September 3, 2021 | News & Press Releases
Keith Herring (second from right) with Hy-Vee District Vice President, Southern District, Chris Strub (right), Hy-Vee District Store Director Tim Michael (second from left), and Trenton Hy-Vee Store Manager Chad Boyd (left).
TRENTON, Mo. (Sept. 3, 2021) — Customers at the Hy-Vee in Trenton, Missouri, know just who to turn to when they need help. They’ll find the helpful smile and exemplary customer service Hy-Vee is known for in Keith Herring.
As the meat manager at the Trenton Hy-Vee, Keith sees many customers every day and is always happy to help them find the right meat for their meals. Keith loves getting to know his customers, sharing his knowledge with co-workers, and providing the best products and service. That’s why fellow employees, family members, customers and Hy-Vee executives gathered at the Trenton Hy-Vee yesterday to surprise Keith with the Legendary Customer Service Award. The award recognizes exemplary achievement in providing service that exceeds customers’ expectations. Only 11 winners were selected from among more than 86,000 Hy-Vee employees across eight states.
“Keith is a leader in both the Trenton community and the store,” wrote Chris Strub, Hy-Vee district vice president for the Columbia District. “He is always at the front of the meat counter, ensuring each customer has the perfect steak or a great meal picked out for their family. He knows his customers by name and remembers minute details of their lives to ask about when they come in next. He will go out of his way to make sure a customer is happy, even bringing products to a family friend who lives more than five hours away when he visits his son. His professionalism, work ethic, and smile keep customers returning to his department, and they know he will fulfill any request they have.”
Keith not only exemplifies Hy-Vee’s fundamentals when he’s in the store helping customers and training new employees, but in the community of Trenton as well. Keith doesn’t hesitate to help his neighbors whether he’s on the clock or it’s a day off.
“Keith is a veteran Meat Manager who has the uncanny ability to make customers and employees smile and feel better just because of his presence,” Chad Boyd, store manager at the Trenton Hy-Vee, wrote in Keith’s nomination. “He calls customers by name and knows about their interests and family members. Keith leads his department by example and always ensures that his people understand the importance of treating customers like family. This is just a part of who he is as a person. If he hears that a person is in need of assistance he is there to help, cutting firewood and delivering it to a neighbor in need, mowing a lawn, scooping snow, or just being a friend are all things he does as a part of his daily life.”
Candidates are nominated for the Legendary Customer Service Award by their co-workers, and winners are selected by a panel of Hy-Vee’s top officers. Nominations are evaluated on the employee’s overall contributions to the company in nine areas: passion for customer service, attitude, initiative, teamwork, problem-solving skills, dedication to Hy-Vee fundamentals, communication skills, professional image and self-confidence.
Hy-Vee’s Chairman, CEO and President Randy Edeker said Keith demonstrates exactly the type of caring commitment to others that Hy-Vee leaders had in mind when the Legendary Customer Service Awards were established in 2006.
“Keith is a wonderful example of the Hy-Vee smile and providing relentless customer service. He never stops helping people, in his store and in the Trenton community,” Edeker said. “This award honors the best of the best in our Hy-Vee family and Keith is certainly deserving of this award.”
Keith and the other 2021 recipients of the Legendary Customer Service Award will be inducted into
Hy-Vee’s Customer Service Hall of Fame and receive a coveted Legendary Customer Service name badge and a custom-designed ring to commemorate the honor. Recipients will also receive a crystal trophy and a free trip of their choice.
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Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating more than 280 retail stores across eight Midwestern states with sales of $11 billion annually. The supermarket chain is synonymous with quality, variety, convenience, healthy lifestyles, culinary expertise and superior customer service. Hy-Vee ranks in the Top 10 Most Trusted Brands and has been named one of America’s Top 5 favorite grocery stores. The company’s more than 86,000 employees provide “A Helpful Smile in Every Aisle” to customers every day. For additional information, visit www.hy-vee.com.