The last couple of weeks have been very busy for us, and have gotten me thinking about how important customer service is for our business. Whether we’re working with building contractors who have tight schedules to meet, or remodeling a homeowner’s kitchen, we believe in treating our customers the way we want to be treated.

Our designers and installers do great work, and we handle an outstanding range of products. But skilled work and quality materials aren’t enough. We also need to listen to our customers, communicate effectively, and if we make mistakes, to correct them and learn from them.

“Do it right” is a motto that we emphasize with our entire staff. Of course, that means matching our cabinets, countertops and hardware to the space where they’ll be installed and to the customer’s wishes. It means installing every piece correctly and leaving the finished room in perfect condition.

It also means doing right by the customer in other ways.

Because of what we do, it’s common to run into unexpected situations. For instance, when our installers start work on a kitchen or bathroom remodeling, they sometimes turn up surprises. Lots of situations can’t be seen until old cabinets are removed when we’re getting ready for a new installation. There might be hidden structural damage, or problems with wiring or plumbing, that we couldn’t anticipate when we took on a job.

It’s the same with every customer, whether it’s a contractor building a hundred units, or a homeowner looking forward to a new “dream” kitchen. Each customer deserves to know about anything that might affect the job they’ve entrusted to us.

Something we talk about with all our people, throughout the company, is that as they come upon something unexpected and important, they communicate it to the customer. They bring you into the situation and bring you alternatives, so we can all work out the best solutions.

We’re not perfect. If we do make a mistake, of course, we correct it. We also try to learn from it and improve how we all work. We have a lot of things to learn from each other, and from our customers.

I’d like to say a little about our company’s core values. These are the principles that all our employees operate by, working with each other and with our customers.

• Discipline — Our priorities are set by each commitment and our pursuit will be diligent to the finish.
• Opportunity — We value every employee, customer and business associate as an opportunity to have a positive and lasting impact.
• Integrity and Trust — We recognize that regardless of the circumstances, our integrity must never be compromised.
• Humility and Respect — It is with an attitude of sincere humility that we approach our work, so that we demonstrate the highest respect for our customers, fellow employees and business associates.
• Improvement — If we have a never-ending desire for improvement and always challenge ourselves to perform at the highest level, success and prosperity will follow.
• Gratitude — We are grateful for each and every one of the vendors, customers, employees and subcontractors who have placed their trust in our organization.
• Teamwork — We combine the individual talents of disciplined people in order to function as a team, which enables us to deliver a finished product that no one individual could do alone.

The final point we always stress when talking about our core values is what I mentioned earlier: “Do it right.” Do the work right, and do right by the customer.

I’m always happy to answer any questions about what we can do for you, in your home or for your business. Watch for more tips about how to enhance your home’s value and convenience!

Cee Edwards is President and General Manager of Markraft Cabinets. He joined the company in 1995. Since 1985, Markraft has specialized in cabinet and countertop design and installation in residential and commercial construction and custom remodeling. To learn more about Markraft, go to www.markraft.com. Contact Cee at 910-762-1986. Like Markraft on Facebook at www.facebook.com/markraftcabinets or follow Cee on Twitter at twitter.com/CeeEdwards.