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By Daniel Elash
Understanding and then fulfilling the expectations of the people who come to Ricks Glass is the secret to building the "brand" that has todayīs customers generating more business tomorrow. Keeping the promise of the brand is Ricks fulfillment of its core business idea.
"Mr. Ricks has been around so long that word of mouth gives us about as much business as we can handle right now. Also, trying to find enough qualified and experienced personnel to maintain our level of service is a challenge."
But branding, particularly within family businesses, isnīt always clear and direct. Particularly when the family name is the brand. Jack Ricks isnīt the only Ricks in town with a glass business. Customer confusion is an ongoing problem, says Jan, and she fields numerous calls every day from customers who are really looking for Jackīs brotherīs shop—Ricks Glass Company.
"By the time we realize theyīve got the wrong company, weīve already spent ten minutes on the phone with them. Itīs an investment in our time to talk with these people until we all figure out they should be talking to the other company."
The point is, however, that Jan spends that time with people who arenīt her customers. In doing so, she is demonstrating a commitment to their satisfaction that is stronger than any advertising slogan. She is delivering a sample of the quality and care that her company delivers along with the glass. Their caring is as much a part of the value they deliver as the quality of their glass and the skill at installation.
Public awareness is also important understanding the ever-changing building codes and regulations and, in turn, making sure her customers understand them as well: Sometimes itīs difficult to convince the customer that there are certain necessities, Jan tells us, and the difficulties are exacerbated by the public perception that glass installation is "just a back yard job that anybody can do."
"With West Side Glass, I did a great deal of advertising to inform the public there are major safety issues at stake. For example, windshields are installed in such a way that they help support the roof during a rollover. If that windshield isnīt properly installed, it compromises the safety of the vehicle. But when people think of car safety, they think of seatbelts and air bags. [The glass industry] is still the īred-headed step-childī when it comes to safety issues!"
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