In 1958, John Parker opened Parker’s Workplace Solutions in Farmington, New Mexico. In 1974, Roger Smith and his wife, Christina, decided to purchase the company. “My grandfather worked at a different company in the same building,” explains customer service supervisor and purchasing manager Katie Smith. “He figured he could go to Denver and be a doctor or stay in Farmington. He decided to stay here.”
In 2007, Christina and the couple’s three sons, Jeff, Jason and Preston, took over the company; and today, Katie and her two sisters work in the family business as well.
Parker’s biggest accounts are the government entities of the two largest Native American tribes in the area, followed by doctors’ offices and hotels—the latter in Durango, Colorado, the popular snow-sport town where Parker has a facility. While some of the major hospitals have turned to Staples, those relationships may ultimately have a short shelf life.
“The hospitals don’t seem to be pleased with Staples’ service, as it is half of what we provide,” explains Katie. “When Staples entered our area, we told customers it makes a lot of promises it can’t keep. Customers are discovering that and are moving business to us.”
Turning challenges into strengths
According to Katie, one main factor for Parker’s longevity is its adaptability—but she admits this was not always the case: “One of the biggest reasons for our success, especially in the last 10 years, is our willingness to change. We fought it for a long time, sticking with how we had always done things and not adapting to the marketplace; but now we are continuing to evolve.”
Katie believes the “Buy Local” movement and the company’s community involvement have been big business boosters: “We serve a large area that is heavy in the oil and gas industries, which can be fickle; there are a lot of economic ups and downs, and I think this makes them value relationships. And this goes both ways. Our team goes out and sets up flags on Veteran Flag Field and we are involved in other community organizations like Child Haven. We live in a beautiful area with a wonderful culture, and we want the community to know how happy and grateful we are to be here.”
She goes on to suggest that happiness in other areas is also key: “We are really happy with our team and the feeling seems to be mutual. Our furniture installer has been with us for more than 15 years and another employee, a wonderful woman I learned a lot from, retired from our company during COVID after 48 years.”
Beating the competition
Katie identifies Parker’s top challenge as Amazon, but that said, she is not overly worried by the online giant: “Our team provides excellent customer service, which is what I think sets us apart from Amazon and Staples. When Amazon first set up a distribution center in our area, it was really nerve-wracking. But after seeing their delivery, we soon realized we had the advantage. Our drivers are very good and they care. I think that’s the difference. This service is what makes us special: our team really cares. Our legacy is important to us. We take pride in our work, we want our customers to be happy and we do whatever it takes to ensure that.”
Katie has one parting tip for other dealers: “Embrace change. Once we realized we needed to keep evolving, we experienced growth.”
Headquarters: Farmington, New Mexico
Top management: Jeff Smith, CEO; Jason Smith, vice president; Preston Smith, vice president
Number of employees: 10
Annual sales: $3–4 million
Sales by category: 45% office products, 55% furniture