Treating Your Family Like Our Family

By Dave Trux

When I hire somebody, one of the things that I do is tell them about our basic business philosophy. The first time anybody walks through our front door, they’re a friend. It doesn’t matter if they’re a customer, an inspector from the state of California, somebody that runs parts or a process server serving papers. It doesn’t matter.

The second time they walk through that front door, they’re family. You treat them as such and if a delivery person comes in and we have pizza or other food we’re sharing, if they were a family member, wouldn’t you invite them to sit down and have a soda and something to eat?

I feel my personal philosophy on running any kind of business, especially when its service oriented, you want to exude that feeling of contentment and happiness. People don’t come to us because they want to. They come to us because it’s a necessity. When a customer first walks in, they’re likely going to be in a negative space. I think it’s our duty to do our best to put them at ease and make them feel comfortable.

Treating a person like family is probably the fastest way to get there. If there’s any question about how I should handle something, all I have to do is ask myself, “If they were a family member, what would I do?”

We had an incident where we had a problem with a car on Friday, and I came in the following Monday at 10:30 am and it hadn’t even been on the rack yet. I looked at my manager and said, “Not only is this a good customer, he’s a personal friend. He’s been here more than once. Is this how you would treat your family?” When you set the goal of treating everyone like family, if you do fall a little bit short, you’ll probably be okay.

The goal is to show my employees how I expect to be treated. My hope is that this attitude will eventually come as naturally to them as it does to me. I truly like my customers and enjoy speaking to each and every one when I'm in the office.

iParts Interview

By Alika Salazar

I have some very exciting news for all you holiday shoppers. Are you looking for something that’s fresh, hot and totally new for the loved one that seems to have everything? Remember when Michael J. Fox rode the hover board in the movie “Back-to-the-Future”? We're now selling self-powered people movers that are also referred to as hover boards. The brand is called the Sonic Smart Wheel and I saw my first one during a Las Vegas convention a few months ago. I was instantly hooked as I watched people gliding effortlessly across the expansive floors. I had to have one and I’m so happy I purchased mine because they are a blast!

Sonic Smart Wheels are fun, easy to ride and a great way to travel about. A Sonic Smart Wheel features two motors, one beneath each of your feet that detects micro amounts of pressure that takes you in that direction. Dip your toes forward to go forward, put your heels back to go backwards. Apply pressure on just one foot and you’ll turn in that direction. It almost reads your mind! Sonic Smart Wheels are durable, lightweight and come with a one year warranty. They are available in four colors: gold, blue, red and white and prices start at just $499!

We also have several other great gift giving ideas for people that love their high tech gadgets. We are now offering fully reconditioned smart phones, tablets and iPads. Reconditioned phones will be starting at $120 for an iPhone 4, while iPads and tablets will start at $180.  We also have a great variety of cases and screen protectors to make sure your investment is protected. Before the holiday season melts away, be sure to stop in and check out all these amazing new items. You’ll be glad you did!

Dr. Blakely Gave Me Wellness!

By Paula Fredette

When I first hurt my back, I didn't consider seeing a doctor or chiropractor because I don't like modern medicine. I'm not sure how I got hurt. I just turned funny and something snapped. I was in major pain all weekend, so the following Monday, I trusted my instincts and walked down the street to Dr. Beth Blakely’s office.

I was numb from my hips to my toes on the left side. At the time, I was at 25 years old with no health insurance and working at Burger King. During my first visit, I filled out a lengthy questionnaire and then shared my medical history with Dr. Blakely. She took her time with me and explained what was going on in my body. She really knows what she's talking about.

Dr. Blakely gave me an adjustment that day and strongly recommended B-12 to help relieve the nerve damage. She worked out a payment plan that I could afford and I was able to continue an ongoing treatment plan.

During my treatment, I researched the nerve damage I had and found that it normally takes 500 – 1,000 days to heal. With the combination of adjustments and B-12, I had absolutely no numbness in just two months! I was pretty much back to normal and soon began feeling better than ever. I started exercising again and dropped a lot of weight. Dr. Blakely also recommended joint support for my lower back and a supplement for my gut to improve my immune system and mental clarity.

I'm totally indebted to Dr. Blakely! When I was 25 years old, I would wake up feeling like I was 97 years old! But after going to Dr. Blakely's, I now wake up in the morning with no pain. I feel much better overall.  My knees, back and sciatica don't hurt anymore. She did a lot of awesome things for me to help me get to a point where I can now do awesome things for myself.

Today, I've got a real job working at Dr. Blakely's office. I'm surrounded by wellness and life is amazing! 

An Interview with Santa Claus

By Bob Cox

Q: Why did you get started in the business of gift giving?

