Now in their 4th year with HomeStars, Toronto-based Stain Protection Services, has been on a Best of Award-winning streak for 3 consecutive years making them the recipients of the prestigious Best of the Best Award 2022. So we sat down with Paul Lucas, the founder and owner of Stain Protection Services to learn more about his niche business, his partnership with HomeStars and what it means to be an award-winning company, for years in a row.
The Visionary Beginning of Stain Protection Services
Paul Lucas used to work as the Vice-President of Sales, Marketing and Promotion for a well-known Toronto-based stain removal company. Impressed by their product line, Paul saw the potential in the under-tapped market of stain-removing products and wanted to do two things – inform people about the product and let them know that this company gave the best product for stain protection. He believed the best way to do this was with reviews, a website and unparalleled customer service. However, when this company didn’t see the potential in the marketing efforts, Paul decided to launch his own company in 2019 with the vision he had in mind for this product. And as they say, the rest is history.
“You can’t succeed with just a good product. You need superior customer service to really capture the market.”
Paul Lucas
Standing Out Amidst the Competition
Paul lives by the mantra that customer satisfaction is the key to success. End-to-end customer service is what homeowners get when working with Stain Protection Services.
While the majority of stain protection products offer a water-repellent formula, Stain Protection Services offer stain protection against things that homeowners are worried about – red wine, coffee, mustard, ketchup etc. Paul told us that his company uses products made of superior quality ingredients that don’t damage the fabric and don’t change the look or feel of the fabric after application and can last for up to almost 30 – 36 months, unlike other products in the market. In fact, in lower traffic areas, their stain protection can last as long as up to 6 years!
Building The Business Online With HomeStars
Very early on, Paul had the realization that a business is as good as what people have to say about it on the internet. He also realized the under-tapped potential in the stain protection industry – and he decided to go all-in right from the start. Now in their 3rd year with HomeStars, Pauls credits HomeStars, online reviews and his marketing efforts for launching his business full-time from Day 1. By building his reputation online and offering superior customer service, Paul has been able to build up his business in leaps and bounds. As more and more people use HomeStars, they are looking for credible companies to let into their homes and that’s where HomeStars reviews have stepped in to help Paul build his business.
“I love being part of the HomeStars family. it’s been a really good association.”
Paul Lucas
Importance of Reviews
Paul has added the HomeStars review widget on his website as well.
Paul chooses to initiate the conversation about reviews before closing the deal which has resulted in him getting 80+ reviews on his HomeStars profile. He regularly uses the easy feature of requesting reviews on HomeStars to gather maximum reviews to improve his online reputation. Paul always informs his customers about reviews on HomeStars and educates them about the authenticity of reviews on HomeStars, as they cannot be tampered with or changed.
“While the world had moved into a digital space over the years, the pandemic truly showed the power of the internet as people bought everything online – from their pet’s food to furniture. So it was imperative to build a reputation online to grow the business. As a big advocator of HomeStars, I always recommend HomeStars to every client to make sure that they let the right people into their homes and find the right pro for their work.”
Paul Lucas
In his experience when you offer unsurpassed customer service, people will surely love to give you a review. If however, they miss, Paul advises following up with them a few days later and sending them the HomeStars link to make leaving reviews easier. He also stresses the importance of good communication and professionalism like returning calls, showing up on time and staying in touch, when it comes to gathering reviews.
The Impact of Winning the HomeStars Best of the Best Award 2022
Paul told us that homeowners who visit his profile check for his HomeStars Best of Award and Best of the Best award badges before making a hiring decision. The awards have helped Stain Protection Services get more opportunities. Even when he visits his clients in person, Paul always informs them about his wins on HomeStars and explains the importance of Star Score, Verification Badge and reviews to them, to ensure that they understand that they are working with the best.
As he believes in marketing his win anywhere and everywhere, he shared his awards on social media, his official website, and other digital platforms. He highly recommends using HomeStars and other digital marketing platforms to communicate to homeowners just how reputable the business is – there’s no better way to build homeowner connections.
Winning the HomeStars Best of Awards in the past, attending the pre-pandemic award ceremonies in person, networking with other industry professionals, and meeting the people behind the HomeStars brand are some of the fond memories Paul proudly shared with us! An inspirational success story like this is what makes up the primary belief of HomeStars – we are in the business of growing yours. If you are feeling motivated by the success of Stain Protection Services and want to learn how to qualify for a Best of Award, you can get in touch with your dedicated account manager today!
