Parksville’s M&N Mattress and Sofa Shop is a torch-bearer again when it comes to customer service.
The business recently won a 2021 Better Business Bureau Torch Award in the customer service category. This was the second time for M&N to achieve this honour, having won previously in 2017.
Owners Mark and Neelam Nagra, along with daughter Nathasha and store manager Theresa, attended the awards ceremony and gala dinner at the the Union Club of B.C. in Victoria, where they were declared the winner of the category, beating two other businesses on Vancouver Island.
“This is a great honour,” said Mark Nagra. “Our whole focus is quality product and customer service. If you have both any business should do well. Customer service’s value is you get repeat business and referrals. It’s the cheapest form of advertising. Just make the people happy and it’s really not that hard.”
To make up for the cancelled 2020 event, the organization pooled nominations for 97 different businesses submitted between September 2019 and August 2021. A panel of volunteer judges reviewed the nominations and selected finalists and winners.
M&N Mattress Shop has been doing business in Parksville for more than two decades. Since then it has won a Torch Award in the community engagement category in 2015; sales and service in 2018; and lifestyle and leisure in 2019.
READ MORE: Better Business Bureau Torch Awards double down with annual Vancouver Island celebration
Nagra has been in the mattress business for more than 30 years. The experience he has had has taught him the value of being sincere and truly dedicated to making customers happy.
“It has to come from the heart,” he said. “If in your heart, you have it in you to help people at work, your personal life or whatever, that’s what will allow you to get the best service. It’s not hard. You just have to listen to the customer and you can learn so much.”
Giving back to the community is also one of M&N’s mandates. Nagra made a commitment to donate $1,000 to the Society of Organized Services if they won the Torch Award. On Monday, Nov. 15, they presented the cheque to the SOS.
From Oct. 13 to Nov. 11, M&N Mattress donated $75 from every invoice over $999 to local Legions. The Royal Canadian Legion Mt. Arrowsmith Legion Branch 49 in Parksville, the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 76 in Qualicum Beach and the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 211 in Bowser will be sharing $8,325.
“This community has been so supportive of our businesses and this is our way of giving back,” said Nagra.
— NEWS Staff