Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Warsaw will be setting the pace for the nation's eighth largest department store.
Starting Friday, when the new 56,000-square-foot Elder-Beerman store officially opens its doors at 9 a.m., it will tout a new prototype concept for the Dayton-based retailer - one that seeks to enhance customer service through a more convenient store layout, state-of-the art fixtures and new approaches to store staffing and use of technology.
"One of the things we've found that our customers want is to be waited on without having a long delay," said Frederick Mershad, chairman and chief executive officer for Elder-Beerman, who was on hand Tuesday showing Elder-Beerman employees and local dignitaries the new concept designs of the Warsaw store.
"All of our customer service centers will be staffed 100 percent of the time to allow shoppers to come in, buy what they want and then check out in the quickest time possible," Mershad added.
To help expedite a shopper's time in the store, Elder-Beerman floor associates will be equipped with cordless phones and pagers. According to Mershad, the cellular phones will allow check-out clerks at seven customer service centers throughout the store to focus on the customers at the counter. The floor sales associates will answer telephone calls that are routed to individual departments.
Another technological service the store will offer is a paging system in the women's dressing rooms for the shoppers' use when they need assistance.
"All the ladies' fitting rooms are equipped with a clerk paging system, so the customer doesn't have to get redressed to go out and find a different size or ask other questions about the merchandise," Mershad said. "The sales associates will have a silent pager with them and will go to the dressing room to help the customer."
Another major concept being tried at the new store, according to James Zamberlan, executive vice president, is the "assisted sell."
A prime example of the concept is seen in the cosmetic and jewelry departments. The display cabinets will open to the customers who can try on or sample the merchandise at their leisure.
"The assisted-sell concept is intended for the customer who doesn't want someone to serve them," Zamberlan said.
The feature Elder-Beerman is most proud of in the new store, according to both Mershad and Zamberlan, is the homes department.
"We believe our homes store differentiates us from any other in the industry," said Zamberlan, adding Elder-Beerman does 20 percent of its total business in home accessories and housewares.
Mershad urged area shoppers to visit the store and let the associates and management know their opinions of the new prototype store.
"We're going to make some mistakes in this - we know that. But we want to make the shopping experience here pleasurable so our customers will want to come back," he said.
