After spending more time at home over the last two years than perhaps ever before, many homeowners are looking at opportunities to boost their homes' ROI while finding new ways to make it cozier and more efficient.

Since 2004, husband-and-wife duo Walter "Reds" and Kelley Ferris and their team at Ferris Home Improvements have kept the focus on the Three C's to home improvement success: customer service, culture and community.

Customer service
Ferris Home Improvements Operations Manager Christine Mundy says that in her eight years with the company, the team of experts behind Ferris have strived to be a tour guide for customers.

"It's a very similar process to traveling to a new place, is it not just about getting to your destination, but everything you see along the way," says Mundy.

Every call to Ferris Home Improvements starts with a conversation with their team of receptionists that will beginning the tour. "They will gather detailed information of the project, areas of concern, age of the home and home history. This information is passed along to our team of consultants so they are best prepared prior to meeting with the homeowner," she says.

The second stop of the tour is meeting with one of Ferris Home Improvements' highly qualified and experienced consultants who will conduct a complete evaluation of the home and discuss the project of interest; reviewing product options, discussing efficiency and needs with the customer.

Once a customer chooses to contract with Ferris Home Improvements, a project manager is assigned to the job who will communicate with the homeowner every step of the process until it is completed. "We never lose sight of the job," says Mundy. "We are passionate, consistent and timely, and nothing gets in the way of that." At the completion of each job a final walk through with the homeowner will be completed to address any questions or concerns but also to make sure Ferris Home Improvements completed the job as expected for the customer. "We don't want your business for now—we want it for life."

Culture
As a family-owned business for the last 17 years, company culture is essential to the team energy that Reds and Kelley Ferris have developed. "The Ferris family has been operating this business in-house since its inception," says Mundy. "As we continued to grow there has been even more focus on maintaining that close, family feeling."

While the team may operate all over the area, they get together for monthly meetings to connect and catch up. "It's a family meeting," says Mundy. "It's a great time to talk about what's going on, hear what's to come and lean on each other for advice or suggestions, and it keeps us growing stronger."

The team also participates in annual events like the Wilmington St. Patrick's Day Parade, Newark 4th of July Parade, St. John's the Beloved carnival and the Ferris family hosts annual events for employees and their families, including a day out at the Blue Rocks, dinners, and even overseas trips. "When you know you're coming to work at a place that really cares, that shows in your work," says Mundy.

Community
Customer service and culture collide in Ferris Home Improvements' community involvement. Mundy says it's a commitment that has been a priority of Reds Ferris since Day One.

"For Reds, community involvement is a major part of our job," she says. "He makes sure to attend local events and hear what is going on, and because of that we're able to help our community with what is most important. Reds has always said that he wants our customers to know him, his wife, five children and dogs. Reds is proud to be your neighbor and to employ other local talent that feels the same."

Ferris Home Improvements is a regular sponsor for St. Johns the Beloved church, setting up a family drive-in movie night and stands at the church's annual carnival. The company also sponsors the annual Cape May County Disabilities Awareness Day Walk as well as golf outings benefiting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

They've been Little League sponsors across Delaware and New Jersey for cities like Brandywine, New Castle and Cape May, organized food drives, and have supported Delaware first responder services, with Ferris employees lending a hand at every turn.

Keeping community and family first has helped seal Ferris Home Improvements as an essential name in Delaware home improvements, leading to healthier homes and happier neighbors across the area.

Ferris Home Improvements
1908 Kirkwood Hwy.
Newark, Del.
(302) 998-4500 | FerrisHomeImprovements.com

Published (and copyrighted) in House & Home, Volume 22, Issue 2 (November/December 2021). 
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