GE Capital empowers contractors with new program

STAMFORD, Conn. — With the housing market rebounding and home improvement on the upswing, GE Capital Retail Bank is looking to help contractors with a new business-building program called “Think Outside the Toolbox.”

The program is designed for home improvement, HVAC, outdoor living and other home specialty industry contractors, business owners and customer facing personnel. By completing a free, five-minute Growth Assessment Survey, home specialty professionals will receive a customized training path, consisting of two 30-minute, on-demand webinars to guide them in reaching sales goals, improving customer loyalty and gaining insights and best practices of other industry-related businesses. Contractors do not need to be an existing GE Capital client to participate, and may be eligible for a gift card or other item upon completing the webinars and questionnaires.

The company emphasizes the relationship between homeowners and home improvement contractors in GE Capital’s Heroes with Toolbelts. GE developed Think Outside the Toolbox to enable professionals to enhance these relationships and drive continued growth and customer satisfaction.

“Throughout the decades that we’ve been in the home segment, we’ve seen the commitment of these business owners to their clients’ needs. Our goal is to support these professionals in building more successful businesses and delivering great customer experiences,” said Bruce Christensen, GM of home improvement, GE Capital’s Retail finance business. “Think Outside the Toolbox is an effective new addition to our growing suite of tools and resources that can help businesses reach their full potential.”

For 80 years, GE Capital’s Retail Finance business has provided billions of dollars in consumer financing through major retailers and more than 200,000 small- and mid-size businesses throughout the United States. It has been a leading provider of financing solutions in the home improvement segment for more than 20 years. The company helps merchants build their businesses through consumer financing programs that drive business growth and customer satisfaction, and supports its clients with proprietary online technology, comprehensive training and retail insights and analytics. GE Capital provides its cardholders with a suite of digital tools to manage their accounts, including the online Consumer Center and mService, a mobile servicing platform available on iOS, Android, Blackberry and Windows devices.