Footprints Floors franchise owner Alonso Gonzales understands the challenges of a vulnerable business climate but remains determined as he expands into Central and Northeast Dallas to provide the community with trusted quality and customer satisfaction.
“This is harder than I thought it would be,” admitted Gonzales to The Dallas Express, noting that he took the leap to become his own boss after being laid off from Safran Electronics & Defense, Avionics USA, where Gonzales was a senior master planner in 2021.
Gonzales may have switched professions, but the attention to detail he learned from his prior positions and receiving an engineering degree in Mexico at Universidad Autónoma de La Laguna, A.C., has enabled him to see obstacles as puzzles to solve rather than dead ends.
Liking the model of the Denver-based flooring installation company Footprints Floors, Gonzales decided to lay the foundation for his new venture in late 2020.
“I made mistakes to learn from,” said Gonzales, reflecting on his start as a Footprints Floors franchise. “Even when you have good training, the first years in a new business are very challenging.”
Footprints Floors is a national franchise that focuses on providing high-quality flooring installation services across the United States. With over 160 territories spread across 40 states, the company has established itself as a leader in the industry. It specializes in a wide range of flooring services, including restoration and refinishing of various flooring types and restoration of antique hardwood flooring, as well as installations of stairs, backsplashes, wall tiles, and a variety of materials, including tile, hardwood, vinyl, laminate, and stone, among others.
Gonzales’ territory covers multiple metroplex cities, including Dallas, Garland, Highland Park, Richardson, Rockwall, and University Park.
He explained that one of the benefits of being a franchise owner is that he is not responsible for finding leads and scheduling estimates; rather, the customer support representatives (CSRs) help with these tasks on the front end.
“The CSRs set up my calendar,” said Gonzales. “And I recently hired a production manager. So now, I can focus on growing the business and increasing marketing.”
Gonzales highlighted the learning curve in developing marketing strategies with a limited budget. The budget may change based on estimates converted into actual customers, explained Gonzales. Potential customers receive free estimates, but there is a cost associated with each estimate on his end.
Even still, Gonzales always meets each potential customer with the mindset of “trying to do my best and be my best self.” He explained that providing trustworthy, high-quality, affordable options and services is paramount, even if the ultimate result may limit his bottom-line profit.
“I offer sample products to customers. If they do not want to go with those products, I have partnerships with different vendors. I pass my retail price with these vendors to my customers so they can buy the product themselves at a lower price. I make no money from the materials. I help the customer get what they want at a lower price so that I can do the installation for them,” Gonzales explained.
“We also have a partnership with Floor & Décor, which is huge. And I can get a discount on the materials for the customer,” said Gonzales.
Gonzales is trying to grow his business on the foundational pillars of customer affordability and quality service, but he recognizes the difficulties in today’s business climate.
“Right now, I average 30 estimates a month, but I need closer to 50,” Gonzales explained.
“I have five-star reviews in Google, and this is really a plus,” he added. “Word of mouth is also a big part of marketing.”
“Our customers are pleased — we do what is necessary to make sure they are happy,” said Gonzales.
Footprints Floors offers a free in-home estimate to all potential clients. To schedule your free estimate, please call 214-888-4380 or look here.