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The last 10 years have not been easy for America’s small businesses, especially for local homebuilders. The Kansas City metro area saw approximately 900 local homebuilders go out of business during the recession and subsequent slow recovery, leaving only about 150 of 1,050 left to supply the demand in today’s much healthier economic climate.

B.L. Rieke Custom Home Builders was one of the few to persevere through the tough times. Today, the business is flourishing in the recovering economy as demand for homes has skyrocketed. B.L. Rieke’s survival and current success is all thanks to its prestigious reputation and the well-established business experience of Kansas City homebuilder Bruce and Toni Rieke. This business experience is cemented by three elements:

1. Communication
2. Customer service
3. Attention to detail.

All three combine to create a recipe for prosperity for small business owners and—during times of economic decline—a way to persevere.

Open Communication
Bruce says that through the years, he has learned that a key element to success is open communication. This includes responding to customers’ phone calls, emails, texts, and other communication as soon as possible. He adds that he and his team also attempt to reach out and communicate with the customer before the customer contacts them about the progress of their project. Doing so helps their customers to be at ease.” By proactively keeping consistent and open contact, the B.L. Rieke team maintains positive, productive relationships with their customers.

Great Customer Service
According to Bruce, customer service goes hand-in-hand with communication. Both need to be executed as quickly and as thoroughly as possible. Bruce explains that Follow up and following through with customer commitments is the key to customer service.

Attention to Detail
Adding custom-made details usually requires going the extra mile, but it can do a big factor for attracting new customers. The B.L. Rieke team enjoy[s] the ‘wow’ response when people see their finished projects. The notable details in a project or service often leave an impression on a customer. Achieving that element of detail takes skilled, qualified contractors and a trained design eye. But Rieke believes the attention to detail is what sets his company apart from competitors.

All three elements play a critical role in the long-term success of small businesses. By putting all three into play at all times, a business can profit and, most importantly, persevere when the economy takes a tumble.