Imagine going from start-up to the #2 rated granite company in your market area in just three years.
According to Richmond Magazine, Brazilian Best Granite is an up-and-comer in the Richmond, VA market and is quickly building momentum. All this during an economic slowdown, and in spite of locating their business directly across the street from Home Depot.
“Word of mouth is our best source of advertisement,” says Trey Monday, general manager at Brazilian Best Granite. “We’re on a tight budget. The reason for our growth is very simple though. Good referrals come from happy, well-informed customers. If you are organized, your customers are well informed. When we finish with each job, we encourage customers to give us their feedback and then simply ask our customer to recommend us to their friends. It’s that easy.”
Fernando Sobreira, who has been in the importing business since 1973, joined with other Brazilian investors to establish Brazilian Best Granite in Richmond. “When Fernando, our president, came to the United States he was convinced he could do a better job of delivering granite countertops and servicing customers,” Monday says.
Location, Location, Location
BBG opened for business in 2008 leasing two 7,500 sq. ft. units in an industrial park. After about a year they leased a 12,000 sq. ft. building on W Broad Street in Richmond, which is a heavily traveled main thoroughfare.
“There is so much traffic on this corridor that simply putting our sign on the street doubled business almost overnight,” Monday explains. “In this case, location is everything for getting them in the door . . . but we make every customer count. Good, solid follow-up is key.” In addition to their showroom, Brazilian Best Granite now boasts a 31,000 sq ft fabrication shop and warehouse nearby. “We’re growing every day,” adds Monday.
The company installs the equivalent of about 15-20 kitchens per week and employs 14 people. January through June of 2012 were some of the best sales months on record for the company. The company imports some of its stone slabs and utilizes local distributors for the rest. Monday says that even though the company is not operating at full capacity now, it is paying the bills and is well positioned for a rebound in the economy.
“Fernando is very focused and gets things done,” Monday explains. “He wants to see things happening right away. When it comes to hiring people, however, we are very patient. If you are going to be a small to medium business-sized business you really need to have good people. We take our time finding and hiring the right employees. It makes a huge difference.”
Focus On The Customer
Monday is very enthusiastic about his company’s relationship with Moraware.
“JobTracker really helps with follow-up. Our customer service – our follow-up – is what sets us apart.” he says. “If the customer tells us a thought or idea, we put it into their file in the program. Then, the next time we have contact with them, within seconds any team member can be updated on their preferences. Anything and everything is easily organized in Moraware. It gives our customers a sense of confidence that we know and care about them.”
The company also does its best to be active in the community. For example, BBG hosts a minimum of four networking sessions per week for Business Networking International. “It hasn’t turned out to be a big producer of direct leads,” Monday says, “but it does give us a presence in the community among small business decision makers. Every little bit helps. No stone should be left unturned when you’re on a tight budget.”
Want to know more? At Moraware, we make software for countertop fabricators. CounterGo is countertop drawing and estimating software. JobTracker is scheduling software that helps you eliminate the time you waste looking for job folders. RemnantSwap is a free place to buy and sell granite remnants with fabricators near you.
