How one contractor helped a homeowner when others wouldn't return her call

By Karen Hamilton

“One thing that we have learned in this business is that listening is not only a skill, but also an art. There is a vast difference between hearing and listening. Many companies hear what the customer is saying; however, many times, they are not listening. When a customer like Karen approaches us, we not only hear what she’s saying, we listen to her wants. As we listen to the customer speak, we can envision what the customer aspires their kitchen to become — we can make their dreams come true . . .”

These are the words of Gabe Lauretani and Ross Silva of Design to Perfection Kitchen Concepts, a family-owned and -operated design and installation company specialising in kitchens and baths, describing their entry in Hero Builders, a superhero-themed contest created by Hammerati that’s designed to challenge the negative stereotypes about the renovation industry.

Hero Builders has attracted plenty of interest since launching earlier this month. Contractors like Gabe and Ross are posting their projects and telling stories about why they consider themselves to be heroes in the industry and to their customers.

“We chose to enter our particular project because it outlines everything a “Hero” should respond to or do including a customer who had a crisis that no one was listening to and a hero (us) who came through and saved the day,” said Gabe.

The guys received a call from Karen, a potential yet disheartened customer. A passionate cook and baker, she had a dream of renovating her kitchen. But when she tried to engage other contractors, after explaining her vision and budget, they either never returned her calls or came back with a price that was well above what she could afford.

Gabe and Ross met with her at Design to Perfection’s showroom, listened to what she wanted and painstakingly came up with a plan that would deliver what she envisioned while staying within her budget.

Gabe and Ross have been working in his industry for close to 20 years with roots that trace back seven generations in Italy. One of his biggest challenges is to differentiate himself from competitors. “We do it by providing respect and honest, reliable and efficient workmanship on every job.”

Are you a Hero Builder? We want to hear your story. Stop by http://hammerati.com/heroes and enter the Hammerati Hero Builders contest. You’ll be eligible to win an iPad and be featured in Canadian Contractor magazine.

Karen Hamilton is part of the team at Hammerati. Hammerati is a professional network exclusively for the construction industry.