says Giannetti, “not just act and react. When the entire team is working with a dialogue and similar values, that’s where our strength comes.”
As the third generation begins to work at the store on their summer holidays, Preston Hardware is laying the groundwork for the future. The families support their children in whatever they want to do, but when asked whether he thinks the third generation will take a leadership position in the store, Giannetti states, “I’m going to have to say yes, because of the character of kids we have.”