The true adventures of an APRO Vice President of Membership as first-time rent-to-own team member working out in the field.
As Vice President of Membership at APRO, it’s literally my job to interact with any and all APRO members I encounter – by email, phone, Zoom, and, on my luckiest occasions, in person. And honestly, I love y’all! I came into this industry as a rent-to-own newbie a few years ago, and not only have you all been a wonderfully welcoming group and super-fun to work and hang with, but also you’ve taught me so much about this business, its rich history, and all the valuable ways RTO companies contribute to the quality of life of their employees, customers, and communities.
Of course, I still have plenty to learn about the rent-to-own business … and I figured, what better way to gain greater perspective and insight into our members’ daily RTO reality than to walk a mile (or several) in their proverbial shoes?
Enter Texas RTO Investments Inc. dba Premier Rental-Purchase – an APRO member with five stores located in San Antonio, Texas. Premier’s Vice President of Operations, Mike Lewis, not only agreed to let me spend a few days with the Alamo City team, but personally served as my guide as I navigated my very own “day in the life” as a rent-to-own rookie.
My only other retail experience in life had been selling housewares at a department store – and I loved it!
I enjoyed visiting with customers to find out more about their needs and then fulfilling those needs (well, maybe wants, in the case of Kitchen-Aid stand mixers).
But I’d never worked in a rent-to-own store before, and had been champing at the bit to get some real hands-on experience ever since I joined APRO.
The award-winning Texas RTO team provided a lovely welcome as I arrived at their Fair Avenue store. I was immediately struck by the exuberant energy coming from the team. The very first thing they proudly showed me was their Core Values poster, which uses the acronym DIPIT: Drive, Integrity, Passion, Intensity, and Teamwork. This team loves working together because of these core values – and they won’t work with anyone who doesn’t share them. The DIPIT values are so important that they’ve become integrated into interview questions. As Store Manager Stevieray Jimenez noted, “As long as [interviewees] have these values, we can train them on the RTO business.” The Core Values have also become a measure for team members to “check themselves” and make sure they’ve had a successful day. The benefits?
Minimized staff turnover and a truly motivated team.
The benefits of the DIPIT strategy aren’t limited to just the Premier team; they’re applied to customer interactions, too. Premier’s philosophy for keeping customers is simple: If we treat them well and take good care of them, then why wouldn’t they come back?
“I worked through a provided script to help me ask the right questions and use the right wording when talking to customers about past-due accounts. I was nervous, but with the team’s coaching, I got a payment commitment from my ‘customer.’”
Jen Troke
The approach is grounded in serving the community; customers come back because they love the products and are treated with respect.
My first impression upon entering the stores was how beautiful they were, and I loved how the customers were treated with so much care across the board.
There was fabulous furniture and smiling faces all around! The Premier team believes in putting as much furniture out in the showroom as possible, but they don’t overdo it. The fresh colors and floor layout in each store offered a stunning showcase for the furniture and other products.
I worked through a provided script to help me ask the right questions and use the right wording when talking to customers about past-due accounts. I was nervous, but with the team’s coaching, I got a payment commitment from my ‘customer’.
Next, I got to experience Premier University – the company’s online training program – which gives all team members real- time access to dozens of modules and a host of employee-customer interaction training videos. In addition to initial training, Premier University can be used to refresh staff skills as managers note areas for improvement.
I dove into the past-due module, where I immediately learned I’ve been making such calls all wrong! One of the key tenets of effective past-due calls is securing a commitment from the customer that includes a specific payment date, time, and place. I worked through a provided script to help me ask the right questions and use the right wording when talking to customers about past-due accounts. I was nervous, but with the team’s coaching, I got a payment commitment from my ‘customer.’ I didn’t have a chance to make any pastdue calls with actual Premier customers – but get ready, APRO members!
I also explored the topic of upselling through Premier University. I was familiar with the concept, but I learned how it relates to rent-to-own. If a customer is renting a television, for example, then you offer them what Lewis refers to as a ‘combo meal’ – a TV needs something to sit on, a sound bar, and maybe even a gaming system. Of course, the key to successful upselling is product knowledge, as team members must be able to quickly articulate the benefits of complementary products to increase their sales.
