Doug's Blog | masterstouchweb.com

Tag: Customer Service

Exciting New Changes Coming To Masters Touch!

2012.03.06 05:35:05

There are so many exciting changes happening here at Masters Touch.

In the next few weeks we’ll have our showroom completely updated with a new area specializing in exterior home care products. We’ll feature various brands of windows including Marvin, Andersen, Pella, Harvey, Earthwise, and Jeldwen.

Doors will include Thermatru, Andersen, Marvin, Pella, and Simpson. Our “exterior” room will also feature a full selection of Certainteed shingles on display.

In addition, you can see Kleer brand decking and replacement trim, along with Azek railings. While we’re at it, we are near completion of revamping our carpet showroom. Here you will find a comprehensive array of carpets and area rugs. You’ll see fine selections from Fabrica and Masland, two of the preeminent designer brands on the market today. We also feature a full line of carpet for every room in your home by Dixie Home, along with Tuftex of California, two of the best carpet mills in the country.

Over the winter, we’ve tripled the amount of tile and hardwood featured in our showroom, so chances are you’ll find everything you need right here. Of course, all of our products are sold with installation available, always by seasoned professionals.

Need window treatments? Masters Touch features Hunter Douglas and Light Vue brands of premium blinds, and our designers will gladly assist with the design and installation of custom window treatments for every room in your home.

So what’s the most exciting feature at the Masters Touch showroom? Our staff! Our team of professional designers are ready to serve you. Feel free to drop in, or better yet call ahead and schedule a one-on-one appointment with the designer of your choice.

Whether you are considering building your new dream home, renovating part of your existing home, or planning to spruce up a few rooms, the best place to start is Masters Touch.

Everything you need and people you can trust.

Spring showroom hours:

Monday to Wednesday - 7 Am to 5 PM

Thursday - 7 AM to 8 PM

Friday - 7 AM to 2 PM

Saturday - 8 AM to 4 PM

Off hours by appointment for preferred customers.

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Masters Touch Helps You Select The Perfect Paint Color

2012.01.09 01:29:52

Selecting the perfect paint color for every room in your home is no easy task. There are so many factors that can affect how a color looks and feels. How will it look on a bright, sunny day? What will it look like on a cloudy day, or at night when there is much less natural light to brighten up most rooms?

It's a very good idea to test paint colors with large sample boards or paint them right on the wall. Be careful though, because if you build up too much paint in one spot it may "flash" through the finish paint. Don't be afraid to try a few colors and live with them up on the wall for a week or two before you paint.

One of the most important things to remember - it can be fun! Don't get stressed out. At the end of the day it's only a paint color. If you pick a color and you aren't happy with it, you can always repaint.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, give Masters Touch a call. Our professional designers have years of experience with color specifications, and we'll be glad to help you find just the right color for your project.

Doug

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Masters Touch Approaching 15 Year Anniversary!

2011.11.10 03:06:58

January will mark the 15 year anniversary of the "official launch" of Masters Touch!

Our very first job was in November 2006, painting an addition. I've taken some time out of my day to reflect on all the good times and the bad times, while everyone here at Masters Touch continues to double their efforts for a bright and prosperous future.

Recently, I found myself going through our database - which is nearing a milestone of 10,000 contacts - in chronological order based on the dates they were entered. It's like travelling back in time, remembering when a certain person was entered and thinking back to why. Were they friends or family? A new customer? A vendor? A potential employee? Well, whatever the situation, it brings a smile to my face.

I'll touch base more on our celebration of 15 years of quality and service in the future. For now, as always, a big thank you to all our valued customers and hard-working staff, as we look forward to another 15 years!

Doug

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Don't Forget To Enjoy Your Days Off!

2011.11.08 06:46:10

I spent yesterday working in the yard stacking wood, cleaning up the leaves, winterizing the faucets, and of course for me, a nice morning hike with the dog and my son Kellen.

Every once in a while it's nice to have a "real" day off with no phone calls, no internet, and ultimately no stress.

I suppose I could pay someone to stack that wood, but it's really therapeutic to work with my two boys, age 6 and 3, and my daughter Reagan, age 9. A great family time followed with some football in the yard with my dog, who I swear is the late and lamented Walter Payton reincarnated. It was a great "recharge your battery" day and I'm very thankful for that.

