Friday Things... A Look Back 5-8-20
/Minnesota Spring. 80 degrees one week and freeze warnings the next. With every week that passes we are getting closer to the days when it just stays 80 degrees. Those are the fun days, right? The days when we can walk outside at 6am without a winter hat, the days when the morning sun is as warm as it looks.. the days when you can be outside for hours and hours and hours. We cannot wait.
This week as I write this I am feeling slightly.. I don’t know… nostalgic. Sixty days ago we were listening to the press updates, slowly wrapping our brains around the viciousness of the virus and then fearing that schools might close. Today here we sit. Fully aware of the viciousness of the virus as we have all been affected by it. Complete life disruption is the only word for it. Businesses have been shuttered and I know some may not recover. This is heart wrenching for us as we absolutely know first hand how incredibly hard it is to take the risk, to invest your savings, to tirelessly work day after day after day, to continue learning and adjusting, to always be afraid that you somehow still don’t have it right, and to lay awake at night worrying. After all of that to have to close your business because of something that was absolutely outside of your control truly breaks my heart. It takes an incredible person to jump in with both feet and it defies all reason that after working that hard you would not succeed.
I guess that is where the nostalgia is for me. As an essential business we were able to stay open and we always knew we’d be fine. Our business is a machine. There are many moving parts, many people involved, and volume surges in unexpected places. Every single year is different - this year we hit our low where our peak normally is and it felt like we were punched.
In March when the Stay at Home Order was still a threat our machine came to a grinding halt. Every appointment we had cancelled. Our installers recoiled and said they were going to stay home for a few weeks. So we too shut down. We had to regroup. By this point I had already prepared a plan for how our office would keep moving operationally while we were closed. We have an online sales tool already so I knew we could absolutely provide virtual appointments and estimates with no additional set up time. But the truth is that consumer confidence drives revenue. Period. Just because we were ready to sell windows doesn’t mean people were interested in buying them. They needed a minute. But we still had to keep working.
Our regrouping period was our time to finish the tasks and projects that linger. Everything on our “someday” list was free game. Everything on our “when we have time” list was considered. It was someday and we had the time. We worked on back office organization and process. We consolidated resources and systemitized process. We spent time virtually training our new hire. We organized the warehouse. We spent time doing focusing on our business, strengthening the customer experience pieces and preparing for the future. We altered our marketing messages. We added a COVID page to our website. We stocked up on antibacterial wipes, we disinfected all sales kits, we handing out masks. Like every family out there we did most of this work over Zoom, from our kitchen countertops in our makeshift home office, and while guiding our child to complete her distance learning tasks.
We let the trauma of the life disruption settle in and then… when consumer confidence grew .. or consumer boredom set in… the phones started ringing again. And we were ready.
Kasey is back in the office 3 days a week and I am there 1 day a week. We aren’t there together and the office is not consumer facing. We love those days being kid free and having the freedom to focus only on the business before we head home to focus only on our family. The installers are all back, siding crews are working, road restrictions are lifted so roofing is active, and appointments are pouring in. The work we did was worth it. The activity we are seeing is more normal now. The people calling us for estimates are serious. The past customers calling us for the next step are happy to see us and that is where we are today. Open for business. Actively selling and installing. Happy.
If you’re still reading I will tell you this. Please. Do everything you have with everything you are to support your friends who have small businesses that are not open right now. Buy gift cards to help them increase revenue. Write an encouraging note, drop off a fun activity for their kids, make them dinner, leave spring flowers or a bottle of wine at their doorstep. Find a way to share games or puzzles or books with their kids so there is something fresh for them to enjoy. Tell them how proud you are of them. Support their decisions without question or judgement. Understand that they are dealing with the impossible. Share kindness at every opportunity.
Last but not least, I will share a highlight. We celebrated our sweet girl turning 8 last weekend with an epic birthday parade and an absolute smothering of love like we could never have anticipated. It was glorious and we are so very grateful.
We are open for business right now and following all safety measures and precautions. We believe you can get new windows.. even during a pandemic.
This is how we are providing estimates
This is how we are completing installs
Visit our COVID-19 response page on our website for more information.
We are a shop at home company specializing in replacing windows, siding, roofs and front entry doors. As we sit with you and learn about what you want to change on your home we can provide the best product and color options to you. You can expect lots of questions from us as we try to understand what you're looking for. For that reason, it is best if both homeowners are there. We commit to giving you a detailed, same day estimate. Every time.
Steve the Window Guy for Universal Windows Direct is a full exterior remodeling company focusing on replacing windows, siding and roofing. Steve and his team of are experts in working with people just like you to create a plan for the most cost efficient way to complete your exterior remodeling project. We are part of a national dealer network that has catupulted to the 10th largest* remodeling company in the nation. Locally we have an A+ rating with the BBB with zero complaints. Steve has been recognized by Universal Windows Direct as National Dealer of the Year three times for his hard work and dedication to getting things right. We are locally owned and operated in Bloomington, MN and work throughtout the Twin Cities Metro. Updating your home can be easy.
We believe Steve the Window, Siding and Roofing Guy was just too long of a name.
*Source: Qualified Remodelers Top 500 List, Published September 2019.
