Author: Shawn Smeglin, BSU student
I interviewed Rick Smith, who is one of the owners of MD Cabinetry, Inc. MD Cabinetry, Inc. was established in 1995 by owners Bob Wooster and Rick Smith. They serve all of the South Shore (Abington, Braintree, Bridgewater, Hanover, etc.) and many more areas around Massachusetts. They offer only the finest cabinet manufacturers, with a variety of styles able to fit with all budgets such as: traditional custom hardwood, sleek European contemporary, semi-custom wood and laminate.
MD Cabinetry also provides a complete countertop service to complement their cabinetry, from the everlasting beauty of granite and Corian, to the enhanced look of a custom wood-edge laminate top or a postform style. They strive for 100% customer satisfaction offering fully Insured, A.C.S.D. designers on staff, free design service, in-house delivery, professional and courteous installers. Their showroom, located in Raynham, Massachusetts, has 100’s of samples of cabinets, counter-tops and hardware to help you select the right materials for your job. Remodeling your kitchen can be stressful, so let MD Cabinetry provide your cabinetry, because their customer service, experience, dependability, quality and competitive pricing are second to none.
Question: So, let’s start with are you from this local area?
Answer: Yes, I am from Raynham, Ma.
Q: Why did you choose this line of business?
A: Bob Wooster and I started the business, because the company we were working for went out of business and we still felt as if though there was a need for people that needed affordable kitchen cabinets.
Q: When did it start? What Year?
A: We started it in 1995.
Q: What was it that made you want to start this business?
A: Instead of working for someone else, we worked for ourselves. It also allowed us to be able to coach.
Q: What was the toughest thing you went through when opening? What inspired you to keep going as you were getting the business off the ground?
A: First two years we never took a pay check, because we were putting all of our money back into the company. The hardest part was getting name brand recognition. Back in 1995, when we started there was no internet, you had to survive to get your name into the yellow pages. Once the yellow pages came out the following year, people could find you and you would be able to sell. Our business is a lot of referrals, every kitchen led to another kitchen. The more kitchens we did, the better off we were. The hardest part was those first two years just getting our name out, getting branded, and doing a good job.
Q: If you had to start over from day 1 what would you have done differently? Or what was your most difficult challenge?
A: I don’t know if we would have done anything differently. We were thrown into it because the company we worked for went out of business. We might’ve given ourselves more of a cushion starting out. Other than that, I think we have made all of the right steps.
Q: What is the toughest part about having a business in 2020?
A: There is a lot more steps you need to go through now, specifically like credit. Credit references, when Bobby and I first started this, it pretty much was “Do you want to sell our cabinets? Sell our cabinets.” Now, its personal guarantees, credit reports, since the last financial crisis everyone is geared towards protecting their interests.
Q: If a customer was to choose between your business and 3 others just like it why would you suggest they at least give you a try first? What makes you stand out?
A: Customer Service, we got a tremendous support system. All of the people are knowledgeable, from the sales people right down to our truck driver. You can call and speak to anybody in the building and they can answer and help with any kind of questions that you have. Once the job is delivered, our installation department does an excellent job. We try to keep everyone happy.
Q: Has internet technology (website, online ads, social media, etc) played a big part in your growth and making your company more successful?
A: I remember when we first did a web page. I was saying to myself “why are we even doing this?” Like I said, back in the day it was all yellow pages. Now, we are out of the yellow pages completely. Our webpage is a good information source for customers, because that’s their first point of contact with us. From there it’s our Facebook and the other social media that we have.
Q: Do you feel that internet technology could play a bigger role in your business if you had the right tools?
A: I don’t know how much more it could do. It’s difficult because our business is more hands on. In respect that we have to go out and measure, we have to design it. It’s not so much of business where people can click and order something, its more customer service oriented.
Q: If you had to look 6 months to a year into the future where would you like to see your business be?
A: We have probably grown more than 5% to 10% each year since we started. I don’t want to get much bigger than we are now, because part of the success of the company is our ability to control it. If it gets too big, we have to get bigger and if we get too big, we lose control over a lot it. That’s not what either of us want.
Q: What is the best way for our readers to connect with your team and to take advantage of what your company has to offer?
A: It’s our website and then follow up with a phone call. You will get a sales person that is personable knowledge, and attentive to all of your needs.
MD Cabinetry, Inc. is located at:
1442 Broadway Raynham, Massachusetts 02767
Website: www.mdcabinetry.com/
Phone Number: 508-802-6997
Facebook Page: MD Cabinetry Inc