Being in business for more than 50 years takes perseverance, commitment and a devotion to customers. The Simas family operates Big Bob’s Flooring Outlet in Citrus Heights. We sat down with owner, Ken Simas to talk about what keeps them going and what success really means, and their vision for continued success:
NOT FOUND: big bobs.jpgUpon being introduced to Ken, you can feel his excitement. Every morning, he bounds out of bed geared to go to work, loving what he does. You would never guess that he is 72 years old. His business mind never seems to take any time off, as he talks about what he wants and sees for his business in the future. He is very passionate about the community and the people he meets, as well as keeping to his own standards for excellence.
Ken started out installing for his family business while still in high school. Born and raised in the Sacramento area, he and his wife Donna have been married 52 years and raised their 3 children here. Both Ken & Donna are cancer survivors. He gets almost teary eyed as he talks about his wife and that fact that she is his best friend.
Sitting down to interview with Ken, a customer walks in and immediately his first priority was to take care of the customer who walked through the door. Always the customer first…
NSN: How have you kept the doors open all these years?
KS: Pricing has helped us keep our doors open, having the right inventory on hand and having exceptional customer service. We endeavor to treat people the way they would want to be treated.
NSN: What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned while being in business?
KS: Being honest with people and working with integrity. I’ve learned to follow up with a person, that’s huge. There are ways of ensuring, “the customer is always right”. You make sure they know you care.
NSN: What’s your biggest reward after being in business all these years?
KS: Being around my family. Being able to have a cup of coffee and see how their children are doing. Another great reward is that we have had are repeat customers and friendships that we have acquired over the years with those customers.
NSN: Why would a customer come see you instead of the “big box” store?
KS: With us, what you see is what you get. We want people to know that we’ll do whatever it takes.
NSN: You get a lot of referrals.
KS: Our customers keep coming back because we do have great deals and they are always referring their friends to us. We belong to the chambers including the Citrus Heights Chamber, and as well as the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. We also support local youth groups, schools, organizations. Our goal is to buy locally and do as much as possible to support the local economy and to give back to more to non-profits and schools. We believe in doing more.
NSN: What makes your company unique?
KS: We have huge inventory that if you came in the morning, we could have your floor covering you select installed within 24 hours, by our professional, licensed, installers. 2) Because we have so many stores it gives us great buying power that allows us to pass on tremendous savings to our customers.
NSN: What is your biggest lesson learned after being in business for yourself?
KS: The biggest lesson we’ve learned so far is to stay positive even through these economic times. Donna has been cancer free for 10 years and myself for 3 years. This recession isn’t nice but when you’ve got your health, you’ve got it all.
Photo caption: Ken and his son Jon oversee the daily operations of Big Bob’s Flooring outlet.