A: My story began nearly two millenniums ago with Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas was born on March 15, 270. He was also called Nikolaos of Myra. Saint Nicholas was a Christian saint and Greek Bishop of Myra, in Asia Minor, which is now in modern-day Turkey.

Q: Was it Saint Nicholas who inspired you to become such a giver?

A: Yes. He has an enduring reputation for anonymous gift-giving and I really admire that quality. He was known to put coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, a practice celebrated with a feast in his honor: St Nicholas Day, December 6. Nicholas was also famous for his generous gifts to the poor. One story in particular stands out: When he presented the three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian with dowries so that they would not have to become prostitutes. Saint Nicholas was also the patron saint of sailors, merchants, repentant thieves and children in cities and countries around Europe.

Q: Is that why you always say ho,ho, ho?

A: You really didn’t just go there? Next question.

Q: How did the legend of Saint Nicholas evolve into the modern day Santa Claus?

A: During the Middle Ages, often on the evening before Saint Nicholas Day, children were bestowed gifts in his remembrance. The custom of gifting of children at Christmas has been promoted by Martin Luther, a prominent German friar and priest during the 15^th and 16^th centuries. His goal was to offer an alternative to the previously popular gift custom on St. Nicholas Day and refocus the interest of the children to Christ instead of the veneration of saints. Despite his efforts, Saint Nicholas remained popular as a bearer of gifts for the people.

Q: That’s fascinating, but we still seem to be far away from the modern version of who you are. What happened next?

A: Prior to Christianization and beginning in the 4^th century, the Germanic people celebrated a midwinter event that stretched from Mid November to early January called Yule. With the Christianization of Germanic Europe, numerous traditions were absorbed from Yuletide celebrations into modern Christmas.

Q: I know you don’t drink Red Bull to stay alert on those long and cold Christmas eve nights, so how did you get your wings that allow you to soar through the skies with a sleigh and flying reindeer?

A: Now that is a very interesting story! During the Yule celebration, supernatural and ghostly occurrences were said to increase in frequency, such as the Wild Hunt, a ghostly procession through the sky. The leader of the wild hunt is frequently affirmed as the Norse god Odin, aka Jólnir, which means "yule figure" and Langbarðr, meaning "long-beard". Odin was also known as the “Gift-bringer of the North”. He had a long white beard and wore a blue-hooded cloak as he rode the midwinter sky on his eight-footed steed Sleipnir, bringing gifts to his people.

Q: That all sounds like someone we know! Could it be Jolly Saint Nick?

A: Busted! You got me there Bob!

Q: What would you say have been the biggest influences in how we Americans see you today?

A: My physical appearance was reshaped back in 1823 when a poem was written by Clement Clarke Moore titled A Visit From St. Nicholas and a generation later, an illustration drawn by John Leech of the Ghost of Christmas Present in Charles Dickens's festive classic A Christmas Carol had major influences on my appearance. Finally, in 1863, political cartoonist Thomas Nast created a characature of me in Harper’s Weekly that has been reinforced through the decades on radio, television and motion pictures.

Q: Speaking of reshaping, how are you with your robust body image? The ladies these days really seem to be going for the hard body, wash board abs look, which by the way is still on my Christmas list.

A: No worries. Mrs. Claus appreciates my well rounded physique. Hopefully, your wife appreciates yours!

Q: Ouch, I mean touché. Do you have any great gift giving ideas for shoppers this year?

A: Yes, shop local and support the businesses that are the infrastructure of our local economy. When you keep your money local, great things happen. Businesses expand, they hire more people and the extra money collected in taxes can go back into community improvement projects and programs.

Q: Gee Santa. I didn’t realize that you were an economist too!

A: Running a successful toy manufacturing and distribution business for centuries isn’t as easy as it looks.

Q: Do you have any funny Santa stories that you’re willing to share?

A: Yes, back in 1955, a Sears store in Colorado Springs, Colorado ran an ad with a misprinted “Santa Hotline” telephone number. Children hoping to speak with me called the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) on Christmas Eve instead. When Colonel Harry Shoup received the first call, he responded by telling children that there were signs on the radar that Santa was indeed heading south from the North Pole. A tradition began, which continued under the name NORAD Tracks Santa, when in 1958 Canada and the United States jointly created the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD). This tracking can now be done via the Internet and NORAD's website!

Q: Any advice for parents?

A: Yes, for goodness sakes, indulge your children in these two good four letter words: work and play. Back in my day, very few kids sported the portly physique I’ve been bestowed by that Nast character. Physical work and play is wonderful for the body, mind and spirit. Too much sitting around playing with those high tech contraptions isn’t healthy for anyone.

Q: Will I finally make the nice list this year?

A: With questions like these, keep ho ho, hoping. Just kidding. No more coal for you Bob!