Many remodelers give clients some sort of holiday gift as a thank-you for business. Michael Spreckelmeier, owner of Progressive Builders, in Fort Myers, Fla., elevates this tradition to a higher level. His system builds upon company culture by having staff work together to customize gifts for clients, to personally deliver those gifts, and to set goals and build team spirit. Here's how. More
I apologized for something I did. Word traveled the grapevine, and soon a card arrived in the mail from Craig Durosko of Sun Design Remodeling Specialists, in Burke, Va. More
This past spring, Stilwell, Kan., remodelers Candi and Troy Hilton (Big50 2003) started planning for the future. Avid sailers and more comfortable in warmer climes, they decided that in 15 years they'd shut down their business and retire. By the end of the summer, they were living in Florida. Fourteen years early. More
So much of our work is repeat and referral business,” says Michael Spreckelmeier, president of Progressive Builders, in Fort Myers, Fla. The importance of a first impression, then, cannot be understated. That's why the company sends out a start letter to their clients' neighbors, highlighting the changes they can expect to see in their neighborhood and providing contact information should a problem arise. More
