Custom Home Exteriors (CHE) is a private home construction company located in Raleigh, NC employing 27 full-time employees and over 200 subcontractors and vendors within the Triangle Area. Its sterling reputation and consistent performance made CHE a primary vendor of choice for many national brands.

The Problem

The Founder of CHE wanted to increase market share by moving the company into the home renovation market by going directly to the consumer (homeowner). Since this was a radical change for the company’s reputation in the market and culture, the Founder called upon M is Good to help assess the external and internal impact of this transition.

M is Good consultants facilitated a series of extensive interviews with executives and key employees. As part of its primary research, M is Good also conducted company-wide (R7)™ Assessment and facilitated a brand feedback survey with CHE’s customers and vendors, and uncovered the following problems and challenges:

• Higher than normal turnover among staff and vendors
• Lower than normal engagement from employees
• Poor communication and trust among management team
• Fragmented brand and marketing message
• Lack of a duplicable and measurable sales process

The Solution

After facilitating extensive interviews and conducting the primary research, M is Good presented its findings with the recommended solutions:

• Clearly defined vision statement as to where the company was going and why.
• Clearly defined core values and principles to guide effective quality decision making.
• Clearly defined brand promise that effectively communicates to the homeowner market.
• Clearly defined sales process that articulates and delivers on the brand promise.
• Clearly defined communication strategy that drives the company’s brand promise.

M is Good went straight to work on crafting a vision statement which exemplified the true “DNA” of the company. Once the vision statement was clearly defined, then in conjunction with the executive team the core values were developed as “guiding principles” for the company’s current and potential employees, vendors and customers.

Based on M is Good’s brand audit and (R7)™ Assessment of CHE, and using primary research gained from vendors and customer perceptions on the company’s weaknesses and strengths, a brand promise was crafted and refined. From this, M is Good developed a sales process called “funnel of care” that centered around multiple, unique touch points and care gifts that reflected the vision and brand promise of the company.

M is Good developed a nine-month marketing strategy, “We Walk the Talk” targeting the homeowner market through TV, Radio, Social Media, Direct Mail and community outreach campaigns.

The Results

The first time in the company’s 18 years in business, there was a clear and unified vision statement for where the company was going and why. The vision reflected the founder’s core value for caring for others and the core values reflected how each employee and vendor’s direct decisions and actions can help achieve the vision. The brand promise and its messaging was unified throughout all their touchpoints.

Vision

To be the #1 Caring Company in the Triangle.

Brand Promise

When it comes to home improvement, we walk the talk.

Core Values

• Be caring and considerate of everyone.
• Pursue a spirit of excellence and gratitude.
• Embrace change in the workplace and the marketplace.
• Be teachable and maintain a spirit of humility.
• Be efficient and quick to respond.
• Be forward thinking and flexible.
• Give customers the experience of joy, concern, and dedication.
• Deliver your very best and exceed expectations.
• Be our customer’s best choice, period.

Over a 14 months of integration, CHE reported the following metrics:

• Increased employee retention rate to 76%
• Increased social media conversations by 353%
• Increased sales closure rate to 47%
• Saved $171,000 in wasteful ad spending
• Increased exposure with community outreach programs

After a 12 month evaluation, CHE reported the following intangibles:

• Increased engagement of employees with community outreach programs
• Increased clarity of company’s vision, core values and brand promise
• Increased the quality of employee engagement and decision making
• Clear communication and increased trust within management team
• Clear, effective and measurable sales processz