the company right from the beginning. Clare says that Orlan “set the tone,” and the company still operates on the same note to this day: “Orlan was well-known in the community for being a solutions person, and that has driven us at Homestead,” Clare says. “Part of our company creed is that if we can’t service a customer, we actually want to find a solution for them elsewhere, because we want to remain being a solutions company.” That solutions-orientated mindset has been rewarded with client loyalty, Clare says. “At any time, about 30 percent of our current client list is repeat customers.” Earning that loyalty is a process, Clare explains, and that process almost always begins with bringing clients to their showroom. He describes that showroom as warm-feeling, and says it showcases lots of wood samples and stain colors. “We spend a lot of time with the customers there to find out what they want and understand how they live, so we can them give good options.” In a lot of cases, client loyalty is also a natural result of employee loyalty, as workers that are engaged in their work and care about the company they work for tend to service clients better. According to Clare, that’s definitely the case with Homestead Woodworks, a company with a lot of employees who have been there for a long-time. Many employees, Clare says, have been Homestead for at least 10 years, while others have been there as long as 20-to-25 years. Clare explains that because employees spend so much time together, they’ve become like family. THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA Murray, Tim, Clare, Gerald
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