A customer of Spahn & Rose’s Dunn Lumber location in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, recently purchased a gas fireplace and some other building materials for a patio. When the customer couldn’t get the fireplace to start, Rik Woods, Dunn Lumber’s Hardware Assistant Manager stopped by the customer’s home. Relying on more than 20 years of experience as a handyman, Woods spotted an issue with the bracket holding the ignition button.
After a quick trip back to Dunn Lumber for a few parts, Woods was able to repair the grill and get the customer up and cooking in no time. This kind of service isn’t unusual for Woods. Just about every day, he relies on his contractor and handyman background to help Lake Geneva customers.
Through his devotion to sharing his decades of experience, Woods was recently named the June 2022 recipient of Spahn & Rose’s Above and Beyond Award.
The Above & Beyond Award is given to employees of Spahn & Rose, Wisconsin’s Dunn Lumber and Georgia’s Metro Building Products for outstanding customer service and significant contributions to their team. Woods and other monthly winners of the award receive a $100 Visa gift card and are eligible to be named Employee of the Year, which includes a $1,000 award.
Like Woods, Spahn & Rose, Dunn Lumber and Metro Building Products employees can be nominated for the monthly Above & Beyond Award by coworkers, supervisors and customers. When a customer submits a review, any employees mentioned are nominated for the honor. Customers can also nominate employees for Above & Beyond through Spahn & Rose’s social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Woods was nominated for the Above & Beyond Award because of this recent compliment shared by satisfied customer: “I have been looking for a battery-operated leaf blower, and I went to your store. Everyone was very nice and only too happy to assist me. After one person didn’t know much about the leaf blower, she asked Rik, who was on his lunch break, and he was incredibly helpful. He explained the leaf blower and the battery options. Your business is looking very good against your competition. Having someone explain the fine points of a purchase and its features is the way to go. For me, it’s a great attribute and it sets you apart from the crowd.”
Woods began working at Dunn Lumber in June 2020, after a more than 20 years as the owner of a renovation, construction and handyman company. During those two decades running his business, Woods helped customers complete a variety of projects, including putting in flooring, building decks, and drywall installation.
“Every day, Rik brings an amazing amount of knowledge,” says Jack Huhl, Dunn Lumber’s Hardware General Manager. “He was a handyman, and he’s so good at his job that I wouldn’t want to do my job without him.”
As a contractor in the Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, area, Woods was a frequent visitor to Dunn Lumber, making many building materials and hardware purchases.
“My background helps tremendously for people coming in needing help and ideas for projects,” Woods says. “Those customers aren’t going to get answers from big box stores. Because I’ve done all kinds of jobs, from putting in shelves to framing to painting, I’m able to give advice and help customers find what they need for projects.”
In his off time, Woods enjoys deer hunting, fishing and gardening. And for the past five years, he has kept honeybees. In addition to sharing jars of honey with coworkers, Woods also makes mead, which is a wine made from honey.
Spahn & Rose acquired Dunn Lumber in February 2019. The acquisition merged two of the region’s longest-standing businesses. Dunn Lumber was founded in 1894 by Edward F. Dunn, and the store has been owned by the same family since it opened. Spahn & Rose was founded in 1904, and members of the Spahn family are still involved in the operation of the company, which was named LBM Journal’s Dealer of the Year in 2022.