Trail Appliances, a family-owned business, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Since its founding in 1974, the company has expanded across Western Canada while maintaining a strong focus on customer experience and service.
Jason Broderick, CEO of Trail Appliances, reflects on the company’s journey: “We go back to 1974, when my grandpa and six sons within the family, my dad and five uncles, started the business in Calgary. Very humble roots, actually starting as an appliance rental company. A few years in, they decided to start selling appliances and found success quickly by providing genuine customer service.
“A 50th anniversary is a significant milestone for any business, but even more so for a family-owned business like ours that has been passed down three generations. My grandfather believed in providing customers with exceptional service and product expertise.”
The company opened its first B.C. showroom in Richmond in 1980 when his father and uncle moved to British Columbia. The first showroom was about 3,000 square feet. Other members of the family stayed in Calgary as the business grew in both provinces.
“Many retailers have shifted to a low-cost model at the expense of physical stores, customer satisfaction and employee retention,” says James Reynolds, President of Trail Appliances. “We believe though that long-term business success means giving customers the most value and we do that by investing in our showrooms, employees and technology to make buying a new appliance as easy and enjoyable as possible.”
“Trail’s showrooms are a key part of what sets us apart from the competition,” says Richard Broderick, Vice President of Trail Appliances. “In addition to featuring thousands of appliances on display, Trail’s showrooms give customers the opportunity to touch, test and experience appliances before buying.”
The company has invested in new experiential elements like education centres, digital displays and 125 award-winning display kitchens that allow customers to get inspired and imagine how different appliances will look in their home. The experience continues through to the delivery process, as the company still handles delivery and customer service in house, while other retailers have outsourced it.
Today, the company has 12 showrooms, including three outlet centres in B.C., and seven showrooms in Alberta. While the company operates with two head offices—one in Richmond, B.C., and another in Calgary—Broderick emphasizes that the family sees Trail Appliances as a unified brand. “We do think of ourselves as being just one Trail, all the family in the same business,” he says.
When asked about the key to longevity in a competitive retail industry, Broderick highlights agility and a relentless focus on customer needs. “We’ve managed to be successful by staying agile. Each day we come in trying to be better than the day before. So it’s a little bit of an insatiable desire to just continue to improve and add value for our staff and for our customers.
“As a retailer, our focus has always been on the customer. The thing that has allowed us to be successful for 50 years is by having a central focus on what are the customer’s needs and what can we do to not only meet those needs but add value and exceed those needs in as many ways as we possibly can. The last 50 years there’s been a great deal of evolution because customer needs have changed in that time. With customer needs and expectations shifting, it means that as a family and as a business we’ve had to evolve and adapt with those customer needs.”
Trail Appliances has faced challenges from big-box competitors but has remained committed to providing an elevated level of service, which Broderick says is second to none. The showrooms are designed to create a ‘wow’ moment for customers. Whether it’s beautiful kitchen displays or live appliances they can test, Trail wants them to experience something unique – something they haven’t seen anywhere else.
Looking ahead, Broderick says the family is entrepreneurial, always looking for opportunities. The company is investing in technology to enhance both in-store and online experiences. “Rather than adding store count in the immediate future, we’re very focused on implementing a new technology stack that will guide us into the number of years and generations ahead,” says Broderick, adding the retailer wants to make the shopping experience seamless. There’s also investment back into the showrooms.
Broderick says the kitchen has become the heart of the home with people spending more and more time there, where memories are made.
“It’s where life really takes place and takes shape,” he says. “As the heart of the home has grown and flourished, so too have our showrooms.”
The family-owned company’s longstanding focus on investing in customer service, product expertise, the physical retail environment, and technology has seen its sales volume triple over the past decade. The e-commerce offering has been elevated to reflect the showroom experience. The brand selection has evolved over time as well to meet customer needs and expectations.
As an investment into both its employees and customer service, Trail has developed the Trail Learning Experience. Through this industry-leading education program, more than 50 new Product Specialists per year participate in an intensive seven-week classroom and three-month in-store training program led by an in-house training team, says the company.
Another key to Trail’s success has been the expansive growth in the company’s B2B Division and the dedicated sales teams that serve real estate developers, builders, and interior designers. The specialized approach has allowed Trail to become the leader in B2B appliance sales in B.C., providing appliances for more than 500 real estate projects last year. Trail has been the appliance supplier for some of B.C.’s most iconic developments, including Vancouver House, The Butterfly and River District.
As a family-owned business, Trail cares deeply about the communities it operates in. In the past ten years, the company has donated more than $1 million to charities like the CKNW Kids Fund, BC Cancer Foundation and Ronald McDonald House. The company also donates appliances to victims of natural disasters like floods and wildfires whose homes have been damaged. To celebrate their 50th anniversary, Trail aims to raise $50,000 for Food Banks BC and will be matching all donations up to $25,000.
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