Sorry it has been a while since my last post. My goal is to publish at least one per month this year so you all will know we are still here.

We are always looking at ways to improve on our service and offer an educational experience to our clients. Taking the time to make sure that the final selections for your home fit your lifestyle. There are many factors to think about when choosing your finishes and we are here to help you through it all. If we don’t have the answer to a question we do the research necessary to get the correct one. Feedback from our clients over the years has helped us to be more in tune with what people are looking for. There is no such thing as negative feedback here. Just learn from your mistakes and move forward with a plan to ensure you do not do it again. We will give you the tools you need to make the decision that best suits you.

Our opinions are important and we should be able to express how we feel about anything, Right? Freedom of speech and all that.

There are a number of marketing strategies out there to get you in the door. I don’t know about you, but the one that really gets to me is all the furniture store “Going out of Business” commercials and signs out there. And then six months later they are doing it again. You have to ask yourself…….Is this an honest business? Or do the banks really let them go out of business every six months or so? Either way it raises questions about the company. There many ways to spin things in the marketing world. Not saying that all marketing is dishonest or a scam but, when a company advertises 60% off and puts a bunch of stipulations in small print on the screen………..? Makes you think about it, Right?

I do not like pressure sales, bait and switch scams, or fine print. I have learned most of what I know by hands on experiences. Having the opportunity at a young age to be asked to evaluate and repair work performed by others was a huge help. I have dealt with a number of product and installation issues over the years. It was an unfortunate situation for those clients but the issues were addressed and we move on with a better plan for the future. I am a forward thinker who lives for the future because the past is the past and you can NOT change it.

Thanks for reading and have a great year!

I would like to take a minute and explain the specials game a little. Some may not agree with me doing this but I feel the customers should always be educated. We are all struggling in this economy and there are many deals out there. Such as get your carpet installed for free. The game here is you get a limited choice on carpet and they charge more for the pad to cover the install. This is just one of the many marketing schemes out there. We do not like the bait and switch game either.

It has been said that local small business is getting pushed out by box stores. I have always believed that you find your niche and improve on it. Box stores are great for some things. Experience seems to be the one thing they struggle with. Do you really want to make a big purchase from someone who has been trained to sell? Or someone who has installed or been in the industry for a long period of time? There are many things to consider when making remodeling decisions and we pride ourselves on making the fit proper. “we are not just in it for the sale”.

As much as we would like to have everyone come buy from us, we really just want people to support the local companies that specialize in their fields. It is good to have competitors. This keeps us all on our toes. Remember, the warranty is only as good as the people who stand behind it. Service is everything.

Thanks for reading.

Things were going pretty well for most of us tied in any way to the housing market. Which was everyone in the world. One way or another we all have an effect on each other. My hope is that this major change we have all endured will open our eyes to the greed that has consumed the world. Be more aware of our actions and how they might effect others. This has been my philosophy for many years. 

We have been making changes at Riverside for a while now and have plans for more. Our team has been working through the changes in the market. We will continue to adapt to survive. We are here to stay. 

As the year moves on I will continue to post details of changes. The most recent change we have made is to combine Artistic Stoneworks with Riverside to help reduce costs. I purchased Artistic in 2005 with the intention to combine them in the future. The decision to start a granite fabrication business was about one thing. The customer. We wanted to be able to offer one stop shopping for all interior finishes. By doing this I believe we have been able to make the customers experience more relaxing.

 Thank you to all who have been a part of this ride.

 ”Never forget those who helped”

 Stay tuned for more.

Sincerely,

Mike Gallatin, President Riverside Interiors