Business: NEXT Door & Window
Address: 815 E. Ogden Ave., Naperville
Phone/website: 630-548-4100, nextdoorandwindow.com
Director of Marketing: Phil Odell, 63, of Chicago
Years in business: 21
What does your business do? “We are in the window and door replacement business,” Odell said. “We work with Marvin Windows. They’ve been in business probably 120 years. Really high-end premium products, which we love. We also work with ProVia Doors, entry doors. We work directly with homeowners.”
What’s the background of NEXT? “Justin Bartley, our CEO and owner, his father started a garage door business way back in 1947. They got into windows in 2001.”
What sets this business apart? “We have the showrooms, which are a nice benefit for people in the shopping process. It’s a big investment. People are spending $15,000, $16,000 on average, so to be able to come in and have a trained knowledgeable product expert to talk to, to be able to see and touch and operate the windows and doors is a benefit. But, ultimately, we need to get into their homes because it’s the best place to really talk to homeowners about their needs.”
What sort of needs? “If they’re old windows, a lot of times they are vinyl windows and don’t hold up very well. Illinois weather can be tough. Changes in temperature can break windows made of vinyl. They may see condensation or leaks or their energy bills are going up. So, we need to go in and take a look. We’ll talk with them about their problems, their needs, if energy efficiency is a key thing. It could be aesthetics. They we bring in some samples, use iPads, use digital tools to walk them through options. … Usually, it’s single-family, existing homes.”
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Are there other locations? “Burr Ridge and Arlington Heights. We also have a showroom we opened last spring up in Madison (Wisconsin). That’ s a new market for us. We’re excited about it. Our primary partner is Marvin Windows, based in Minnesota. They had a territory open up up there.”
What do you like best? “We do a little bit of everything, which is one reason why I love this job. We’re constantly experimenting and testing different media to see what’s working best. This week, we’re on air with television spots. We’ve been on radio. We’ll probably do newspapers again. We do magazines. We use a lot of digital. … We do home improvement shows and we’re branching off into non-home shows. An example is we’re looking at the Brat Fest in Madison, a huge event.”
What’s your background? “I’ve been with the company since December. I jumped into the deep end as soon as I arrived. … I’ve worked in a bunch of different states for a bunch of different companies. I could tell from day one coming in that people are genuinely happy to come into the office.”
Is there a busy time of year? “It picks up in March, April, May. Those are key months for us. It will slow down a bit in June and July. … Picks up again in September, October, gets quite quiet around Christmas. We do a lot planning then for the next year.”
Why are fiberglass windows better? “Don’t ask me the ingredient. I don’t think they’ll let me tell you. Infinity From Marvin uses a product called Ultrex Fiberglass. It ends up being incredibly durable, eight times stronger than vinyl. … The frames don’t expand in heat or cold. They stay firm so the fit remains snug and true. You don’t get energy efficiency problems. … It’s really a great product.”
What’s hot? “The sales guys say it’s a simpler design, not so ornate. For windows, colors are big.”
Any negatives? “It can be a business with ups and downs. But there’s a continual need and interest amongst homeowners in keeping their homes well kept. In a way, we are recession proof.”
What misconceptions do people have? “Sometimes people ask if we do repairs. We replace. We do repair products that we install.”
What’s your advice for someone starting a business? “Hiring the right people is critical. Be transparent. Create opportunities not only to advance but to learn. Treating people with respect. Have a vision. Have goals. But being nimble to understand the business world is dynamic and you have to be prepared to shift course if necessary. … Make sure you believe in the product or service you’re offering.”
If you know of a business you’d like to see to profiled in Down to Business, contact Steve Metsch at [email protected].
Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.