Jodi Wallace

Monarch Solid Surface Designs

Yesterday my supervisor Mark and I met at Home Depot to pick up a couple things the shop had run out of, (because no one can remember to give you prior notice when you are getting low!).  As Mark finished loading the truck and we were doing a quick summary of jobs for the day a pickup truck pulled up next to us and stopped.

“Hi,” I said, realizing the guy was waiting for a break in our conversation.

The driver smiled and said,  “Hi. I was wondering if you have a card.” 

I stood there a minute trying to get my brain to wrap around what he was asking. After a minute the lightbulb went off – he was asking for a business card. (Honestly, at 7:00 am, when I went to bed at 1:00 am trying to catch up on paperwork, what can you expect?).

I tried to remember where I had put our business cards and realized I had cleaned out the stash of cards I had in the truck before I redeployed with the Red Cross again a couple weeks ago, for the newest round of fires in Northern California. As I searched through my purse, the center console and side doors I could hear Mark talking with the guy. 

“Yeah, sure, we would love to help you,” Mark was saying. “We do really good work.” 

The guy must have smiled or smirked because I heard Mark say, “No, REALLY– we do GREAT work!!” You could hear the pride in his voice. I have to admit it made me smile. And proud that he felt that way. Not that we don’t have problems as every shop does, but the fact that he felt confident enough to make a statement like that to a potential customer said a lot. 

Leaving the shop a few minutes later I realized that a couple of days prior he and I were at the gas station filling up trucks, when I had casually mentioned something about some upcoming bathroom jobs. 

Mark smiled. “Cool!” he said. “I love doing showers! I really like taking pictures as I’m going along. You know– before, during, after. I like to post them on Facebook.” 

“Really?” I commented. On one hand I admit I was surprised, but on the other hand I know the way Mark works. He likes working on showers better than kitchens, because some of the complex designs allowed him a bit of creativity, like to trying to assemble a jigsaw puzzle. Each piece had to fit just right to allow the next piece to fall into place.  He is definitely one of those guys who takes pride in what he does. I knew it meant something to him when things turned out nice and the customer was happy.

“Not like I ever see any pictures of the jobs!” I teased him. 

I am always trying to get the guys to send me pictures since I put all this time in with customers and NEVER get to see the jobs completed!! “Maybe I could send you a couple and you could put them in your book (I have a small photo album I keep at the showroom).

“Or online,” I added. He just smiled (Not holding my breath on actually seeing any, but the thought is nice!!).

Hearing Mark make a statement like that to a potential customer – when he didn’t have to – reinforces my trust that he has my back and wants us to be successful. 

As business owners, we know that the quality of the product and the service we offer our customers reflects back on us. And like it or not, our employees hold the power in presenting this in a positive or negative way. No matter how well we sell it, or the time we spend with a customer prior to the job starting, it’s our employees who can make or break a job. Their actions and words speak loudest and it is their behavior and attitudes that customers remember. We can encourage, cajole, scold, and sweet-talk our employees to do their best, but like parents, we aren’t always there to ensure our employees are doing what we request or need them to.   

Things are never perfect and there are days I seriously shake my head at decisions employees have made, but I have never doubted that my guys do their best and want every customer to be happy with the final product. There is a definite sense of pride when a customer calls or emails me to say how polite and respectful, or nice and professional my guys were, taking care of the customer’s “things,” cleaning up after themselves. And not just homeowners. I have had contractors on job sites make comments as well. I make a serious effort to remember to share the feedback with my guys when I hear from a customer but I admit a little ashamedly I don’t always remember.

I remind myself that regardless of the times I want to strangle someone, I know my guys always have Monarch’s best interest in mind. They work hard and they make me proud. I couldn’t ask for anything more.