Customer service as the cornerstone of strong growth
For us at Olas, customer satisfaction means those carefree sighs when the floor warms your bare feet and the home feels so pleasant you don’t want to leave. It’s when the bus arrives right outside your door in a downpour, or when a favorite restaurant around the corner cures a bout of hangry frustration. It’s when, at a moment of annoyance, your call is answered faster than you expected.
For us, customer satisfaction is not only about meeting and sometimes exceeding expectations in the short term, but also years after a home purchase. It means preventing problems before they arise. Customer satisfaction is the resident’s feeling that their home was built by someone who genuinely cares about how smooth everyday life will be there.
A customer manager who listens closely and always finds solutions
Customer relations manager Hannamari Peltomaa is well-known among our clients for her problem-solving skills. She believes that customer satisfaction is greatly influenced by how much residents are able to realize their wishes, how well they are listened to, and how those wishes are implemented. Equally important is responding to customer questions and concerns quickly, expertly, and clearly. That way, future residents don’t have to wonder whether their wishes will be fulfilled or completed on time.
“Patience is key,” Hannamari emphasizes. For example, what may sound like a simple modification to a non-expert—such as changing a wall—can involve multiple technical considerations requiring input from various specialists. Indoors, we can implement a very wide range of changes, from handle choices to lighting, wall colors to kitchen layouts. If a request cannot be carried out exactly as proposed, the aim is always to find an alternative that meets the same need.
“It’s important to understand the timeline of construction projects,” Hannamari notes. The process is long, and at the time of purchase, the project may already be too far along to make certain changes—for example, modifying windows or adding water points. External walls, for instance, cannot be altered at all. However, many things can be clarified before signing the purchase agreement, so buyers can know in advance which requests are possible and thus have a clear vision of their dream home.
Good customer service is built on prompt communication. This applies equally to problem situations, where the aim is to minimize disappointment and ensure the customer feels heard. According to Hannamari, every customer must be treated as an individual—there is no one-size-fits-all formula for service.
This article includes insights from our customer relations manager Hannamari Peltomaa, right, and our site manager Marika Lahti.
A site manager as the customer’s second brain
Site manager Marika Lahti ensures long-term customer satisfaction by making sure everything is done with quality. Her role is to think through the practical details on behalf of the customer. “It’s important to realize that residents may not know to ask for every detail that contributes to smooth daily life,” she says. Her role is to be the customer’s “second brain”: making smart and sustainable decisions for them. After numerous projects, it has become routine to make choices that stand the test of time. Thorough, well-prepared plans guide the work, but it’s also important to stay alert—new opportunities to improve the outcome may arise as construction progresses.
Another factor in customer satisfaction is staying on schedule. At the move-in inspection, the apartment should be as complete as possible. At handover, even the smallest details must be finished: trim in place to the millimeter, grout lines neat. “Customer satisfaction is in the details. Even small imperfections can create the impression that builders didn’t care about the final result,” Marika explains. Post-handover repairs can significantly impact satisfaction, even if they are minor. When such repairs are needed, satisfaction can be maintained by responding quickly and clearly communicating timelines. Uncertainty about progress can make even a small repair feel like a big burden.
Financially strong Olas continues steady growth, driven by praised customer service
While many competitors have seen sales decline in challenging market conditions, Olas has experienced the opposite. Since our founding in 2017, we have grown steadily into one of the leading single-family home builders in the Helsinki metropolitan area. Financially, we are among the strongest in the industry. In 2023, we exceeded our growth targets, increasing revenue by 25% to 17.7 million € Our credit rating is the highest possible, AAA (Dun & Bradstreet). Read more about our strong growth in our blog or in Kauppalehti.
The secret behind our growth is customer trust built through high-quality service and carefully considered land acquisitions. These ensure that we can continue profitable operations and strong growth. With Olas, you can buy a home with complete peace of mind.
