Ted Jorve, president and founder of the Jorve Corp., emphasized the importance of emotion during his presentation titled “The Experience Factor.”
Jorve Corporation is all about experiencing the love.
“Growth in people. Growth in love,” said Ted Jorve, president and founder of Jorve Corporation, while listing his overall goals for himself and his company. “Unselfish promotion of growth and well-being of everybody.” Give Jorve his due for realizing the importance of emotion and giving his all to create a positive experience for both customers and employees of his successful roofing business. “So much of business growth is correlated to the other growth around us,” Jorve said. “Growth of business, growth of employees. Every action creates a corresponding experience.”
Jorve said while the United States is experiencing a down market overall, the Seattle economy is faring relatively well. With its 3.5 million people, 37 inches of annual rainfall, the competitive Seattle market has been good for Jorve, and he shared the insights gained from 25 years in the roofing industry with Best of Success attendees.
“I understand we’re a small business,” said Jorve, noting company revenue exceeded $25 million in 2007. “Our focus is to provide the finest roofing experience our customers deserve. Put customers first, employees first, and make sure our vendors are paid.”
But Jorve, who was named the Most Intriguing Contractor in 2006 by Roofing Contractor, knows that technical expertise, quality workmanship, and exceptional employees are essential parts of his business model, as well as an emotional connection. “Our leadership team comes from within our company,” he said. “We tend to retain our employees.”
Jorve’s commitment to quality has been evident since 1983, when he entered the industry at 21 years of age. “I thought, ‘What am I doing in the roofing business?’” Jorve said. “What if I provided the best construction in the business - doing the right thing. I started hiring masonry and gutter crews. Started looking at the future.”
To help implement that vision for the future, Jorve hired Dale Burlingame, who now serves as Jorve’s vice president of sales and marketing. “Ted’s philosophy of approaching business was intriguing, to say the least,” Burlingame told attendees. “You want to share it.”
Burlingame offered advice for contractors on “how to swim in the blue ocean” in the face of cutthroat competition. He said contractors should ask themselves, “How can I add costs to make it a better experience?”
For Jorve Corporation, it was a “grow or die” situation in which “you’ve got nothing to lose,” said Burlingame. “Love is the unselfish promotion of the growth and well-being of others through others,” Burlingame said. “Love is an action. People will never remember what you said, but rather how you made them feel. How they feel ultimately is going to depend on what you do.”
Burlingame said word of mouth advertising and the customer’s experience go a long way in determining how successful your business will be, and roofing represents the essential component of a home. “After all, everything you call home is underneath your roof,” he said.
Every phase of the customer’s experience is important, said Burlingame, who offered tips on the proper handling of incoming phone calls, setting and confirming appointments, and preparing proposals.
Keep the big picture in perspective, he urged. “Today I will unselfishly promote the growth and well being of everybody … and, therefore, swim in the blue ocean,” Burlingame said. “All about the love.”
