Jodi Wallace

Special Contributor

There are definitely days I seriously miss being just the “worker bee” who comes to work, does my job, collects my pay and clocks out without a second thought to all the “stuff” a business owner is overwhelmed with. And there is definitely a lot of stuff!        

But for me, the part of my job that I actually enjoy the most is working with customers.  And yes, I have on occasion been asked if I am feverish, experienced hallucinations or have eaten bad seafood!

I always remind people that we business owners are the consumer in disguise. I am a firm believer that an informed customer is a happy customer. If a customer understands the product, process, and upkeep of the product they are purchasing, I believe it leads to a more long-term satisfaction. 

It’s sad to walk into a customer’s home and see what you know was once gorgeous granite that a customer paid a lot of money for but is now stained, dull and looking on the shabby side. The number of times I ask a customer how often they seal their stone and what care they take are constantly met with blank stares. Consumers are simply not educated on the products they are spending their money on. 

My rule is easy – I will put in whatever product and color a customer wants, but there will be no surprises. They will understand the characteristics of the material, (granite versus quartz), the maintenance each products does or doesn’t require, (granite needs to be sealed, quartz does not, but is not as heat-resistant), and the care and maintenance of what they have purchased, (use trivets for hot items, don’t use as a cutting board).

Both our shop and our showroom (which are located several miles apart) are located within a couple of blocks proximity to a Home Depot.  Don’t get me wrong, I shop at Home Depot and Lowe’s. They are a lifesaver when the guys are running to a job and realize – oops, we are out of plywood, or silicone, or screws. 

As I have mentioned in previous columns, their employees know a little about a lot of things, but not a lot about one thing. More than a few times over the years, customers have asked me if I am worried being so close to Home Depot. And over the years my answer has always been a resounding “absolutely not!” I know the shops that service the box stores and on occasion have helped them out. 

How would I describe them? Absolutely they produce quantity over quality, and offer zero customer education. Nope, I don’t even feel the need to try and compete with that. This is where a business that specializes in surfaces has the distinct opportunity over the large box stores.  

Recently my husband, Ken, had an opportunity offered to him at the stone shop we do a lot of work with. One of the company’s current customers is an area Lowe’s store. And one of the things that Ken, who is now in charge of Templates, including tear outs, says is making his life extremely chaotic is the total lack of communication and education of customers. 

His guys will show up at a customer home for a tear out and template and have a customer come unglued when they find out “tear out” means “Yes, we actually have to tear out the existing countertops to make a template,” or “No, we can’t work around all the items stored on the countertops. Didn’t the person you spoke to review this with you?” 

And his favorite, “No, I’m sorry, we won’t be installing your countertops tomorrow. Didn’t they speak to you about fabrication time?” (Obviously not!) Honestly, more wasted time is spent with customers who are completely clueless of what is happening. And the worst part is, it’s not their fault. How can they possibly understand the process if they are not educated?

Although some customers definitely look at price as the defining factor, for many customers they want to feel someone spends time with them versus rushing them out the door, someone who understands what they are selling and comes across as such, and someone who can answer their questions knowledgeably and truthfully. Trust me – if I don’t know the answer I don’t hesitate to say so. But I also will find it out and follow up with the customer or have Ken (the technical guru!) call and speak with them. 

As the owner of my business, I have a huge stake in how my customers perceive my company, my quality, my knowledge. I have an opportunity to educate my customers to ensure the surface I am putting in fits their lifestyle and needs. And these are the items a sales person at a box store has absolutely no clue about. 

I am in the unique position of being the person who runs our showroom, (with occasional help from my son or husband on the weekend) versus an employee. For new customers coming in for the first time, I do what I refer to as “Countertops 101.” 

I admit I spend a lot of time with my customers. Probably more than I need to at times, but I’m the owner, so I can do what I want! But more importantly, I look at how I assist my customers the way I wish someone would assist me when I walk into a store. 

Everyone seems to have an opinion and advice on what a customer should do for surfaces - friends, family, (adult daughters are the worst!), too much time spent on the internet and watching all the flipping house shows. 

I am into simple, informed and educated. My conversation with a potential customer usually starts with some basic information: what they are doing with their cabinetry – are they going with new, if so, what style (European or “traditional”). If they are keeping their existing cabinets, are they changing the finish, (painting or re-facing), or keeping as is? 

I ask about how the kitchen is used – do they cook / bake, or do they want the kitchen to “match” the rest of the house and look nice, but functionality is not really an issue? 

I inquire about lighting. Do they have natural or artificial, any skylights? What are they doing about flooring, (tile, hardwood, laminate, linoleum)? Do they have a particular “look” they are trying to duplicate or a specific color palette we are working with? Is there any existing paint, curtains or other items we need to work around? (Yes, we have all had to match bathroom wallpaper and valances). And finally, have they done any homework on the choice of materials available so they have an idea of what they want or shall we start at the beginning?

