fbpx Educating Customers to Create Loyalty and Advocates Located in Rochester, NY, The Foot Performance Center was started by David Cardillo, offering pedorthic and orthotic services. As the practice expanded, he realized that he needed to sell footwear that would complement the treatment and services they were providing. Their mission has been to carry shoes that have a purpose. Their retail store started off with just shoes that came in many widths and provided the support their clients needed. The Foot Performance Center has since expanded their selection to accommodate clients with special foot needs, as well as more fashionable options that still serve the purpose of added comfort for clients. In both their practice and retail side of business, they pride themselves on educating their clients and spending time with them to find the perfect solution. As a result, they have a very loyal customer base who refers new business to their store and practice. Their employees have a lot of expertise which they are able to share with their customers. Their staff consists of ABC Board-certified pedorthists and orthotists, athletic trainers, orthotic lab technicians, and sales associates. Because they strive to create an educational in-store experience for their clients, they face the challenge of finding new employees who understand their business and can continue to offer high quality customer service. David remarks, “Our ‘professionals’ can’t see everyone. We have to have staff that can accommodate that. We strive to show a professional image and it’s more than just selling a shoe. It is about educating a consumer on what shoe size they should have, and finding something that truly fits their needs.” The Foot Performance Center has proven that taking the time to fit and talk a customer through the process definitely pays off. The way that they have staffed their store shows they have the right people in place to educate and share knowledge with anyone that walks through the door. They don’t just pick out a pair of shoes and sell them. They have seen the results of forming customer relationships and building trust, so that shoppers feel comfortable making purchases and coming back. Their business has been built on referrals, and those can be directly attributed to the experience customers have at The Foot Performance and the expertise and education they receive from the staff. To learn more about how The Foot Performance has benefited from RICS as their business continues to grow, click here.