Bowers Construction, McLean, Va., has been conducting post-job customer surveys since it was incorporated 15 years ago. Co-owner Wilma Bowers says that due to the remodeling industry's poor reputation, homeowners are predisposed to thinking they will have a terrible experience. “We want to prove them wrong,” she says. “And the only way to ensure that you have a satisfied customer is to collect data and to continually refine the customer experience.” Read more
Jody Kenote took up framing at the age of 14, sharpened his carpentry skills in vo-tech school, and worked for a handful of companies before joining DG Liu Contractor, Dickerson, Md., in 1997. He was 31 and “a framing Yoda,” says his boss Jerry Liu, who quickly promoted him to lead carpenter. Read more
Views, views, and more views topped the clients' wish list. And views ó of towering oak and cherry trees; of wildlife including deer and the occasional great horned owl; and, in winter, of the twinkling lights of town, six miles away ó were what Rochman Design-Build, Ann Arbor, Mich., delivered. That is, after working through some kinks. Read more
Surveying customers is the best way to collect direct feedback. The information you gather can help you improve your service. That improved service, in turn, translates to repeat business and referrals. We found that 92% of Reader Panel members follow up with their clients ó and that approximately 55% of them do so within one week. Read more