Martin & Harris Appliances sells refrigerators, dishwashers, laundry machines, ovens, cooktops, and many other products from top manufacturers such as Maytag, General Electric, Whirlpool, KitchenAid and Bosch. The family-owned and operated company’s San Rafael showroom features appliance demonstrations in practical home environments, and its in-house sales professionals are trained to help customers identify the right products to fit their specific needs and budgets.
The Berry family has owned Martin & Harris Appliances for more than 25 years. Owner Paul Berry says the company has developed a loyal, repeat customer base because of its competitive prices, impressive products and personalized service. “Our warehouse is located on the premises, so we can offer immediate pickup and fast delivery. If a customer is looking for something we don’t have in stock, we’ll special order it.”
Martin & Harris Appliances also features a comprehensive service and parts department that fixes most major appliance brands. To learn more or to order appliances for home delivery, Mr. Berry invites potential customers to visit www.martin-harris.com.
“We work hard to assist our customers with every aspect of their appliance purchases, whether it's placing a custom order or making a long-distance delivery. We aim to utilize our friendly staff and small size to provide highly personalized service.”
Regularly maintain your household appliances to save money and maximize their efficiency.
Many common household appliance problems can be avoided by following basic maintenance routines. In addition to minimizing the chances of breakdowns and saving you money on costly repairs, regular maintenance will extend the lifespan of your appliances and ensure they’re operating at peak efficiency. Consider the following maintenance tips:
Know what the manufacturer recommends.
“When you get a new appliance, read the booklet that comes with it,” advises Mike Patterson, sales associate at Martin & Harris Appliances in San Rafael. “Learn the specific advice the manufacturer offers for care, operation, cleaning and maintenance, and follow their recommendations to get the most life and use out of your appliances.” Be aware that you can void some warranties by not following manufacturer recommendations for care and operation.
Keep it clean.
“The number one thing homeowners overlook when it comes to appliances is keeping them clean,” says Mr. Patterson. “For example, with dishwashers, food particles can collect over time and cause odors to build up. An old trick is to add a cup of vinegar and then run the machine. The enzymes in the vinegar clean the inside and flush out the system.”
Don’t forget routine maintenance.
“Maintenance is especially critical today, because the average lifespan of appliances has been cut way back from what it was 40 years ago,” says Mr. Patterson. “We don’t get 25 to 30 years out of appliances anymore—we hope to get 10 to 12 years. Regularly maintaining your appliances will help you achieve that longer lifespan.”
To extend the lifespan of your appliances:
• Inspect any seals (including those on doors) for wear.
• Don’t allow hard water scale, food particles or dirt to build up.
• Never overfill washing machines or clothes dryers. Smaller loads can mean cleaner clothes and longer-lasting machines.
• Use suggested detergents and cleaning solutions for each machine.
• Make small repairs and replacements—seals, gaskets, belts and hoses—when required. Waiting too long to replace aging parts can force your appliances to work harder and drastically reduce their lifespan.
Use your appliances.
“It may sound obvious, but most home appliances are designed to be used regularly,” says Mr. Patterson. “If you rarely use an appliance, that doesn’t help it. For example, many sealed systems within appliances can deactivate and dry out if they aren’t used. Then, when you turn them on, they start to fall apart. You should be using your appliances at least once a week.”
When in doubt, get professional advice.
If you have questions about your appliances, call a professional. They can give you care and maintenance advice and even help you when you’re thinking about buying new appliances.
Maintaining customer satisfaction is a crucial aspect of any business, but it's even more important for appliance showrooms that have earned the prestigious Diamond Certified award. For Martin & Harris Appliances, the key to achieving and maintaining customer satisfaction is consistently providing personalized service for each person who enters its San Rafael store. "We have our own service and delivery people, so our customers never have to deal with a separate warehouse or service department," says Sales Manager Chris Berry. "Everything we do is geared toward making our customers feel as comfortable as possible."
Martin & Harris Appliances sells refrigerators, dishwashers, laundry machines, ovens, cooktops and many other appliances from top manufacturers like Maytag, GE, Whirlpool, KitchenAid and Bosch. The company's spacious showroom features appliance demonstrations in home-like environments, and its in-house sales professionals are trained to help customers identify the right products to fit their specific needs.
Unlike many big box appliance stores, Martin & Harris Appliances utilizes its smaller size to provide highly personalized service and competitive prices–a comprehensive approach that's endeared the company to its loyal clientele base. "As an independent, family-owned and operated business, we're able to really get to know our customers and help them find exactly what they need," says Mr. Berry. "We're dedicated to immediately resolving issues, and if an appliance needs to be repaired, we'll send one of our technicians to fix it instead of passing the work on to another company."
To further differentiate itself from its competition, Martin & Harris Appliances provides customers with the same sales and repair team throughout every phase of their transactions, including research, purchase and ownership. "Our customers prefer to deal with somebody face-to-face instead of going through different steps with different people," says Mr. Berry. "Our salespeople are here every weekday except one, and we have permanent employees in our parts and service department. Everyone who works here gets to know our customers and remembers their details when they come back, which makes for a great appliance buying experience."
