Bob and Nita Tuck - Naples, Florida

Not even a hurricane can slow down Bob and Nita Tuck. They joined Mr. Appliance in 2004 and have been consistent leaders in the franchise system ever since. Their business started in the wake of Hurricane Charley, but with courage, hope and a little help, they were up and running before the electricity was back on.

What was business like before Mr. Appliance?
I’m asked that question a lot. It’s a completely different approach to business. Before, we were just getting through customers. Fix the problem and go on to the next one. Now, we try to keep customers. Every time the phone rings, it’s an opportunity to overwhelm that person with an experience that they’ve never had with a service company. Our team members believe this too. They’re just as interested in treating the customer as they are in fixing their appliance.

What’s it like being a part of the Mr. Appliance system?
When I first met the people at The Dwyer Group, I knew that they conducted business in a different way than most companies. They shared their Code of Values with us, and we saw firsthand that they truly live by those values. Nita and I went to training after purchasing our franchise in July 2004. In August, our former business was destroyed by a hurricane. We lost everything. But we weren’t alone. Someone from the Mr. Appliance corporate staff called us at least once every day to make sure we had everything we needed.

How is life outside the office different now that you own a Mr. Appliance franchise?
It’s so much more peaceful now. Before, we just tried to survive the week. Bob and I are able to leave the business at the end of the day and go home to relax. Our business doesn’t run our lives anymore. I used to work 12-14 hours every day just to stay on track. Now, I’m in the office for only six hours and get more done each day. The business systems and software we use at Mr. Appliance has made our operations so much more efficient. This is the first time we’ve been able to travel in years.

How hard was it to open a second Mr. Appliance franchise location?
The same business systems are in effect, so the expansion hasn’t been difficult at all. Our team is excited about the expansion. As an independent appliance repair company, we would have never considered expansion. But as a Mr. Appliance franchise, expansion is made much easier because of all the available resources. I have marketing support, a dedicated business coach and more with just a phone call to the corporate office. If we use these tools correctly, there’s no limit to where our business can go.

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