Now, it's Monday again and time to make the donuts. All the crews are out on their jobs, the weather is beautiful, and the office and the Masters Touch Showroom staff are hard at work planning our next projects.

Life is good.

Doug

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Masters Touch In Process Of Upgrading Computer Program

2011.10.25 03:15:31

In the next few weeks we will be upgrading our database software.

I'm afraid I'm dating myself a bit here - I've been using ACT software since it was a DOS program. Ouch! We're currently using "Act 2000" and will be upgrading to "Act 2012." This after just upgrading the server and many of the work stations to be able to handle the change.

It's been a daunting task, and I'm sure we'll hit more road blocks in the next few weeks. We're going to make every effort to avoid any communication issues with our clients during these equipment and software upgrades. In the end, we'll be able to better serve all of our customers with a faster, more comprehensive and more accurate database which will soon be "in the cloud."

Change is difficult...

Change is good...

Sincerely,
Doug Masters
Chief cook and bottle washer

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Schedule Your Upcoming Winter Projects With Masters Touch Soon!

2011.10.11 03:58:18

Columbus Day.

It's been a beautiful weekend. Warm and sunny - definitely Indian Summer. And what could be better than a final brilliant weekend before the fall really sets in?

We have a few weeks left for exterior painting and then the cold weather should really hit us. However, that won't slow down exterior construction, so there's still time to sign up for various types of work. Whether you need a roof, siding, trim repairs, all new windows, or an addition, we perform those kinds of projects right through the winter.

Don't forget about interior work as well. Whether it's time for a new kitchen, a finished basement, or some interior painting, our experienced craftsmen are ready to serve you.

Take advantage of our winter seasonal pricing for painting: 20% off any project over $2000.00 or more, and 25% off any project of 25% or more scheduled for production between December 1st and April 1st.

Masters Touch remains . . . at your service!

Doug

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Masters Touch Values Customer Feedback

2011.10.04 05:48:24

Today at Masters Touch we had an extensive meeting on what everyone here can do to improve our customer service and deliver those "magic moments" for as many clients as possible.

Our goal is to provide a positive, enriching experience - from the initial phone call all the way through to the completion of each and every project. It's great to have a team of hardworking professionals dedicated to that common goal and please each and every customer to the best of our ability.

It's also important to let our customers know that we value their feedback, be it positive or negative. Every day offers another chance for us to learn from our experiences working with our customers and continue to improve our performance.

To that end, we must thank all of our valued customers who have patiently filled out and returned our ratings cards over the years and provided valuable insight as to how we can better serve them next time.

Onward and upward!

Doug

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Masters Touch Applauds The Patience And Respect Of Our Valued Customers

2011.09.25 01:56:04

Masters Touch abides by a set of core values that we take very seriously and we try our best to follow them each and every day.

Having been on the receiving end of poor business practices in the past, and realizing that we are often working for families who are spending more on one project than they will spend on almost anything else for the rest of their lives, I understand that our clients expect exceptional value, high quality craftsmanship, and unmatched service. These represent a holy trinity for any business.

That said, we, like all people, do make mistakes. I cannot and will not fault my staff for making an honest effort yet, unfortunately, making a mistake. It happens. It's how you handle a mistake or difficult situation that sets you apart from the competition.

Still, many of our customers do not appreciate the concept of core values. As soon as something goes wrong, the heavy artillery comes out.

It usually goes something like this: "I'm telling all of my friends and anyone who will listen, be it online or on Facebook, and anywhere else I can think of, to trash your company name. I expect more from you. You are charging more than the other company! You should have called me back last night after 9 PM when I left a message that there was an issue. I cannot believe you didn't get back to me until 6:45 AM the next day!"

And on and on and on...

I try my best to protect the Masters Touch staff from this type of client, but some sneak through the cracks. In fact, we check out customers as much as they check us out before we work together. As the owner, I expect to deal with this type of situation from time to time, but I don't feel that the sales team, office team, or production team deserve to be berated by customers who fly off the handle due to minor issues, which are a normal part of everyday life.

Today, a heartfelt thanks to all of our great customers who "get it" and who appreciate the hard work and effort of our entire team, and who treat everybody from the stockboy to the owner with the appropriate respect.

Doug

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Masters Touch Continues To Provide Peerless Satisfaction For Customers!

