We've been to Dick's Sporting Goods a handful of times for a variety of small sports-related items (shoes, Red Sox tees, helmets, etc). But last night, on a whim, we went to Dick's to check out their boat sale. The customer service was so terrific yesterday, I decided to write this 5-stars review today.
My SO had seen the ad for their boat sale yesterday morning, and spontaneously decided to surprise me with a set of kayaks for our summer birthdays. Dick's had a couple dozen choices out on the floor, and my SO had already narrowed it down to 2-3 options. Several times, an employee stopped in to check to make sure we didn't have any questions.
When we were finally down to deciding between two kayaks (a Perception and a Pelican), we called the employee, Dan D., over to ask some questions. He was extremely knowledgeable, and, since he was an avid boater himself, made us feel very comfortable in trusting his opinion. In other words, this wasn't just a sale.
We ended up deciding to go with the 9.5' Perception Swifty Deluxe. I was wanting the yellow/turquoise color combo, and Jamie was undecided. Dan went to the back to see what options they had in-stock. There were no more yellow/turquoise kayaks, so he brought out a purple/black one and a red/yellow one for us to see. I asked if it was possible to buy the floor model (instead of waiting or buying elsewhere) and he said sure. Jamie ended up liking the purple/black kayak.
Dan continued helping us by finding the right paddle length (slightly longer than what the in-store paddle display suggested), searching in the back for additional paddle color choices, carting our boats and paddles to the front, and even talking with the on-site manager to see if we could use two different coupons. To say he went above and beyond is an understatement. He even offered to find some plastic wrap to bundle the floor model up in. We never once felt rushed.
We paid for our kayaks (had to do two transactions to use the two coupons), and Dan was right there to help us load them into our truck. He gave us additional suggestions of where we might like to kayak, including bodies of water near our neighborhood. His wealth of information, great attitude, customer-oriented assistance, and genuine helpfulness is something you just don't find anymore.
Dick's, you've got a stellar employee in Dan D. The man deserves a raise. And I hope that others in the store are trained and modeled after his above-and-beyond performance. read more