How to Take the Fear Out of a Kitchen Remodel
Kitchen Solvers acts as a consultant to ensure customers understand enough to get the best value.
Kitchen remodeling is scary. Most people will remodel their kitchens only once or twice in a lifetime. Financially and emotionally, it’s a big decision. When you decide to remodel your kitchen, you disrupt family life and subject yourself to an array of choices in cabinets, countertops and designs that can drive someone nuts. People crave knowledge and advice. Instead, when they call most installers, they are asked, “How much do you have to spend?” Suddenly, the fear of getting ripped off is added to the list of our worries. Instead of trying to force customers to “name a price,” Kitchen Solvers sets out to educate them. In fact, when a customer first comes to us, we don’t even like to talk about price. 
To start, we act as a consultant, helping customers understand the difference between types of cabinets, what kitchen cabinet refacing can accomplish and the different design choices that are available, as well as how much different options can cost. “When I walk into a home, I don’t immediately just start with questions about the kitchen. I try to build a rapport,” said Sara Baumann, a Kitchen Solvers franchisee in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. “If they have a dog, we can talk about dogs. You can talk about kids. You need to build the rapport first before you start talking about your plans or what you envision for their kitchen. I’ve heard many nice stories from clients. The first time that you meet them, you should just try to really listen. That’s what they want. And they know very quickly whether they trust you or not.” Customers have trusted us for 30 years. Kitchen Solvers has remodeled more than 45,000 kitchens and more than 60 percent of our work comes from customer referrals. “Buying a kitchen is a big decision, and people don’t need a pushy salesman,” said Gerry Henley, CEO and president of Kitchen Solvers. “People need advice and someone who is willing to take the time to listen to them and understand their needs and wants. Customers can come to us with any questions, whether they’re planning to remodel their kitchen tomorrow or five years from now.”
