2 Best Practices for Better Customer Experience in the Exterior Wood Care Category
Staining the exterior of a home is an expensive, time-consuming endeavor that requires the right knowledge, products and skills to ensure the job is done effectively. Independent retailers have a unique opportunity to stand out by providing exceptional customer service that guides buyers through the complexities of selecting and applying exterior wood stain. At Milford Paint & Wallpaper in Milford, New Hampshire, this approach is a key part of their success. With a focus on personalized customer interactions and staying ahead of product trends, the team is dedicated to helping customers achieve professional results, no matter the project.
Ask the Right Questions
At Milford Paint & Wallpaper, store manager Robin Tempone emphasizes the importance of tailoring the sales approach to each customer’s unique needs. Her strategy involves understanding the nuances of selling to homeowners and contractors, two distinct customer groups with different requirements.
“We get a good mix of homeowners and contractors depending on the day of the week,” Tempone says. “The weekends we see mostly homeowners and during the week is when we get all of our contractor business.”
Tempone says her contractor customers don’t usually need much guidance, but Tempone and her team go to great lengths to educate DIY customers about preparation and application.
“Homeowners need to be walked through everything from prep to weather conditions,” Tempone says. “We pride ourselves on being able to answer all of their questions while also asking the right questions of them.”
For the exterior wood care category, asking your customers if they prepared their surface correctly, when they plan on doing the project and what other products they are using is integral to the success of the project and important to know before selling them a product.
“I find that homeowners don’t do nearly as much prep work as they probably should,” Tempone says. “Unfortunately, here in New England, so wooden decks are a constant headache.”
During the winter months, Tempone says almost all decks are subject to scrapes from shovels or they don’t get shoveled and are wet for months at a time with no chance to dry. Both weather conditions can cause lasting damage to wood decks.
New Hampshire can experience harsh weather, from cold, snowy winters to hot summers. Tempone says she created a weather whiteboard with the forecast three days out so customers coming in can plan the best time to tackle their exterior wood project.
“It’s come in handy because we’ve had customers come in and not know it’s going to rain the next day, or that the temperature is going to drop,” she says. “When I see somebody planning to do something risky, I’ll step in and show them the whiteboard.”
In 2024, the average cost to stain a 350-square-foot deck was between $725 and $1,450, according to Angi.com. Tempone says her goal is to not have customers return to the store unhappy with their choices.
“We understand the importance of exterior wood care projects,” she says. “We all own homes, and we know that these projects are an investment.”
Stay Up-To-Date
As a smaller store with limited staff, Tempone has to be strategic about professional development. While attending manufacturer or distributor markets isn’t always feasible, Tempone ensures her team stays informed through manufacturer training seminars and vendor communications. Tempone’s stain distributor switched formulas at the beginning of 2024, and her company representative was proactive about setting up informational sessions about the new products and showed her the differences between the old and new stain.
In addition to staying current on how products work, Tempone and her team also keep an eye out for new products.
Staying current also means keeping up on emerging products. Tempone regularly communicates with vendor representatives and reads industry trade publications to identify potential new additions to her store’s inventory. To test the viability of new products, she often orders samples and seeks feedback from trusted contractor customers.
This collaboration has helped Tempone avoid costly mistakes. “The only thing I tell the contractors I give the products to is to tell me what they think,” she says. “Getting new products into the hands of people actually using them on a job is the best
way to gather product research. I don’t mind spending a little bit of money if I can receive decent feedback.”
Exterior Wood Care Commonly-Asked Questions
As homeowners may not have experience in staining a wood deck, Paint & Decorating Retailer has gathered 3 commonly-asked questions to help you explain to your employees the importance of the staining project timeline, preparation and weather conditions.
“I have a brand new deck, built of pressure treated wood. My contractor said to wait until next year before I put anything on it. Should I wait?”
Do not wait! Even pressure treated wood will be affected by sunlight and water. The surface wood fibers will degrade, resulting in graying and splintering.
“Why do I have to spend time cleaning my siding before staining? Can’t you make a product that will stick to anything?”
Good surface preparation is the first step to any staining project. A previously coated surface
generally has some weathered surface fibers as well as loose coating, dirt or mildew. You have to remove them to get to a clean,
stable surface.
“What are the ideal weather conditions for staining?”
The air temperature should be between 50 and 85 degrees F. The dew point temperature should be five or more degrees lower than the ambient air. Avoid painting in the sun, as the warmed surface can be hotter than the ambient air. Also, don’t stain when it’s windy, as the stain will dry too fast.