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Fall, 2003
  Articles on this page: • Steven M. Valenti: Making customer service a priority
Steven M. Valenti: Making customer service a priority While Steven M. Valenti sat outside his Pittsfield store, "Steven Valenti Clothing For Men," on a sunny July day, nearly a dozen passersby stopped to greet him. When asked the secret to this positive reponse, Valenti observes that, "customer service is the essence of small business." Valenti has created, in a storefront on North Street, a comfortable environment where shoppers can seek the personal assistance of a knowledgeable staff. Around the racks and tables of dress shirts, suits, and casual wear sit articles of antique sports equipment and other bits of bric-a-brac. In the face of competition from department stores and Internet shopping, Valenti carves his niche by offering consumers quality merchandise with a personal touch. Rare indeed is the clothing merchant who writes thank you notes to customers on the 20th anniversary of the store's opening, as Valenti did. "The community aspect is what really separates us from larger retailers," he asserts. Valenti's background in men’s clothing spans five decades. In high school, he held a part-time position at the Besse Clarke clothing store, where he discovered his interest in haberdashery. After college, he spent eight years at the Berkshire Hills Shop. After a three-year stint at Brothership Clothing, Valenti says, "I was ready to strike out on my own." Thus was born the eponymous men's wear store. "Right away, I knew we had to develop strong personal relationships with our customers," by providing them with genuine assistance buying clothes. "Part of being a small clothing store," Valenti observes, "is helping people solve problems in a short time.” He mentions a man who, after buying several pairs of trousers, asked where one might find a wooden baseball bat. The next morning, Valenti called the man to say that his bat was ready. "Anything we don't have, clothing or otherwise, we help customers look for." In another instance, Valenti quite literally brought the store to a customer unable to leave home by making a house call, merchandise in tow. Many times, men have come to the store a few hours prior to a formal event, to leave with tailored pants and a freshly pressed shirt, ready to wear. Using the knowlege accrued over years in business, Valenti has moderated a discussion for Berkshire Enterprises Inc. called "Getting to the Heart of Outstanding Customer Service." He wanted to impart some of the wisdom he has gained over the years to aspiring small business owners just starting out. Born in North Adams, Valenti spent his childhood in Pittsfield, where he attended the public schools. After graduating from Pittsfield High School, he entered Bryant College. Degree in hand, Valenti returned to Pittsfield, because, he says, "it's a great place to raise a family." Apart from the store, Valenti is deeply involved in the Boy Scout organization. He draws upon his experience to teach badge courses like "Family Life" and "Personal Management" where scouts learn, respectively, how to help with chores at home and manage their finances. But Valenti seems most intrigued by the possibilities of his "Communications" course, which, "teaches young men to speak effectively in public or private situations." Quite apparent in even a short conversation, Valenti relishes talking to people. As his son Michael observes, “Dad can talk to anybody.” "I love people," he says, "and I enjoy finding solutions to the problems they have.” Valenti sings in the folk choir at St. Agnes Church in Dalton, and serves on the board of directors of Berkshire County Arc. He is also a co-chair of Pittsfield's Downtown and Safety Committee. "You need to show the community your support, and thank them for supporting you," he says. Valenti is married with two sons, Michael and Evin. His wife, Carolyn, recently opened the "Queen Anne's Lace" floral shop. "It’s exciting to watch another small business find its place in the community," he says. In downtown Pittsfield, Valenti hopes to see a proposed movie complex become a reality. "Downtown can see real growth when new business comes in, because anything that draws consumers helps nearby stores." AS for celebrating the 20th anniversary of "Steven Valenti Clothing for Men", he reflects, "I'm still living a dream I had years ago."  RETURN TO TOP |
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