Personal Service. The Mom and Pop Shop lives on… Enchante, Austin TX
I have taken up the revered mens pastime of shaving with a “real” razor over the past few months. The Double Edge, or DE razor has been around for a loooong time, and gives me a better shave – closer, less razor burn, and more fun than what I’ve been doing for the last twenty or so years – using a Gillette Sensor in the shower.
As with any hobby or niche, you find that the internet is a vast wealth of information on about everything. I quickly realized this with traditional wet shaving, and with a process called “Method Shaving.” Method Shaving is basically a pattern of shaving that is supported by a series of unique products that, bottom line, will give you the closest, most comfortable shave of your life. Seriously. I won’t get more in to it here, but will give you this link if you want to learn more: Clickety.
Charles Roberts, the man who created the Method Shaving system (or the RMWS, Robert’s Method of Wet Shaving) and the Hydrolast products is passionate about his craft and his business. Charles is a paramount example of how true passion about one’s work contributes exponentially to exceptional service. He and his wife Jean own Enchante, a store devoted to Mens wet shaving, Womens fine fragrances, candles, and other related items.
My experience with Charles starts with my wonderful wife and kids wanting to get me a new badger hair shaving brush for Christmas. This was an incredibly thoughtful gift, and quality badger brushes are not cheap, and are also somewhat difficult to find. They searched high and low – really low, in some cases, as often, men’s wet shaving supplies are in Pipe, Smoke and Cigar shops… places we do not usually support or visit. They were unsuccessful in their quest for a fine badger brush, until my eldest son came to the realization that Charles Roberts’ shop, Enchante, was actually here in Austin where we live. They decided to take me down there – a sort of pilgrimage to meet the man behind the Method…
My wife called the store one Saturday to see if it was open, as Weekend hours were off-and-on. There was no answer. She was going to try again, when a few minutes after her initial call, the phone rang. I didn’t know it at the time, but that was Charles calling back to let her know they were open, and there. How’s that for personal service?
I was still in the dark, but the family told me to load up and they were going to take me somewhere. We ended up in downtown Austin on Congress and 6th at One American Center, behind the statue of Angelina Eberly firing a cannon. We ended up at Enchante and it clicked for me. My wife told me I could go in and pick any badger brush I wanted. I had realized where we were and that I could likely get a Shavemaster – the brush of brushes, the apex of badger shaving brushes old and new… OK, suffice it to say I was excited.
Upon meeting Charles, he promptly told us I couldn’t buy anything. “I could sell you a $150 brush and a bunch of other stuff but I’d rather you learn this and decide for yourself if you really need them.” His honesty was surprising and disarming.
What? Wait… Christmas… I want a cool brush… huh?
Charles then began a dialogue about the history of shaving, the philosophy of shaving, the *science* of shaving… we talked for over an hour. His passion, knowledge and experience with something as simple as shaving is contagious. So instead of running in and buying a brush and jamming, we were there while Charles told us of the philosophy of the RMWS old and new, and how it has evolved in to what he uses today, and that it can be done in six minutes… The man is completely engulfed in shaving.
He still wouldn’t sell us anything.
Charles insisted that I watch a video, the one linked above, before I buy anything, and that I come in for a clinic where he would teach me his technique of Method Shaving 1×1 and with real beards and blades. I agreed to come in…
As we were about to leave, Charles just up and gave me a cube of his soap, a little tub of shaving paste and some cutting balm, and told me how to use them… He basically gave me a starter kit of his Hydrolast products and told me to try them before the clinic, and to be sure to come with at least 24 hours of beard and questions.
Service? I went in to spend my money, and he ended up giving me samples of all of his core products, an offer for a free class, and lots to think about. He knew that if I were serious, I’d be back. He wasn’t after my money, he wanted me to enjoy his wares and his process first. THAT is SERVICE.
Needless to say, my son and I went in for a clinic the following week, where we were both taught what I call RMWS2 – the Roberts Method of Wet Shaving v2.0 – Like any good technologist, Charles has morphed and evolved his methods and products to be faster, more comfortable and flexible as time goes on. We had a great time learning… and it was free. Charles shares his exuberance and experience with anyone who wants it.
With my wife’s blessing and as my Christmas present, I purchased a LOT of Charles’ Hydrolast products after the clinic, including each of the things he sampled for me, a new razor, and a Shaving Cloth. I never got that high end badger brush I originally was taken to the store for.
Charles has since asked me how it’s going, and followed up with offers to teach us more… and we will take him up on those.
I can honestly say that I have NEVER received better, more personalized service ANYWHERE from anyone. Charles Roberts and Enchante have become my new benchmark for exemplary personal customer service.
…and my face? Well, let’s just say I have no reason to want a beard any more. I used to want them because I hated shaving. Now I really enjoy shaving, and my kids enjoy Daddy having a face free of “sharp pokies.”
Tags: Charles Roberts, customer service, Enchante, RMWS, Wet Shaving
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