While relationships with customers are key to the success of any retail operation, they are especially crucial to paint and decorating retailers. Relationship-building matters even more when working with professionals who want to work with a retailer who not only knows the needs of their business but also wants to connect with them on a personal level.

“Selling paint to the professional is based on building relationships,” says Jeremy Melnick, former COO of JC Licht and current North American Hardware and Paint strategic consultant. “Hardware is friendly, helpful and convenient but paint stores are based on knowing the customer’s needs beyond business, including their families, children’s names, favorite sports, meals, drinks and more.”

Each time a customer walks into your store is an opportunity for building a new relationship or fostering an existing one. Discover how fellow retailers have created a strong culture of building strong relationships with customers and the best practices to make building relationships a success in your operation.

Founded on Friendship

Since 1975, Sarasota Paint Company has served the paint and decorating needs of the Sarasota area with helpful service, knowledgeable employees and a breadth and depth of products. The company has grown to six locations with two in Sarasota, two in Bradenton, one in Nokomis and one in Venice and caters to both the professional and DIYer.

In 1988, current owner David Jasik and his father, the late Emil Jasik, bought the paint store from the previous owners. Today, three of David’s four children are involved in the multistore operation, including Jonathan Jasik, who serves as general manager. Since then, the company’s approach to customer relationships has remained the same—relationships are the foundation of Sarasota Paint Company. Jasik says one of the reasons the family business has done so well is its focus on building strong relationships with customers.

“I really don’t care about selling a gallon of paint, I care about building a relationship with my customer,” Jasik says. “I might grab a meal with a customer, and I’ve even gone out fishing with a few. By building that trust and friendship, our customers are more inclined to come to Sarasota Paint for DIY and professional needs.”

Jasik loves interacting with customers who have been buying from the operation since his dad took over—those relationships are prime examples of how going beyond business has brought success to Sarasota Paint Company.

“This company has always been relationship-based, because customers have many options when it comes to buying paint, including different stores and different price points,” he says. “What sets us apart is our ability to build relationships with the customer, to create those long-term customers.”

Building relationships with professionals and contractors starts with connecting on a personal level. Jasik says he has several customers who, when they come in, paint is the second thought.

“With them, I start with ‘How’s your family?’ and after we’ve caught up on how their lives outside of paint are going, it’s ‘What did you need for paint today?’” Jasik says. “It’s building that relationship to where people want to talk to you about their lives and then the paint comes second.”

That personal connection is also beneficial on the DIYer side, as well.

“Just recently, I had a customer come in who has been buying paint from me since I was a store manager, back in 2017, and we got caught up talking about her grandkids and my kids,” Jasik says. “Those relationships make them want to keep coming back to that same place. It’s almost like binge-watching a TV show, when you just can’t wait for the next episode; we can’t wait to connect with customers.”

With four locations in the central mountains of Colorado, The Paint Bucket also serves its customers with superb customer service, which keeps customers coming back again and again. Mike Tibbetts, manager and purchaser, says building relationships means treating customers as you would treat a friend.

“Building relationships in this way helps us grow, because when you have a relationship with a customer, they’re going to relay that to somebody else and you’ll have the opportunity to build a relationship with them and it can keep going,” he says. “Once you gain that friendship and relationship, the business will certainly come.”

Setting the Tone

Jasik and his leadership team are taking a lead-by-example approach when it comes to relationship building among the operation’s 35 employees. Because Jasik is in charge of hiring, he also takes into consideration a job candidate’s personality and ability to foster relationships and has been able to hire managers who naturally excel at this skill. Similarly, Tibbetts also looks for employees who are naturally good at building relationships during the interview process.

“When I hire somebody, I have hopefully vetted them enough to know that they can build relationships on their own,” Tibbetts says. “We also lead by example, building our own strong relationships with customers and showing younger employees how to treat customers.”

Jasik also gives employees the autonomy to go the extra mile for customers in building those relationships.

“For example, if one of my guys is making a delivery to a strong customer, he has the freedom to stop and buy him a case of Gatorade or his favorite drink and drop off along with the delivery,” Jasik says. “I try to give that freedom for them to build their own relationships.”

Feedback from customers lets Jasik know that this system is working. Along with asking for Google reviews, Jasik often receives notes from customers when an employee does an exceptional job.

“I’ll get texts and calls sharing how an employee went the extra mile,” Jasik says. “And I love getting to go to that employee and say, ‘Thank you. You’re doing an awesome job. Your customers are loving you.’”

Relationship building comes down to making sincere, long-lasting connections.

“You want to deliver such exceptional customer service that the customer feels like they’re cheating on you when they have to buy from another retailer or big-box,” Jasik says. “It’s been my goal to make every customer feel like that.”

A Century of Relationship Building

For over 100 years, Johnston Paint & Decorating in Columbia, Missouri, has been serving customers with a broad but curated selection of paint, wallpaper, tile, carpet, window treatments and custom draperies. Along with a superior product selection, Johnston Paint & Decorating has stood the test of time thanks to a high level of customer service through building relationships.

“Our longevity has definitely helped us build strong relationships,” says Melissa Murphy, owner of Johnston Paint & Decorating. “It comes down to doing the right thing all of the time, even when it’s uncomfortable or difficult. Sometimes doing the right thing goes deep and doing a lot and sometimes it’s just a simple one transaction deal, but first and foremost it’s a focus on the customer.”

A focus on relationships at Johnston’s didn’t start with Murphy—it’s been a part of the company’s fabric for over a century—but she strives to continue laying the groundwork of relationship building now and into the future.

“I want to serve each customer each day, but I’m not worried about the transaction today, I want to build the blocks for the future,” she says. “We set the tone that customers come back again and again and share their experiences with friends to build those constant customer cycles.”

Strong relationships with customers means having a connection with them beyond selling products, especially in a small community like Columbia, Murphy says. The company supports several local organizations and causes, from monetary and product donations to hosting events.

“We want to be involved in whatever they’re involved in and be supportive in a genuine way,” Murphy says. “We don’t help because of what we get out of it, but rather because it is a part of who we are.”

During the store’s recent 100-year anniversary celebration, Murphy says leadership reinforced with employees the company’s culture and, as part of that, gave employees the autonomy to provide donations or participate in those causes near to their hearts.

The company hosts a week of service every week, the Johnston’s Here for Good Week, but also outside of that week, employees are encouraged to fill needs in the community as they see them. Relationship building isn’t just held with leadership; Murphy empowers her staff to embrace connections by setting that example herself.

“We try set the example by the way we interact with customers and handle business,” Murphy says. “In the end, take a step back and remember how big your impact could be if you don’t get stuck in the daily minutiae.”