Building A Business Through Customer Service And Accountability: Matt Carlson
When it comes to running a successful business, Matt Carlson believes in keeping things simple. And with more than 20 years in commercial and residential painting, that philosophy hasn’t let him down yet.
“We always joke that we couldn’t care less what color you paint your house because that’s emotional – you’re choosing a color because that’s what you like,” said Carlson, who founded M. Carlson Painting in 2001 and recently expanded his business into Utah. “You’re hiring us because you look at our work and you see that we’re the best fit for the job.”
Aside from doing great work, one of the main reasons Carlson has been able to survive in such a competitive industry is that he believes in providing outstanding customer service.
“If you do a good job, it just makes life so much easier,” Carlson said. “When you realize and understand that, it can really help keep you going.”
Customer Service Strategies
For people looking to implement new customer service strategies or tweak the ones they already have in place, here are a few of Carlson’s recommendations:
- Take accountability: Carlson laughs as he looks back at his lengthy painting career. “We did some really stupid things in the beginning and I can’t believe people hired us,” he said. But what made all the difference was owning up to it when things went wrong. “People will throw out terms like integrity and accountability, but what does that really mean?” he said. “I feel like the one of the biggest reasons we’ve been as successful as we are is that we take 100 percent ownership, good or bad. If we screw up, there’s never any questions. There’s not any pushback.” Even if something turns out not to be his fault, Carlson doesn’t waste time with finger pointing. He simply works to solve the problem to the best of his ability and that’s gone a long way in helping him retain customers – and attract new ones. “It’s not about being perfect every time,” he said. “It’s about how you handle the situation.”
- Communicate with your team: When Carlson was just starting out, it was easy to communicate with his team members because there were so few of them. “It couldn’t have been any easier,” he said. “I would be the one to do the bid, I would be the project manager, the lead painter and the one to schedule the job. It was a very seamless experience.” However, as the company grew, so did the number of moving parts. “That became a real challenge for us,” he said. By implementing a solid set of processes, procedures and systems, which Carlson has also done, you can ensure that everyone on your team is on the same page so no balls get dropped and the customer has a positive experience.
- Set expectations for your clients and make sure you meet them: If you tell a customer you’re going to arrive at 8 a.m., get there at 8 a.m. – or even a few minutes earlier. When you’re leaving for the day, let them know you’re headed out and give them a progress report and an update on what’s happening next. Make everything crystal clear so no one has to rely on guesses or assumptions.
- Hire good people: This is important in any business, but when you’re dealing with something as intimate as home services, it’s especially critical. “We’re inside people’s personal spaces and dealing with their emotions,” he said. “You want to know you have decent people working for you.” By hiring employees who are genuinely respectful and care about doing the job right, you’re helping protect your company’s reputation and your customers’ biggest investment – their homes.
- Be transparent: When Carlson or one of his employees gives proposals to customers, everything is itemized. The customer will know exactly how much it costs to paint a wall versus a ceiling. They’ll know the scope of work. And the chosen paint color and products to be used will be clearly listed. This is another way to make sure both the painter and the customer are on the same page and if there are questions as the job progresses, everyone can refer to the proposal for guidance. “It keeps everyone in line with what the project entails and it helps make things more efficient,” he said. “That’s always a good thing.”
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