03/25/2020
We live in an unprecedented time. As I watch our country and the world continue to take drastic measures to deal with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, I realize how important it is for all of us to take a step back, unplug from the 24-hour news cycle, clear our minds and remember that this too shall pass. In that spirit, I want to give you an update on the state of our business, the measures we are taking to protect our employees, and how we are continuing to focus on our customers during these strange times.
First and foremost, I’d like you all to know that we are still here. While “here” may take on a new meaning over the coming weeks as many of us spread out and work from home, we are still here to assist you and your customers just as we always have been. We have taken steps in the mills to ensure proper distancing, but those mills are still running, the trucks are still loading, and homes are still delivering. All sawmills in the state of Maine are classified as critical industry and will not be asked to shut down. Leads are still flowing in and being assigned, homes are still being quoted and designed. It may not exactly be “business as usual,” but it’s very close.
The one area that has changed significantly, which will persist for the foreseeable future, is our ability to connect with customers in person. Home shows, open houses, meetings and tours, even the Maine Logapalooza that we were planning for early May, have all been postponed. In light of this, we’re putting an even greater emphasis on customer outreach by increasing our social media presence, sharing personal stories from employees, dealers and customers, and testing out our web conferencing abilities. This is actually one area that I think we can all focus on in the coming weeks. After the initial shock of this event fades, I believe many of our prospective customers will be looking to use their time to research and plan their homes.
While it is easy to focus on the negatives during these trying times, it is also important for all of us to spend time each day finding and recognizing the positives. I believe in the long run the events that are currently unfolding around the world will lead to increased demand for both primary and secondary homes in rural and remote settings. After the events of 9/11 our business and industry saw a noticeable bump in sales due to people fleeing major metro area. I expect that bump will pale in comparison to what we will eventually see in the coming months and years ahead. We have already started to hear this from new leads that have been coming in over the past couple days. Customers currently in the process have expressed that they are more excited than ever to get into their new homes, and we’re also hearing stories from existing customers about how comforting it is for them to have a remote escape from the world. What we do matters to people more than we know.
In a time when so many people are isolated, communication in all forms is the most important thing we can be doing. So let’s talk to people. Let’s talk to each other. And before you know it, all of this will be behind us.
Sincerely,
Tom & Barbara
