I had started shopping around for an entry-level digital piano in early October of this year. I went the whole nine yards and had reviewed the Yamaha P71, Roland FP30, & the Kawai ES110. I had even diligently checked through the local used markets for a few weeks before deciding that even though buying used could be cheaper, I just didn't want to deal with not having a warranty in case of defect or equipment failure.
By then, I was in early November and so close to Black Friday that I figured I should visit a few storefronts to see what sales they had. I had gone to three major local storefronts before I was quoted a 25% discount off the retail price for a Yamaha YDP-164. At that point, I was ready to pull the trigger. I should also mention that most of the stores had reasonably friendly staff as well.
However, life kept me busy, and I'm glad it did. On a lark, I ended up calling Music and Arts on Jameel and spoke to Diego. He offered me 30% off the retail price of the YDP-164 over their store's Black Friday sales event. However, the caveat was going to be that they probably would not have it in rosewood and would instead order in black. It wasn't perfect, but at that price point, who was I to complain?
Fast forward a week: I called Diego, and he mentioned that it had taken a while for him to get back in touch with me because he had wanted to surprise me by trying to locate a YDP-164 in rosewood in another store.
I realize that most of this review highlighted the discounted rate that I was trying to receive, but I must admit that it has been a pleasure dealing with Diego. He was committed to providing me with the best price point and didn't stop there. He went on to locate the exact model and finish I wanted. Throughout the process, he was also patient and dealt with my incessant phone calls to the store to check on progress.
As mentioned above, most of the staff I encountered at other stores were reasonably friendly as well. However, what distinguished Diego from the rest was his ability to go one step further for me, on his own time. The message it sends me is that I am more than just a customer and that I am treated as family.
That is something that money just doesn't buy. I'll happily bring my business here in future.
Edit: I ended up paying in person instead of over the phone. My impression of Diego is that he is a very diligent & hard worker. In the 25 minutes that I was in the store, many more customers came in. He handled them efficiently & professionally. When the influx of customers was too high, he immediately called for help so that everyone could be taken care of in a timely manner. In person, I realized just how many hoops that Diego had to jump through to get me the discount I wanted. I am very thankful for his efforts. Furthermore, as I waited, I noticed a list of his priorities and to do's written out neatly, to the side of the counter that he was working on. It may be a very short time to develop a snapshot of a person, but through the phone conversations and the time I spent communicating in-store with him, I know Diego is someone who will go far in life, regardless of what he does. read more