It’s a given that customer satisfaction is key to success. But Randy Hann is taking that concept to a whole new level with an entire department devoted to the customer: the Customer Experience Department.

“When people spend $20,000 on their home, that’s a lot of money. And this is their home, their safe haven,” explains Eugenia Marshall, customer experience manager. “When you interrupt that, you better make sure someone is there asking the questions that need to be asked and making sure everything is okay. We want to reduce the stress of remodeling.”

To that end, the customer experience department “holds the hands” of customers from start to finish of a project. But it’s really communication that’s crucial, Marshall says. That means daily contact with customers. Progress photos that are regularly uploaded to the client’s project portal. Walking the property with customers. And always asking: “What can we do to make this better?” Marshall says. “There can never be enough communication.”

Takeaways:

-- Contract Exteriors prides itself on offering top products and holding the highest designations from those suppliers. It also offers an unusual 10-year warranty on workmanship. “If we’re going to install the product, we’re going to install the best available, and we’re going to be the best at it,” Marshall says.

-- To create camaraderie—and employee loyalty—Hann takes the team on a big trip every two years. Last time, they all went to Cancun. Before that, it was Disney World. In between trips, the company does regular team building exercises. “We’re a very tight, family-oriented business,” Marshall says. “We’re not just doing this for the owners, we doing it for each other.”

-- Hann is creating his own apps to stay on top of job status, take notes, and upload photos. Meanwhile, crews use existing apps such as the Evernote app companion Penultimate. That app allows crews to write notes and mark up photos, which can then be used as a presentation tool. Even better, Marshall says, the images can be accessed from anywhere, perfect for out-of-town or busy clients.