I happen to be a professional window fashions expert in Reno NV, but I got to see the world from the consumer side of things this week when my wife and I decided to do some shopping for a flooring project and bath remodel that we are undertaking. I thought I’d tell you about our experience so that I could show you how I relate to the same questions and concerns that you have as you look for window coverings or fashions for your Reno home.

We decided on laminate flooring for our modest home. Easy enough, right? Wrong. OMG- There are so many choices out there. Different brands, different levels, different systems and different prices. It can be so hard to weed through the choices. Fortunately, my first stop was to a trusted friend in the industry. He showed us some options and let us borrow some samples to take home. We honestly weren’t thrilled with the color and patterns in our home, once we got them there. (This is exactly WHY we bring our samples to you!) So, we looked around at some other places, to see if we could find better colors and finishes for our personal decor.

The level of service that we got at the various places we went was shockingly different. The box stores were completely clueless, or at least they would have been had there been anyone around to help us. One clerk from a different department told me that it was a bad day there as far as employees being available. Oh well. Next we went to a very large flooring only company and the “tile” guy said he knew a lot about laminates, so he guided us over there and then made up some interesting facts about his product. Nice guy, but not a professional. Then we went to a wood flooring specialty store and they had nice products, but I thought the sales methods they used were pretty pushy. They seemed to have an attitude like theirs was the only product worth considering. They also told me that they had the best prices period, but I had just seen the exact same product at a competing store for less money about a half hour previously. So, the lesson in that is to verify the things people say! So, if I had to weigh things, I’d say that the product is the most important factor in this decision, the place I buy from is next and price is last, but we did have to be realistic about our budget before making the decision. We haven’t made our final choice yet, but we are pretty close. If we had gotten more personal service, I think they’d already have a check from us.

We also are buying a small amount of carpet. This showed me how sometimes price has nothing to do with buying decisions. I want wool carpet. It is a far more expensive choice, but I just want something unique and special in my home. So, when I went to a couple of local Reno carpet stores, they both told me that they didn’t carry wool carpets because there was no demand. I guess I don’t count. I was also amazed at how poorly I was treated in both places. I know that it’s a small job and that they are probably very busy, but I feel like I deserve more. I did a very small mini-blind job for a client last week and I had to do a ton of research with follow up phone calls and emails for an extremely small profit. I was happy to do it for the customer and he made sure to tell me repeatedly how much he appreciated my doing all this work for him, even though it was not a big job. That was worth it to me. Why couldn’t these companies give me the same kind of service?

So, in the end, when you are buying window coverings, whether blinds, shades, shutters or draperies, shouldn’t you be treated well? Choose a professional, an expert in the field who will treat you with respect and dignity. They are the ones that deserve your money. The value is in the whole experience, not just in the products you purchase.