Lyndol Woodruff

137 five-star Google reviews.

Not 136. Not “mostly five-star with a few fours mixed in.” 137 perfect ratings, zero exceptions.

So what’s behind those reviews? And more importantly, what did they teach me about what people actually want when they invite a business into their most sacred space?

Lesson #1: People Don’t Review Windows—They Review Feelings

Look at what customers actually write about:

“It truly felt like we had the A-team working on our home.”

“Our new windows and custom sliding door have completely transformed the look and feel of our house.”

“I slept like a baby last night. Grateful for Woodruff Windows.”

Notice what they’re NOT talking about? R-values. Energy efficiency ratings. Technical specifications.

They’re talking about how they feel. In their space. About our team. About the experience.

The lesson: People don’t buy products—they buy transformations. They don’t review features—they review how you made them feel.

Lesson #2: Trust Is Built in Moments, Not Months

Every five-star review mentions the same thing: our people.

“Elliott, Aaron, and Oscar were absolute pros. Not only were they efficient and meticulous in their work, but they were also incredibly friendly and respectful throughout the entire process.”

“The team at Woodruff was knowledgeable, courteous, and efficient throughout the installation process.”

Here’s what this taught me: trust isn’t built through advertising or promises. It’s built in the first thirty seconds when our crew walks through your door. It’s built when they take their shoes off without being asked. When they explain what they’re doing and why. When they clean up like they’re working on their own home.

The lesson: Your people ARE your brand. Everything else is just marketing.

Lesson #3: Speed Without Sacrifice Is Possible

This one surprised me. Customer after customer mentions how fast we work:

“Steve’s crew arrived at 8:30 AM and by 4:30 PM—same day—they had completely finished installing twenty-seven windows and cleaned up.”

But speed isn’t what they’re really celebrating. It’s that we delivered exceptional results quickly without cutting corners. They’re amazed that “fast” and “perfect” can coexist.

The lesson: When your systems are solid and your people are skilled, speed becomes a feature, not a compromise. Customers appreciate efficiency when it doesn’t sacrifice quality.

Lesson #4: The Little Things Aren’t Little

The details that customers mention most:

• “They cleaned up perfectly”
• “Respectful of our home”
• “Explained everything clearly”
• “Arrived exactly when promised”
• “Professional from start to finish”

None of these are about windows. They’re about character. About caring enough to do things right even when no one would notice if you didn’t.

The lesson: Excellence lives in the details. The difference between good and great isn’t in the big gestures—it’s in the thousand small choices to do things the right way.

Lesson #5: Authenticity Beats Perfection

Here’s something interesting: our reviews feel real. They’re not generic or scripted. They tell specific stories:

“I did not hear the storm last night/this morning at all. Before these new windows, I felt like the storms were inside my house and I was always scared, literally terrified.”

This isn’t marketing copy. This is Jennifer sharing her actual experience. The specificity, the vulnerability, the genuine gratitude—that’s what authentic service produces.

The lesson: When you genuinely care about people, they tell genuine stories about you. Authenticity can’t be faked, but it can be earned.

Lesson #6: Expectations Are Everything

Look at this pattern in our reviews:

“Of all the quotes we received, Woodruff was by far the most affordable, without sacrificing quality.”

“The sales process was smooth and pressure-free—they gave us all the information we needed, answered every question thoroughly, and gave us the time to make the decision that was right for us.”

We’re not competing on price or pressure. We’re competing on value and respect. We set clear expectations and then exceed them.

The lesson: When you underpromise and overdeliver consistently, customers become advocates. When you overpromise and underdeliver, they become warnings.

Lesson #7: Word of Mouth Is Still Everything

Here’s what doesn’t show up in the reviews but shows up in our business: referrals.

The vast majority of our customers come from word-of-mouth recommendations. Someone loved their experience so much they told their neighbor, who told their friend, who called us.

Five-star reviews are great for credibility. But five-star experiences create five-star referrals. And referrals are the ultimate validation of your service.

The lesson: The best marketing strategy is doing work so good that people can’t help but talk about it.

Lesson #8: Gratitude Is Contagious

This might be my favorite discovery: our customers regularly cook for our crews, send them home with baked goods, order pizza for lunch, buy gifts for their kids, and tip every single installer.

That doesn’t happen because our guys expect it. It happens because of how they show up and how hard they work.

When you treat people’s homes with respect and deliver exceptional results, gratitude follows naturally. And that gratitude creates a cycle—grateful customers create motivated teams, which creates better experiences, which creates more grateful customers.

The lesson: When you give more than people expect, they give more than you could ask for.

What This Really Means

136 five-star reviews taught me that people aren’t looking for perfection. They’re looking for care.

They don’t want to be sold to—they want to be served.

They don’t want the cheapest option—they want the best value.

They don’t want to be impressed—they want to be respected.

And when you deliver that consistently, reviews become the byproduct, not the goal.

The Standard We Hold

Every single job we do, I think about review #137. What will that customer say about their experience? How will they feel when we’re done? Will they trust us enough to refer their neighbor?

Because maintaining a perfect rating isn’t about the number. It’s about maintaining a perfect commitment to the people we serve.

And that’s a standard worth protecting.

Your Turn

Whether you’re in business or not, you’re creating experiences for people every day. Your family, your coworkers, your community.

What would your “reviews” say? Not the formal ones, but the stories people tell about their interactions with you?

Are you creating moments worth celebrating? Building trust worth defending? Delivering care worth talking about?

Because here’s what 136 five-star reviews really taught me: excellence isn’t an accident. It’s a choice you make in every interaction, with every person, in every moment that matters.

And every moment matters.

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What’s the best service experience you’ve ever had? What made it memorable? Share your story below—I’d love to hear about the businesses and people who’ve earned your five-star moments.