Enthusiasm combining business with pleasure the key to successes

Press, 5 December 1988, Page 3 (Supplement)

Enthusiasm combining business with pleasure the key to successes

Enthusiasts combining business with pleasure — that’s how Lyall Grant describes himself and his team at Lyall Grant Stereo Limited in Cashel Street.

Lyall says both he and Vic Taylor — former president of the Christchurch Hi Fi Club — really enjoy the industry and what they do.

When he took over the present site — opposite the United Building Society, now housed in Lyall Grant's former premises — two years ago, Lyall said it allowed him the space to offer two excellent listening rooms on site, with the added advantage of the Cashel Street car park next door.

“They are the size of the average New Zealand lounge and as opposed to a lot of other facilities they are perfectly technically correct accoustically. They give the ideal conditions for people in a buying situation. Virtu-

ally every system we sell we demonstrate there. It would be a rare occurrence if we didn’t.”

The shop comprises 2000 sq ft and houses what Lyall describes as the best available in New Zealand. The brand names include Denon, Yamaha, Luxman, N.A.D., Linn, Naim, A and R Cambridge, Rega, Kef, Tan-

noy and Sony — names from Europe and Japan which “represent the world’s best hi-fi brands.” And Lyall offers between one and five years’ warranty on the equipment he sells. “People are beginning to realise the importance of buying name brands — it’s a bit like buying a BMW or a

Jag — you can buy any model but you know you’ll get a good one.” Lyall carries two important policies in his business. “That is a guarantee of price — if customers can, within 14 days find a better price for the same product, anywhere in New Zealand, then we will take it back. As well,

we have a right of exchange for 14 days. If people aren’t happy with what they have bought, they can bring it back within that time. What we want to provide is customer satisfaction.”

Lyall also has, to his knowledge, the only shop in Christchurch which offers interest-free credit for up to

12 months. And it’s not just a special, it’s a regular part of the Lyall Grant service. “It’s a very competitive market — you have to do things properly,” Lyall said.

He emphasises separate components and sound quality as opposed to cosmetic appeal.

Lyall stocks walkmans, midi systems, mini systems and full-sized audio systems, as well as “surround sound video,” the “ultimate” in audio visual sound, which, costing around $2OOO, processes sound into a fourchannel picture theatre effect.

While Lyall says he aims for male customers aged between 18 and 40 years, he likes to feel he can cater for everyone.

He is catering for them in Dunedin as well now — having opened a Lyall Grant Stereo store there in August this year.