Computer company on the move

No Shorts Electronics has expanded from Kimberley into Cranbrook, earning the trust and loyalty of customers in both communities

Robyn Amy (left) manages the Kimberley location of No Shorts Electronics, while proprietor Dave McGuire (right) has opened up a new location in Cranbrook. —

Dan Williams photo

No Shorts Electronics has been serving Marysville and Kimberley residents for the past eight years. Now the computer company, which has a client database of more than 1,600 customers, has opened a second location in Cranbrook, on Second Street South between Little Caesars Pizza and Flowers Galore.

Kootenay Business caught up with Dave McGuire, sole proprietor of No Shorts, and he was pleased to answer our questions.

What services do you offer?

Computer sales, service and repairs.

Describe your business philosophy.

To bring back and offer the best customer service to our clients. I feel that is a dying art.

You're now opening a second location. To what do you attribute your success?

Again, our success is primarily based on good old-fashioned customer service. After some much-needed restructuring . . . in 2010 we managed to get back on track with that.

What's the most rewarding part of your work?

The most rewarding part of my work is the callbacks I receive from our clients saying that we did an awesome job, our staff was very courteous and we know our "stuff."

Describe a typical day at work.

Is there such a thing as a typical day? We have to keep up with not only technology, but the new viruses that are created each day. There are new challenges always so I can't say we have typical days.

What are you most proud of in terms of your business?

I am proud of our very qualified staff. Robyn Amy, in particular, manages our Kimberley location, and exceeds at what she does.

What do you like to do in your down time?

Downtime??? There isn't much time for that.

Do you have a favourite Kootenay getaway when you're not working?

When the opportunity does arise, I really enjoy canoeing. Our beautiful lakes have a way of centring you.

Any community involvement you'd like to mention?

When I first started this business in 2000, in Abbotsford, there was a break-in at Little Brothers and Sisters. One of their main computers was stolen . . . No one stepped up to the plate to donate a tower. We did. Since relocating the business in 2004, we have donated systems to Kimberley Minor Hockey and the Kimberley Dynamiters. It's a great feeling to give back when your community has put their trust in you regarding their "lives" on their computers.

What and where was your first job?

My first job was delivering pizzas in Ottawa, Ontario, as a fresh dropout from high school. As the years passed, I returned to college as a mature student and pursued computers.

Who inspires you?

I believe my clients inspire me, as does my staff. They make me want to strive to continue to perform great work.

Are you from Cranbrook or Kimberley originally? If not, where did you come from?

I was born in Edmonton, Alberta, and moved to Ontario at a very early age. After college in 1992, I moved to the West Coast and then found myself residing in Kimberley in 2004.

Any special lessons you've learned along the way in your business career?

I have learned that if you employ the "right" people, you will succeed. By this I mean educated, up to date and, above all, with a talent for understanding the clients' needs and who can perform their duties with courtesy and diligence.

What's the most unique/interesting question or service call you've ever responded to?

We are an extremely busy small company, so I can say that I have seen it all. People basically have their lives on their computers and they entrust us with their information. I think when it really sunk in that we do amazing work was when I fielded a call from New Zealand from a gentleman who was referred to us from a client at the ski hill. He was interested in purchasing one of our machines. (We use only the best components when we do a build.)

Anything you'd like to add?

The main reason that we expanded into Cranbrook was we found more and more people were coming to us from there. We made the decision to open a location there to help better service the neighbourhood and community.