HANDYMAN MATTERS GIVES TRADITIONAL SKILLS A NEW LOOK

Handyman Matters, the Denver-based residential and commercial professional handyman franchise organization, has completed more than a quarter of a million jobs in its first seven years of operation. In an industry that once seemed to be regarded largely as a group of out-of-work laborers simply looking for ways to earn money, the company has helped to bring dignity and respect to its industry by raising the standards of professionalism, craftsmanship, skill, customer service, and ethics.

Handyman Matters began as a home-based business in 1997 and, after years of refining its principles and practices, still regards "the simplicity of treating people right" as the cornerstone of its international franchise operation.

An employee owned and operated company, Handyman Matters specializes in small to medium size projects, from repairing a torn screen to completely remodeling a bathroom or other room, with all jobs guaranteed for one year. "I started the business in the basement of our family home," explains Andy Bell, the president and founder of Handyman Matters. "Every time I showed up on time and did I good job I would be offered more work in that customer's home. Before long, our Denver operation grew to a crew of 50 handymen. We knew we were on to something, so we began franchising the concept in 2000 to expand nationally and begin to leverage the talent and experience from other operators and areas of the country to make the system more competitive. That was the turning point for Handyman Matters."

Mr. Bell had previously spent some 16 years in the restaurant industry, a business he describes as "frequently terminal for families and relationships." He began recruiting only qualified and skilled craftsmen and tradesmen, conducting rigorous interviews, testing and background checks, verifying references, and requiring skill assessments and continued training to insure the consistency and quality of every crew dispatched to a job.

The company's name originated when Mr. Bell decided that being a handyman should count for something more - something different than just workers doing a job. The quality of the work showed the quality of the company and that matters.

"What makes Handyman Maters unique from other handyman companies is that the people who work with us are the strength and the difference that no one else can replicate," said Mr. Bell. "Basic management skills have always focused on the people in order to advance the overall organization and we continue in that same spirit today. Our mission is to pride ourselves on maintaining reputable, ethical business practices, quality job performance, and superior customer service. We are also extremely cost-competitive."

Handyman Matters crews are qualified, licensed, bonded and insured. They are committed to core values and ethics. The latest software tracks handyman skill assessments to maintain levels of efficiency and quality.

Currently with 73 franchises operating in 26 states, Handyman Matters is projecting it will grow to some 90 units next year and expects to have 330 franchises in place by the end of 2007.

So much of maintaining a successful handyman business is about providing real customer service, not just showing up for a job. With a solid growth record, high marks in customer service and satisfaction, and ambitious plans to continue growing in the years ahead, Handyman Matters is a company that makes a difference because what it does. matters.