Why We Shut Down 1 Week Every Year

We Close Up Shop To “Recalibrate” Our Company.
Here’s What That Means—And Why It Matters To YOU.

At Clemens Home Solutions, we do something many remodeling companies would find strange. Incomprehensible. OUTRAGEOUS.

One week every February, we completely shut down the company.

We don’t do any in-home appointments. We don’t do any installations. We don’t even answer the phone. We’re totally off the grid.

Why?

Not to sip pina coladas in the Bahamas. Not to go on a luxury cruise to escape the Indiana winter.

Nope. We close up shop for a full week to hold our annual company-wide Recalibrate training.

What Is Recalibrate Training? 

Recalibrate training is when each department at our company undergoes its own special developmental “bootcamp.” Every Clemens employee undergoes position-specific training to improve their abilities, develop their skills, and refresh themselves on the fundamentals.

In others words, our entire company recalibrates.

Other home improvement companies can’t believe we do it. They think it’s the weirdest thing that we’d “sacrifice” a week’s worth of profits for training.

But to us, it just makes sense. Do you think Michael Jordan stopped showing up to practice after his first few NBA Championships? Or that Tom Brady is going to stop working on his fundamentals after his 7th Super Bowl win?

No way! The reason they’re “The Greats” is that they understand there is ALWAYS room for improvement.

We may not be pro athletes, but we have that same mentality. There’s a reason our motto is “People First—Excellence Always.”

With that in mind, here is how our Recalibrate training breaks down by department…

Recalibrating Our Installation Crews

For our installation crews, Recalibrate training is broken down by service:

1. Gutter/Gutter Cover Installation
2. Roof Installation
3. Remodeling (Windows, Doors, Siding)

Each division performs hands-on, service-specific installation exercises and training throughout the week. Here is a bird’s-eye-view of what each division does…

Gutter/Gutter Cover Crew

Our gutter crew reviews our in-house 92-page Gutter Training Manual. They work on their techniques on practice displays we have set up in our private training facility.

Here is some of what our Gutter Training Manual includes:

• Jobsite preparation
• Proper removal of old gutters
• Resecuring and repairing fascia wood
• Installing new fascia metal on home
• Forming gutters to the appropriate length
• Proper endcap sealing and hanger placement
• Installing new gutters and downspouts on home
• How to handle special applications (roof angles, hand-mitered outside corners, flashing)
• Installing LeafX Gutter Guard
• Worksite cleanup

Roofing Crew

As a CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster™, we exhibit the best installation techniques in the industry. And we’re able to do that because of our Recalibrate.

Here is some of what our roofing crews practice:

• Jobsite preparation
• Protecting gutters prior to installation
• Replacing damaged or rotten sheathing
• Proper removal of all current shingles and underlayment
• Installing ice and water barriers
• Installing shingles with our 5-nail-minimum technique
• Boot pipe flashing
• Proper flashing installation in all other areas
• Roof installation around chimneys
• Worksite cleanup

Remodeling Crew

Our remodeling crew’s Recalibration training is divided into sectors: Windows, Doors, and Siding. Here is a brief explanation of what this training involves:

Windows: 25-point installation process that includes…

a) Precision shimming and centering

b) Proper weatherstripping

c) Producing pristine caulk lines

Doors: 24-point installation process that includes…

a) Precision shimming 

b) Installing insulation around the door

c) Caulking techniques to prevent air infiltration

Siding: 35-point installation process that includes…

a) Installing house wrap in the correct manner

b) Proper nail placement and spacing

c) Soffit and fascia installation procedures

In addition to installation training, ALL installers take part in Core Value, customer-service, and safety workshops.

Recalibrating Our Office Crew

While our installers are busy in our installation training facility, our office crew is working on their management and customer-service techniques.

Here is some of what they tackle throughout Recalibrate week:

• Essential telephone skills
• Training in our Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software
• Learning about our services so they can speak knowledgeably about our products
• Reviewing the proper questions to ask callers to ensure the best possible service

Recalibrate week is an excellent time for our office crew to hone their current skills and learn new ones. When you call, you’ll be greeted by a friendly, knowledgeable professional who is genuinely enthusiastic about assisting you.

Recalibrating Our Project Consultants

Our Project Consultants are the people you’ll meet with during your in-home appointment. To ensure you the best service and solutions, we send our Project Consultants to a multi-day customer-service training event.

This past Recalibrate week, we sent our Project Consultants to an expenses-paid three-day seminar in Nashville. They learned from some of the best home-improvement minds in the country. They were taught how to conduct in-home consultations in a way that’s educational and comfortable for the homeowner. 

As a result, our Project Consultants are able to provide you with the optimal solutions for your needs, tastes, and budget.

What Happens After We Recalibrate?

When we open again after our Recalibrate training, we’re FULLY prepared to provide you with the best experience. Start to finish. Top to bottom. First call to final walkthrough.

Other companies sometimes ask us why on earth we’d shut down and lose a week’s worth of profits every year. We answer their question with one of our own…

“We genuinely care about satisfying our customers… so why on earth WOULDN’T we?”