2011.06.05 06:52:58

I wear a lot of hats at Masters Touch. So what's my favorite job here?

There's nothing more satisfying than visiting with a family after completing a project. When we help people realize their dream of a beautiful home and deliver projects on time and on budget, everybody wins.

Today I visited a client in Millis and another in Norfolk, both of whom we designed and built dream kitchens. To have a cup of coffee with a satisfied client and hear how excited they are about the work we've done, and how much they enjoyed the process and loved our designers and craftsman . . . well, nothing beats that. It's why I founded Masters Touch.

While I was in Norfolk, I dropped by a home that we're finishing up with a beautiful exterior repaint today, just in time for a big graduation party. The place looks stunning, and the clients were very grateful that we have the project done before their party. It's one less thing they have to worry about as they plan the big event and, as always, they loved our crew.

Today, after multiple visits with satisfied clients, amazing perfect 10 weather, and a day off tomorrow, I must say it was a great week here at Masters Touch.

Doug

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Even Masters Touch Can't Control Bad Weather!

2011.05.17 02:43:07

According to the seven day forecast, the next time we see the sun might be NEXT Monday! Of course the mercurial New England weather usually makes a fool out of the weather prognosticators, but never the less, it looks like we're in for a long haul of bad weather. All this after we haven't really scraped together two sunny days in a row for the last few weeks.

After such a bad winter, this is a huge bummer!

However, let's not let the weather completely ruin our mood! I used to stress out all day because we're not painting, or roofing, or completing exterior carpentry jobs. You know what? I can't control the weather, so I'm not going to worry about it too much.

Sure, I know many clients have deadlines. They need their homes to look great for a wedding, or graduation party, or some other special event. We're making every effort to meet those deadlines, but when you get a month of bad weather there's not a lot you can do.

I would like to extend a special thank you to our great clientele who understand that I am not in control of the weather. It's very comforting when you are doing business with people who realize this, and who understand what is really important in life. At the same time, a note for the people who are miserable day in and day out, and who use the weather as an excuse to be mean and unreasonable: Chill out, relax, and be happy and healthy. There are a whole lot of people in the world who would love to have their biggest problem be that the weather is holding up their home improvement project.

Doug

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Masters Touch Says, "The Customer Is Not Always Right!"

2011.01.18 04:01:00

The Customer Is Not Always Right!

There, I said it. If you are a Masters Touch customer, I hope I didn't hurt your feelings, but you are not always correct. Neither am I, and neither is anybody in the service industry.

Somehow, over the years, this has become a slogan often used by customers when they are complaining about or disputing a bill. This pertains to all industries including restaurants, hotels, mechanics, and yes, building and home improvement.

Certainly the mark of a good company is one that handles customer service issues swiftly and goes above and beyond to deliver unmatched service and customer satisfaction.

But what about good customers?

A good customer understands that companies are in business to make a profit, and doesn't begrudge them for doing so. A good customer understands that if you treat people with respect you will be treated in kind. A good customer doesn't "go for the jugular" as soon as there is a small problem.

Twenty years ago, I worked for a person who insisted that the sales team should strive for a 100% success ratio. "Sell every job, or you are a failure." Or, in the words of playwrite David Mamet in his masterwork Glengary Glenn Ross, "Always be closing!" This mentally was drilled into me and my friends in this ruthless sales machine. This is a terrible philosophy to live by. In baseball, if you bat .350 you're an All Star. Well, sales is a lot like baseball. Sometimes you strike out, and sometimes you even take an intentional walk.

In sales, an intentional walk is when you, as the salesperson, realize upfront that the person you are bidding work for is not a good fit for your company. Perhaps they have unrealistic expectations. Perhaps they are verbally abusive. Perhaps they are too hard to make an appointment with. These are all red flags that mean they will be difficult to please, and will make your life miserable.

It took many years for me to realize that some people just cannot be pleased. Some take great joy in squeezing every nickel of profit out of a job, while others are just so full of negative energy and stress in their lives that it affects everybody who interacts with them.

I choose to do business with people who I enjoy being with. These are usually happy people, who do treat others with kindness and respect, and enjoy doing business with a company full of similar people.

Life is too short to let the stress, anger, and mean-spirited actions of others bring me down. So, to finish where we started, "The customer is not always right!"

Doug

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