Doing the Right Thing

A Maryland remodeling company did the whole industry proud recently when it received an honorable mention award from the Council of Better business Beaus' (CBBB) first national Torch Awards for Marketplace Ethics.

The contest judges - who represented a variety of businesses, consumer advocacy groups and business schools from all around the nation - lauded Colonial Contractors, a 41-year-old residential remodeling company in gathersburg, MD., for "customer service and satisfaction policies that are particularly noteworthy in the building industry." Those policies include Colonial's eschewal of down payments and progress payments in favor of payment "only after the customer is satisfied with the work performed." judges also praised Colonial's unique warranty policy: The company provides its customer's with a free written warranty on workmanship and service for the lifetime of the residence, transferable to all subsiquent owners.

The Torch award honor companies "that demonstrate an outstanding committment to conducting their business practices in an ethical fashion." The Arlington, VA based CBBB, an umbrella organization of 137 Better Business Bureaus around the country, honored the winners at an April ceremony emceed by newscaster David Brinkley at the Washington, D.C. National Press Club.

Colonial President and founder Jerry Greenspun says that he was "rather shocked" when he found out his company had won the award. "I had heard earlier that I was one of a thousand finalists," he recalls. "And I thought that was pretty good."

"You know," he adds, "Some people in the industry, when they hear that I follow-up my jobs with free service 20, 25 years later, say, 'What are you crazy?' Now it doesn't seem so crazy. Now it seems like I did something right. Being nationally recognized makes you realize that your company's something pretty special."

"We decided it was time to recognize businesses that consistently do what is right and ethical by the customer," says Holly Cherico, public affairs spokesperson at the CBBB. "When businesses behave in an ethical fashion, everyone benefits."