Matt Hall, our newest salesperson, joined us in February. Previously Matt worked in the furniture industry, so he observes our industry with fresh eyes—often seeing what those of us building business veterans take for granted or do not notice. 

Matt’s Food for Thought

1. “There’s a lot more to decking, railing, and fencing than meets the eye. Be patient with new hires!”

Depending on where they’ve come from and their experience level, they may be on a steep learning curve.  Don’t assume they know all best practices, code requirements, or processes when plumbing a post, installing ledger boards, etc.

“Give step-by-step instructions and set expectations. Cover all the bases to ensure they know how to do their job to your standards.”

2. “When talking with homeowners, don’t talk over their heads. What’s familiar language to you might be Greek to them.”

Don’t assume customers understand our industry terminology. Describe things in simple terms so customers don’t get lost in the jargon and misunderstand what to expect.

“Don’t just explain the ‘what’ but also the ‘why.’” The more customers grasp why you’re approaching a project a certain way, the better chance they’ll be satisfied with the outcome.”