We recently connected with Chris Uchacz and have shared our conversation below.
Chris , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you tell us about a time where you or your team really helped a customer get an amazing result?
I recently signed a new client who just bought a new, second home and was looking for home watch services as they were not going to move in right away and lived in another state. The home was also unoccupied, and they needed help preparing their new home to make it comfortable and livable. As part of the concierge services we provide, I was able to successfully manage the types of preparations new homeowners would do — but that my clients could not as they lived out-of-state. I was able to schedule the local Internet provider to install WiFi; accept the delivery of several packages and furniture (i.e. bedroom and living room furniture); and we even went grocery shopping for our clients so their refrigerator and pantry were full upon their arrival. As a result, my clients were able to stay at their new home during their first visit while affording them additional time to address other needs/projects. I was also able to provide industry leading home watch checks to ensure there were no issues with their home, when unoccupied, and upon their arrival.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Owning and operating Coastal Home Watch & Concierge, LLC has been a dream come true for my wife (Karen) and I. No strangers to owning a second home or rental property, we completely understand the stress and anxiety that comes with living hours away or even out-of-state. Home security systems and ring video cameras do a great job of alerting you to any issues or situations, but what our clients really need is a local professional whose job is to be available when they can’t! We know the value of a reliable “flip flops on the ground” Home Watch Service that can provide our clients with a sense of calmness knowing that they have a trustworthy advocate taking care of their home and property – we treat their home as if it were our own!
Karen and I are happily married and live in Ocean Isle Beach with our two dogs, Kirby and Lulu. We have fallen in love with the beauty of the Brunswick Beaches, embraced the beach lifestyle, and been overwhelmed by the kindness of the people we have met in our community and the surrounding area. We have, without a doubt, found our forever home!
Chris was born and raised in Vancouver, BC and has spent the last 25 years working in collegiate athletics. Karen grew up in Florida and has spent most of her career in sales and customer service and currently works in the residential mortgage industry.
We take our business very seriously and understand the level of trust bestowed upon us to watch our clients’ homes and property. It is a privilege that we do not take lightly, and we look forward to serving our clients with the honesty and integrity they deserve! We offer industry leading home watch services while conducting visible checks of a home/property while looking for obvious issues. We protect their homes when they can’t and we are often able to identify any issues before they become more significant and costly to repair.
We also offer vacation rental assistance to our clients who rent their homes on Airbnb/VRBO or privately. We are not property managers and do not manage reservations or payment/taxes, but we do provide 24/7 support for our clients while working with their guests to make sure they enjoy a 5-star stay. We “pre-plan” and “meet and greet” with guests and try to reach out to them before they arrive and when they arrive to answer any questions they may have to make their stay comfortable and relaxing. If there are any issues that occur during their stay, we manage our preferred contractors/vendors to make sure they are resolved quickly and professionally.
At Coastal Home Watch & Concierge we also provide private property assistance for those clients who have group ownership of a home/property and do not rent. We offer the same types of services as in our vacation rental assistance model and are always looking to make sure that our clients have an uneventful, comfortable, and relaxing stay while enjoying their time at the beach.
An important service we provide is our PrePost-Storm protocol to protect our clients’ homes during tropical storms and/or named hurricanes. We are able to deliberately prepare their home/property prior to the storm while conducting multiple checks after the storm has passed, to assess any possible damage or issues that our clients need to know about in order to manage. Communication is key and we work hard to keep our clients updated with texts, emails, and pictures.
Lastly, is the Concierge side of our business. We provide a large array services that range from grocery/wine/beer/liquor shopping; making reservations at local restaurants or spas; special event planning such as anniversaries or birthdays; manage sending and receiving important and valuable packages; and we run general errands when our clients do not have the time. Pretty much nothing is off the table, and we are here to serve.
Our primary goal is to treat a client’s home as if it were our own, to act as their “flip flops on the ground”, and to create a high level of peace of mind so our clients and guests can enjoy their time at the home/property and on the beach! Both Karen and I have been in the service industry our entire lives and love to see the smile on people’s faces when we have done right by them. To protect our clients, we are insured, bonded and accredited by the National Home Watch Association (NHWA). We are passionate about our business, and this is not a side-hustle for us! We spend a lot of time with our NHWA leadership and colleagues becoming more educated about our industry in order to improve upon the quality of the services we offer.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
SERVICE! We are in the service industry and the level of service we provide is industry leading! When a new client reaches out to us to inquire about our services, we respond immediately. Whether it is an auto message acknowledging that we received their inquiry or an immediate call back, they need to understand how important they are to us and to the success of our company. Always be on time — if you are going to be late, then let your clients know. Complete the work they expect and do so in a timely and professional manner — show up and do the work! Be honest – enough said. If you make a mistake or forget something, own it, apologize, and move on and make sure it does not happen again. Get to know your clients and make it clear that you care while always thanking them for their business.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
The Internet – either google search results or Instagram/Facebook posts are the places where most of our clients find us. The NHWA is also a great resource for clients and provides a state-by-state and Country wide listing of accredited and/or certified companies providing the services our clients seek. Make sure your Google Business page is up-to-date and tells your story. Most people will google search what they are looking for and you want to make sure your company comes up first in a search. If you do not know what you are doing, contact someone who does. I spend a lot of time posting a variety of ads and information on Instagram and Facebook but also on other sites such as Alignable and LinkedIn. You have to get the word out, be creative, and put in the time.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.coastalhomewatchconcierge.com
- Instagram: coastalhomewatchconcierge
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coastalhomewatchconcierge
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/90650162/admin/feed/posts/
- Other: https://www.alignable.com/ocean-isle-beach-nc/coastal-home-watch-concierge-llc