By the time I am finished with the initial questions I am usually getting some funny looks. Why? Because as many customers have said, they have never had anyone ask this level of detailed questions. And more importantly, why do I care?

We have seen some very definitive changes in homeowners the last couple of years. Resources including HGTV, Houzz and all these remodel and “flipping” home reality shows have done a couple of different things. On one hand you have more educated customers who have done their homework and understand acrylic versus granite versus quartz. 

But for many customers this is their first time doing something like this or it has been many, many years since they have done a remodel and the choices available can be somewhat overwhelming. In addition, just because it looks good in a magazine or online does not mean it will work with a customer’s kitchen. 

In addition to looking at brands, colors and patterns, I also discuss sink options, (undermount, farmhouse, topmount), edge choices, (although I occasionally do an upgraded fancy edge, I believe simple and clean edges compliment and transition the eye seamlessly from the cabinet up to countertop). 

I ask questions to ensure I know if they have a cooktop, free standing stove or integral stove (which requires a filler piece in the back) and lastly backsplash options, (4 inch, 6 inch, full height and tile).

If we are providing tear out, I review the requirements, (countertops completely cleared off and all lower drawers and cabinets emptied; we will vacuum when we finish). We discuss exactly how templates are taken, why templates are necessary, and lastly, we discuss fabrication and installation times. 

In this age of instant gratification, quantity over quality definitely seems to have found a place, even with the “mature” generation. I try and remind people that they are spending a lot of money on something they will be enjoying for many years.  Some things are worth waiting to ensure it is done properly and meets their expectations. 

My rule is I will tell you the truth even if it is not the answer you want to hear. I have on occasions lost a job because I couldn’t turn a job as quickly as a customer wanted it and ABC Company promised they could. As they say, you get what you pay for. I do admit a slight feeling of satisfaction when I have received follow up calls from customers who learned the hard way that there is a reason doing it right is not doing it in two days, and I’m very sorry, but I cannot fix the crack / crooked / improperly installed countertops of the other company you went with. 

Or my favorite – “of course we can template and install within (3) days.” Two and three weeks later they are still waiting for their (3) day installation and are receiving no return phone calls or emails.  Or the install had serious problems and they are still waiting for someone to come back and fix it as they promised. The reason I know this – they call me looking for assistance because I was so helpful when they were here originally!

For example, several years ago I had a call from a woman looking for some help. She had a company install new quartz countertops and as the installers were carrying in the main piece, she noticed a large crack running from the laminated edge in front, all the way up to the front of the sink. 

The installer assured her that this was “part of the stone’s ‘personality.’”  They assured her that if they installed it and she wasn’t happy, someone would come out and see what they could do to fix the situation. 

We had been speaking for several minutes when she suddenly said, “Is this Jodi?”  I was totally taken off guard.

I replied yes it was. She excitedly introduced herself and told me she had met with me four or five months ago and how much she had enjoyed it. She said she really appreciated all the information I had shared and how knowledgeable and passionate I was. 

In fact, she loved the quartz sample I had shown her so much that she selected and ordered the same brand and color, because it worked so well with her new cabinets. And she wanted me to know she had even recommended a good friend to Monarch Designs! 

Now, in my little corner of the world that should have indicated a customer was giving us the job. But obviously this was not the case! And I (obviously) had to ask. Were we more expensive than the company she went with? 

No, she told me, it turns out we were actually very competitive with their bid. At that point I was seriously confused. Our price was good, she liked the education we offered, and liked us. So why exactly had she gone with the other company instead of us?

Oh, well, they had told her they could install her tops (4) days after templates and I had quoted 7 to 8 business days.

“Did they deliver in four days?” I asked. There was a silence. No, they had finally come almost (2) weeks after they took templates, and then they came with damaged stone. 

“Did you pay them in full?” I already knew the answer.

She said yes, and that she just didn’t understand why no one would return any of her messages.

I swear I really did try to be good and keep my mouth shut. But the little devil sitting on my shoulder just knocked the daylights out of the angel sitting on my other shoulder, straight out the door, down the block and around the corner!

“I guess you should have gone with us, huh?” 

I wished her luck and hung up. If she had not been in such a hurry, she would have had a quality product, a warranty, and a nice handwritten thank you note. But her rush to get it “now” had put her in the predicament she was in. And being that she had paid them in full, her chance of anyone wanting to do anything about the problem was pretty much slim to none.

Regardless, I still do things the same way. I honestly feel educating a customer (or potential customer) is important. When a new customer walks in, and on their way out looks at me and says, “Wow, I’ve learned so much – thank you!” it really does make my day. I truly take satisfaction knowing when a customer leaves my showroom they leave with a lot more knowledge then they arrived with. They know not only the questions to ask, but also the answers to expect.

Jodi Wallace is co-owner of Monarch Solid Surface Designs in San Jose, California. Contact her at monarchssdesigns@aol.com.