Throughout the past 85 years, Guild's TV has evolved along with the television industry while still maintaining the core values that set it apart from big business.
Guild's TV owner Jim Guild said the business has been in his family for three generations, and each generation has faced its own innovations and challenges in the industry since his great-grandfather opened the business in 1926.
"We started out fixing radios for the Edison Radio Company," he said.
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Guild's TV aims to keep up with advances in technology while still offering the personal service it is known for.
Since then, the company has molded itself to customers' needs, making an effort to stay in touch with the television industry each time a new product is created. From the first color TV to satellite and now digital, Guild's has offered it all. The business is now focusing on high-definition TV, as well as interconnectivity with the Internet.
"The television business has completely changed from what it was 10 years ago," said Guild, who took over in 1987.
From the products themselves to the services customers need, everything is different.
"It's more sophisticated," he added. "The TV is now becoming a computer. It's not a TV anymore."
Guild's will soon offer 3D television as well: "That's going to be the next big thing," said Guild.
Along with the new technology comes a greater need for service, Guild added. While Guild's TV employees used to drop off a TV and simply show the customer how to work the knobs, much more work is now needed for the initial setup. Connecting a TV to the Internet takes a different kind of expertise.
Developing a loyal customer base is essential in the technical support business, and this is where Guild's TV is able to set itself apart from the crowd.
"People are looking for service," Guild said.
Customers are often surprised to see Guild himself show up at their door with a new TV and then proceed to set it up for them, but this is a key area of service in his business.
"I don't want (the store) to be a Best Buy," he said.
While larger corporate stores may sell more TVs, he said, workers aren't able to maintain relationships with the customers... and Guild enjoys being a part of each step of the sale, from helping a customer choose the TV to setting it up in their home. Larger businesses typically delegate tasks so that each employee has only one specific area of work, but Guild's TV employees never delegate tasks.
"That takes the fun out of it," Guild said.
Guild said his business has remained successful throughout the years thanks to an emphasis on consistency in service and "just trying to go the extra mile for the customer."
For more information, visit www.guildstv.com.
