Reply To: Upholstery – Restaurant Warning Signals

[mitchellreid]

Owners and Associates,

I just wanted to update you on our progress with one of our newest customers, The Chop House, as documented in previous posts on this forum topic listed above.

Not only were we given the opportunity to recover the entire store’s backs, top caps, and end caps which only happens about every 6-7 years, but we were also given the more lucrative work of recovering the booth bottoms which occur throughout the year, every year. This customer made us aware of a few very important facts about their previous upholsterer. He was not interested in recovering anything but booth bottoms. He was older and getting close to retirement. However, the most important thing we learned was that he removed the booth bottoms from the store and recovered them off site. There were DAYS when the restaurant was without these booth bottoms and just had to wait for them to be returned to seat customers. The last fact we learned when they declared their amazement that we were recovering not only the bottoms but the backs, etc. right there ON SITE! They had full use of every booth the entire time we worked at their store. This was something totally new to them.

This information is pushing us to look for more accounts in this upholsterer’s area. An upholsterer retiring, being particular about what work they do, and removing booths from their location for days at a time ARE all things we can improve upon when approaching a new customer. These tidbits of information from customers are GOLD DUST. Use this information to not only grow your upholstery business but to leapfrog into more accounts in your area. I know we will use it every chance we get. This job was such a windfall. By the way, they have already asked us to come and take a look at another location they own. Our tech’s one cold call keeps on paying dividends. Please take a chance and inquire into work in your area. Why can’t your Franchise be the beneficiary of the next big job?

I hope this story encourages you to keep going after the work. This customer needed this work done long before we arrived on the scene. They had people come and look at the job but they never returned. There are customers out there just waiting for you to come and show them what you can do. Show them. I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Sincerely,
Mitchell Reid
The Wandering Upholsterer
“All Who Wander Are Not Lost”