CHANGING TO FIT THE NEW ECONOMY (WITHOUT LOSING QUALITY)

 No matter what industry you're in, you've noticed a change in the way people do business.  You may like the changes, or you may think they're bad.  Whether you like them or not, they're here to stay.  It's a new economy out there and things cannot continue the way they were.

Even in our small corner of the world we've noticed the impact of this economic shift.  It affects our company, our ability to compete in the local market and the products we offer our clients.

When I talk about a change in the way people do business, the first conclusion people draw is the internet.  They think about a company's online presence and how they navigate social media.  And yet, there are other changes that have just as much impact, such as the conditions of contracts for work.

With so many business' going under during the recession, the survivors compete heavily for work.  Many of them sacrifice their profits in order to keep working.  The strategy is survival.  Make it until things turn around.  And though all of this seemed like a blessing in disguise to people buying homes or contracting their own projects...  The big loser was quality.

In order to cut costs, many companies switched to less expensive, lower quality materials.  This helped them reduce their own costs so they could stay competitive in the market.  Less reputable companies hide costs by selling services "À la carte" or making their profit on upgrades.  Both practices allow them to advertise a much lower cost then the buyer actually pays.  The final price after everything is added in could often be shocking.

Ultimately, it's the customer...  The buyer who pays the price.  They overextend themselves with extras, or get a lower quality product..

Don't get me wrong...  There are people who made out like bandits during the recession.  Buyers who got incredible deals and who made extremely wise choices.  Those people are very fortunate.  They are also the exception to the rule.

And no matter how much I'd like to advocate for consumer rights at this point, I want to discuss why I'm writing this entry in the first place. 

 

We saw the market shifting.  We've made changes to fit into the new economy.  But our real question is how to maintain the level of quality we provide our customers and reduce our costs to increase our ability to compete.

One thing we realized early on is that our service is something people will pay for.  We offer something truly unique and important.  For us to lose that quality would be tantamount to shooting ourselves in the foot.

So we've looked for other ways to lower costs and become more efficient.  We're investing in new machinery to streamline the production time in our shop and we've developed schedules to move things through production smoothly and less wait between the time the job is actually ordered and installed.

We've also seem some reduction in staff.  We haven't fired anyone, but have seen a few guys move on.  As sad as it is to see someone go, sometimes it works out in our favor.  Regrettable as that may be.

We've also diversified our products.  We've expanded into post turning and championed the cause of cabinet refacing for people who want a fresh, new look without the new cabinet price.  We've also started building some custom furniture pieces for clients and local design.  One of the most exciting services we've started offering is our Cabinet Design Service.  This service lets you sit down with one of our design consultants and plan out your home before you start the bidding process.  This service allows you to create your kitchen and all other cabinets in your new home in advance.  When you start bidding out the job, each cabinet subcontractor has a materials list and cabinet specifications.  You get bids back for your job allowing you to see who really is offering you the best deal.

I wish I could say there was some magical formula to how we did what we did, but there really isn't.  We survived based on a combination of our efforts and the fact there are people out there who still value our product.  The only reason we have a product that's inspired such loyalty is because Goodwin Mill And Cabinet is a company who puts quality at the top of its list of priorities.  

That doesn't always make us the cheapest price in town, but it does mean we're one of the best options out there.  We offer value.  And in the long run, value is the less expensive option.  If quality, long lasting cabinets are what you're looking for, we're the first and last name in Southern Utah.  Go to our website and read more about our incredible company and get excited about your cabinets again.  We're here to help your dreams come true.