Nov 15 2006
While real estate agents and home designers have always emphasized the importance of interior doors in the overall look and feel of a home, new research now validates that belief -- and takes it a step further with data indicating that new, stylish interior doors actually refresh the homeowner's general outlook on life.
The research was conducted by national marketing and branding firm Philos Consulting LLC on behalf of the Interior Door Replacement Company (IDRC), the nation's only franchise to specialize solely in the replacement of uninspiring flat doors with designer raised-panel molded doors, with 17 locations in four states. According to Philos' research, homeowners who replaced their old doors with new, stylish ones experienced "a renewed pride and love of their home." The findings led IDRC to develop a new company motto, "Transforming Home and Life."
"We were pleasantly surprised with the information the research uncovered about our customers and how our services have impacted their lifestyles," said Dave Winter, CEO of IDRC. "What we found is that some of our customers call on our services simply because they know their old doors are outdated, but many of them are also motivated by a lifestyle change, such as moving into a new home, the birth of a child or their children leaving for college. The research from our consulting firm also showed us that our customers are often surprised how our doors transform and rejuvenate their entire homes and personal lives."
Since being founded in 1997, IDRC has gone above and beyond the services of a general contractor with its one-stop, hassle-free door replacement services. Now, the Philos study has shed new light by showing that IDRC's success has been fueled by homeowners' emotional needs, rather than just a desire for "richer" looking doors or convenient services.
Gathering information from extensive market research surveying 5,500 previous IDRC customers, as well as a group of customers surveyed by a consumer psychologist, IDRC learned that its customers experienced a marked increase in the pride of their homes once they replaced their doors, leading to a renewed attitude and lifestyle changes. In addition, Philos found that IDRC's strongest customer base consists of worldly, professional and active people who seek to reinvigorate and upgrade their homes.
Tom Quarton, Managing Partner for Philos, said IDRC's influence on homes and lives is most apparent in the emotional testimonials of female IDRC customers. In fact, one woman customer reported that the new doors inspired both she and her husband to "get off the couch," and noted that after IDRC replaced their interior doors, her husband began to invest in additional home improvements around the house that she had wanted him to do for years.
While Baby Boomers with families decided to replace their doors in their search for elegant, stylish and practical remodeling solutions, singles in a similar age group did so in order to put a personal stamp on their home. Winter said the findings could be summed up in one customer's words: "I don't like my new doors…I LOVE them! It looks like we have a new house."