It’s All About the Customer Experience

STONE MART:

It’s All About the Customer Experience

by Shari Held

When you are remodeling or building a home, the customer service you receive is a major factor in how you feel about your overall project. Especially the vendors who supply major features like your countertops. Having a positive customer service experience can really change your whole outlook.

For every business, their level of customer service really says a lot about who they are, and Stone Mart, a wholesale supplier of natural stone and engineered materials, goes above and beyond. “We want every customer’s experience to be convenient, comfortable, and educational, so we created the Start at Stone Mart Process,” says Kaelyn Van Camp, Marketing Manager for Stone Mart.

Upon arrival, you’re greeted by a friendly staff member and given a “visit sheet” to write down your selections from the wide range of materials in the warehouse.

Stone Mart will send your visit sheet to your fabricator so they can price it for you. If you haven’t yet selected a fabricator or contractor, Stone Mart will give you a copy of your visit sheet to share with whomever you select.

Once you’ve found the perfect material for your project, Stone Mart will hold your material, and then deliver it to your fabricator to be cut and installed in your home.

Having trouble narrowing down your options? “Our staff is eager to assist,” Van Camp says. Stone Mart’s highly knowledgeable staff can answer your questions concerning the properties of various materials and point out potential options if you’re looking for something specific.

Stone Mart’s Resource Center features finished projects so you can see what different materials look like when installed. There’s even a Surface Testing Center where you can compare the durability of materials, and free samples are available to take home with you. Walk-ins are always welcome, and Stone Mart is open until 7pm on Wednesdays and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays.

Stone Mart’s streamlined and friendly customer experience is a welcome relief in what can be an otherwise overwhelming process. Visit the experts atStone Mart to get started on your project today!

THE START AT STONE MART PROCESS Visit Stone Mart for a streamlined and friendly experience in choosing the perfect slab for your home project. The Stone Mart team aims to make every customer’s experience convenient, comfortable, and educational.

STONE MART 8215 Zionsville Road Indianapolis, IN 46268 317.991.4253 stonemartmarblegranite.com

DEALERS WHOLESALE:

Home Is Where the Hearth s

by Katie Mientka / photos by 360 Tour Designs

“Anything that provides warmth, comfort, and security… is what we’re focused on providing.”

A house is a structure: foundation, walls, roof. A home is created when architectural and design elements work seamlessly together to facilitate a lifestyle, to evoke feelings of security, and to set the scene for lifelong memories. Indianapolis’ own Dealers Wholesale is there to ensure that home is where the hearth is: “Anything that provides warmth, comfort and security… is what we’re focused on providing.”

THE BUILDERS’ CHOICE

Specializing in wood, gas, and electric fireplaces, fireplace mantles, fireplace doors, frames, access control, hardware, and fire features (e.g. fire pits), Dealers Wholesale’s handiwork can be seen in five of the six homes featured at this year’s Home-A-Rama. Brandon Gentry, Dealers Wholesale General Manager, Residential Division, says, “We’re a resource for the builder. It’s difficult for them to be on top of every product category for every material that goes into a house. They have to rely on experts who understand the latest trends, who access the best materials, and who deliver the quality of installation necessary to ensure everything is working right and safely.”

FINISHING TOUCHES

In the European Traditional home by Scott Campbell Custom Homes, for example, the builder specified a wood burning fireplace but wanted the convenience of gas logs. The pièce de résistance is, perhaps surprisingly, the chimney shrouds. Brandon says, “We have the ability to match virtually any metal roof color, and we have different styles to complement the design of the home. The shrouds show that level of detail, tying all the aspects of this home together.”

It’s a point that many builders overlook – or underestimate. “Sometimes when people look at a detail like this, they don’t know exactly what sets it apart. We’re showing how the external piece of the fireplace and chimney can be an integral part of the home’s design.”

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS

Just down the street is a Modern Coastal by Carrington Homes. The builder wanted a linear, modern fireplace. Dealers Wholesale supplied a sleek Heatilator unit that fits right in with the contemporary lines of the space. Outside, the Carrington team was going for a completely different look. Brandon says that they went with a Mason-Lite product, “which is essentially a masonry fireplace but it is built in components that we can assemble right on the jobsite versus having a mason.”

“This was something new for us,” says Brandon of the Mason-Lite product. “At the price point these teams are building today, they have a very specific buyer and buyer needs that they are working to fulfill. This is what we do: we demonstrate that we can meet the demands of the design and the needs of the builder and customer.”

CONVENIENCE AND SEE-IT-TO-BELIEVE-IT STYLE

In Wedgewood Building Co.’s Modern Mediterranean, the goal was to offer the convenience of a gas fireplace – but not the heat. Brandon says they chose an Enlight fireplace by Heat & Glo that allows for a beautiful flame and high BTU; its design pulls all of the heat that would normally be generated and pushes it out of the house. “Now you’ve got a fireplace that can run all year. If you want to have a nice fire for ambience, you don’t have to compensate for the amount of heat you’re putting out.”

Another exceptional feature of the Heat & Glo is that it is incorporated into both the entryway and the great room. The see-through fireplace “has a unique look and an amazing presence.”

EXPERTISE FOR BUILDERS AND HOMEOWNERS

Brandon says, “Our DNA is with the builders, but as we grow and continue to improve and develop, we’re expanding to incorporate the consumer into our process.” Homeowners can visit the newly remodeled Dealer’s Wholesale showroom in Indianapolis, which features 27 fireplaces on display, as well as fire pits, shrouds, and outdoor kitchen options. Stop in for advice, information, and inspiration.

DEALERS WHOLESALE 7845 East 89th Street Indianapolis, IN 46256 317.849.4336 | 800.382.9486 dealerswholesale.com