Ask Jason Couto who his competition is, and he won’t name another remodeling company. “We look at great companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft,” says Couto, president of his family-owned company. “These companies have a vision in place, and we like to mimic those companies.”
Couto’s vision? To dominate his region even more than the company already does. That includes expanding into the greater Boston area and northern Connecticut along with developing key new talent. Since 2017, the company has been on a growth tear, moving from $5.4 million in annual sales to a projected $12 million in 2019. But Couto recognizes the danger in such fast growth.
“How do we maintain excellence and stay focused and organized while we grow at such a rapid pace?” he says. “It’s a good challenge to have and one we’re meeting head on.”
For example, rather than trying to attract new workers in today’s tight labor market, the company has instituted its own apprentice program to grow its future talent. Already, interns have turned into full-time employees, apprentices into foremen, and call-center workers into production coordinators. “We show people a career path,” Couto says. “We put a game plan together and have you grow in the company with us.”
At the same time, the company hasn’t forgotten the customer-service roots that the Coutos’ father established more than 30 years ago. Couto calls it a “wow experience” and today the company uses the latest technology to keep projects running smoothly along with old-fashioned thank yous. The company’s commitment to service and training also comes through in its platinum preferred status with Owens Corning along with gold awards for performance, service, and product excellence. “We will not leave people unhappy. We want them to be raving fans,” Couto says.
Once the project is finished, the company isn’t done. A referral program—gift cards and cash for leads and sales—encourages customers to tell friends and neighbors about Couto. And everyone who makes a referral is entered into a quarterly prize drawing for things like Bose headphones and weekend getaways. It’s all moving the company toward Couto’s larger vision.
“Where we are is great,” he says. “But we’re just getting started. The vision we have is to be a multilocation group that’s in the business of caring for and helping other people. We’re not going to be the cheapest, but we’re going to be the people who are here for you in the long term. And that is the basis of why we are where we are.”