Why I Work At Rochester Appliance

Hi, my name is Holden and I am honored to be contributing to this blog. 

I’d like my first post to dive into how I found myself working at Rochester Appliance, and why I continue to look forward to coming to work every day.

The year was 2013. I had just started working in property management and was in need of a replacement dryer for one of the student rentals under my care.  I was referred to Rochester Appliance on Jefferson Rd. near RIT, as my predecessor had a good experience finding appliances.  I walked in and was immediately welcomed with friendly customer service and purchased a used Kenmore Dryer at a fair price.  Although there was initially an issue, they stood behind their product with service the very next day.

As the years went on and I helped manage, grow and scale the student housing business, I needed to rely on contractors and businesses that I could trust.  Coming from a small town in Genesee County and having run my own lawn mowing business prior to property management, I knew the value of locally owned and operated businesses.  I found all these qualities in Rochester Appliance. 

I can’t remember when I met Jon (the store’s operations manager), but we found doing business together effortless.  Once he informed me that he could price match the big box stores, I gave Rochester Appliance all of our business, to the point where they had direct access to our homes as appliances needed replacing.  I called or emailed with a need and they remedied whatever issue we had.  

As 2019 was coming to an end, there was a changing of the guard at the property management company where I had been working and I found myself looking for the next challenge in life.  While I was searching for my next move, I was still managing properties and needed a washing machine. As I was speaking with Jon on the phone, a light went off in my head - I couldn’t help but wonder if they could use someone like me on their team.

I made a non-appliance related call to Jon, and we talked about my situation and how my skills might be useful at Rochester Appliance.  Soon after I met Dean (the owner) for the first time, and within two weeks we collectively decided this could be a good fit and I became their operations coordinator in January 2020.

While the past 16 months have been challenging for everyone, I have felt right at home with the entire team - from the install crew that comes in at 7 a.m. and sometimes works a 12-hour day and the sales team that greets customers and picks up the phone to the service technicians repairing appliances and the warehouse crew shuffling around stacked appliances, this place feels like extended family.  Every day presents a new set of challenges that keeps us on our toes, but never anything we can’t handle collectively.

Friendly and straightforward customer service, attention to detail, following the process and treating others as we would want to be treated are traits everyone here shares, and I’m proud to be part of the team.  

And remember that initial purchase I made in 2013?  The dryer lasted all these years until recently when my successor at the property management business informed us it was time for a new one.

Who knew the world of appliances could be so exciting and fulfilling?  My daily goal is to have our customers walk away with the same experience.