Roger Magalhaes has come a long way in only three years. He began Shades In Place in Hopkinton, MA, as an installation service for the big box stores. In response to repeat customers telling him they did not like shopping at stores where the sales staff knew nothing about window treatments, Roger expanded his services to include "Shop At Home" convenience and added the soft side to his hard lines. He tends to be more of a contemporary/modern than traditional guy and his typical client is between 35-45, upper middle class and loves electronics/technology. Roger caters to these clients with the latest in whole house motorization, window tinting, highly specialized installations, and of course, design software.
He tells a great story about the first time he used Studio for a client: " I was measuring a home down the road from her under construction house and she saw my truck. She stopped by and asked If I could give her a price for some shades for her new place. Back then, I just had Minutes Matter Studio for about a month and did not know how to use all features and resources, but I gave it a try. (Roger's very first rendering below) I offered her three options for fabrics so she could have a better idea of the final treatments. I guess she loved it, because I've done her entire home (22 windows) and her neighbor's home next door after she told her about my 'fantastic' software."Roger says he began using Studio in 2007 after trying another design software because his customers could not quite picture all the details he was describing for their windows. He feels that a rendering adds value to the final sale and clients are more confident because they can see how the finished installation will look.
He tells a great story about the first time he used Studio for a client: " I was measuring a home down the road from her under construction house and she saw my truck. She stopped by and asked If I could give her a price for some shades for her new place. Back then, I just had Minutes Matter Studio for about a month and did not know how to use all features and resources, but I gave it a try. (Roger's very first rendering below) I offered her three options for fabrics so she could have a better idea of the final treatments. I guess she loved it, because I've done her entire home (22 windows) and her neighbor's home next door after she told her about my 'fantastic' software."Roger says he began using Studio in 2007 after trying another design software because his customers could not quite picture all the details he was describing for their windows. He feels that a rendering adds value to the final sale and clients are more confident because they can see how the finished installation will look.
His favorite project? I think we can all relate to this -- "It is my own home ... still going on. After each client's job, I come home and start thinking and rendering; will what I did for my client look nice in the room my wife and I are working on?"
Roger believes that "This industry is ALL about presentation and professionalism. If you present yourself well, you have 3/4 of the sale done." From the myriad services he provides his clients, to the attractive website he is updating, as well as the training he has undergone at the CHF Academy, Roger has succeeded in positioning himself as the consummate window treatment professional who offers the "whole nine yards," installed!
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