Interview with a Kitchen Tune-Up Tunie - Brad Fiechtner

Marty Ceranec, long-time Kitchen Tune-Up franchise owner kindly contributes to our national newsletter and blog. He calls these an “Interview with a Tunie, By a Tunie.”

This interview features Brad Fiechtner, Kitchen Tune-Up franchise owner located in Aberdeen, SD.

Brad Fiechtner has been in our system for 4 ½ years.  I never really got a chance to speak with Brad a whole lot until the last reunion in Las Vegas.  He is a really nice and interesting guy! 

Q. Living in Aberdeen where the Home Office is located, how long had you known about Kitchen Tune-Up, and what prompted you to take the plunge and purchase a franchise?

A. I actually knew very little about it.  (There were occasional ads in the paper.)  I met Heidi, Jeff, and Dave through church activities, and one day Heidi asked me if I knew anyone who might be interested in picking up the Aberdeen area.  Well, after thinking about it, I thought—yeah, me!

Q. What were you doing at the time?

A. I have an engineering degree from North Dakota State, and I was in manufacturing for an Aberdeen-based U.S. Defense firm.  They were starting to outsource more and more out of the country and then Heidi entered my life.  And here I am!

Q. We know Aberdeen is a great place to visit, but you are there full time!

A. I grew up in North Dakota, lived in California for 12 years, and then moved back to South Dakota in 1997.  I have a lot of family here.  I’m a plains boy at heart.

Q. You won the National Customer Service of the Year Award for 2014.  Congrats!  A lot of your customers returned the comment cards.  Do you have any secrets or are your fellow Aberdonians stuffing the ballot boxes?

A. When I finish the job, I ask my customers, “Have we done everything we said we would and maybe even more?”  Then I mail a personal handwritten thank you with a business card and the comment cards inside.  Nothing fancier than that.

Q. You seem to be very tech-savvy.  Do you advertise much on social media?

A. Being an engineer, I’m very interested in technology and new products.  I actually own a couple of patents.  But I do very little on social sites.  Thank goodness for the Home Office!

Q. Are you active in your Chamber or other networking groups?

A. I belong to the Chamber and give advice to local people starting up their own businesses.  One that I’m very proud of is helping a woman start a bakery out of her house.  She’s had it now for 1 ½ years (and I got free cake and cookies).

Q. What do you enjoy most about Kitchen Tune-Up?

A. I get the biggest kick from my positive customer responses.  I love that feeling of satisfaction for a job well done.  I also enjoy my fellow owners.  They are never afraid to open up their hearts, and even though we are all out here on our own, I know they’re always there for me. 

Q. We know The Storybook Land Park is in Aberdeen.  Who’s your favorite storybook character?

A. I haven’t been there in quite a while now that my boys are older; however, maybe Doc from the Snow White tale.  He’s the leader, he’s always happy and works his butt off!