Crutchfield Corporation

Crutchfield Corporation is a North American retailer specializing in a wide range of electronics, including mobile audio and video equipment for the automobile, along with speakers, televisions, and other electronics for home or portable use, serving both the United States and Canada. It was created in 1974 by William G. " Bill" Crutchfield, Jr., founder and CEO. It is based in Charlottesville, Virginia.

"Crutchfield" redirects here. For other uses, see Crutchfield (disambiguation).
Crutchfield Corporation
TypePrivate
IndustryConsumer electronics retail
Founded1974
FounderWilliam G. Crutchfield, Jr.
Headquarters
Charlottesville, Virginia
Websitewww.Crutchfield.com

Company

Crutchfield reports on its website that it has over 500 employees. It is privately held by CEO Bill Crutchfield.[1] The Charlottesville facilities include a headquarters, a main distribution center, and a secondary distribution and processing center. In addition, Crutchfield has a satellite facility in Norton, Virginia.

Crutchfield has retail storefronts in Charlottesville and Harrisonburg, Virginia.[2]

Crutchfield has had a web presence since 1995. Their website's Outfit My Car tool makes use of in-house measurements of thousands of vehicles to verify fit for aftermarket speakers and car stereos.[3] The website also features articles, videos, and reviews.[4]

Business model

A key mission of the Crutchfield business early on, was providing customers with information about the audio gear and installation.[5]

As Crutchfield grew, it developed formal departments dedicated to Vehicle Research and Product Research. The company claims to have assembled the largest database of vehicle fit information.[6]

As of November 2017, they had vehicle fit information on over 25,000 vehicles.[7] This information drives internal resources to support sales and tech support, and is also the basis of the database powering the online Outfit My Car tool.

The Vehicle Research department also provides the information needed for Crutchfield to produce MasterSheets, which are instruction sheets for installing car stereo products in specific vehicles.[8]

The Product Research arm of Crutchfield verifies the data provided by manufacturers on each consumer electronics product, for car and for home or portable use, in addition to performing additional tests, and measurements itself.

Awards and recognition

In 2007, Bill Crutchfield was inducted into the Consumer Electronics Association Hall of Fame alongside Paul Allen and Amar Bose.[9] The company's website, Crutchfield.com, was the first vendor-authorized audio/video retailer on the Internet.[10]

As of April 2018, Crutchfield was the only internet retailer to have won BizRate Insight's Platinum Circle of Excellence Award eighteen years in a row.[11]

Crutchfield's call center has been certified by J. D. Power and Associates' Call Center Certification Program for "meeting key expectations"[12] and "outstanding customer service experience."[13]

References
  1. "Our Story: History | Crutchfield.com". Crutchfield Corporation. Archived from the original on 2010-01-08. Retrieved 2010-03-31.
  2. "McAuliffe stumps with support of Crutchfield". Daily Progress. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
  3. "Outfit My Car - Crutchfield". Crutchfield. Archived from the original on 2013-10-05. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
  4. "Crutchfield Learn". Crutchfield Corporation. Archived from the original on 2017-11-29. Retrieved 2017-11-16.
  5. "Crutchfield - Our Story - History". Crutchfield. Archived from the original on 2013-10-05. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
  6. "Crutchfield - Our Story - Innovations". Crutchfield. Archived from the original on 2013-10-04. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
  7. "Outfit My Car - Crutchfield". Crutchfield. Archived from the original on 2013-10-05. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
  8. "Crutchfield - MasterSheets". Crutchfield. Archived from the original on 2013-05-17. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
  9. "CE Hall of Fame Inductees". Consumer Electronics Association. Archived from the original on 2010-03-25. Retrieved 2010-03-31.
  10. "Crutchfield Turns Up the Volume on Microsoft SharePoint and Exchange Data Management with CommVault Simpana". Business Wire. 29 November 2007. Archived from the original on 7 August 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  11. "Circle of Excellence Award Winners at BizRate". BizRate. Archived from the original on 2019-01-23. Retrieved 2019-01-24.
  12. "Call Center Certification Program". J.D. Power and Associates. Archived from the original on 2008-04-30. Retrieved 2008-05-05.
  13. "Crutchfield Recognized for Providing an Outstanding Customer Service Experience (Press Release)". J.D. Power and Associates. Retrieved 2008-05-05.
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