One of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to freshen or change the look of a room entirely is to apply a new coat of paint. After all, for many do-it-yourselfers, a paint brush is often the sharpest tool in their toolbox. But before you don your painter’s cap and strap on your breathing apparatus, some decisions need to be made. What color(s) do you want the room to be? Which finish (flat, semi-gloss, eggshell, etc.) do you prefer? How many coats/how much paint will you need? You’ll also need to pick up any special texturing tools (sponges, brushes, special rollers, etc.). And, just as important, you’ll need to choose a brand of paint to use.
Most paint and home improvement stores offer a variety of paint brands from which to choose, and it can be a little overwhelming to see row after row of what seems like identical paint cans. If you’re not sure which brand of paint is best for your particular application, the sales associate in the store can usually provide some guidance. But it also doesn’t hurt to know what you’re looking for before you head to the store.
To find out which interior paint brands most satisfy customers, J.D. Power and Associates recently surveyed more than 8,000 consumers who purchased and applied interior paint within the previous 12 months. Consumers were asked to rate the paint they used in six key areas (listed in order of importance):
- application performance;
- appearance and application features;
- durability performance;
- price;
- design guides and instructions;
- warranty/guarantee.
Results of the 2009 Interior Paint Satisfaction Study reveal that overall customer satisfaction with interior paint has increased notably. In fact, the average score for all paint brands in 2009 is 767 (on a 1,000-point scale), compared with 759 in 2008—a significant improvement. In addition, the importance of price as a driver of overall satisfaction has declined in 2009, compared with 2008, while the importance of application performance and appearance and application features has increased substantially. The study also finds that the percentage of consumers who applied paint themselves rather than hiring a contractor or handyman has increased since 2008.
According to the study, now in its third year, customer satisfaction with paint and the paint retailer are particularly high when the retail sales staff effectively communicates the benefits of a particular paint brand. Jim Howland, senior director of the real estate and construction practice at J.D. Power and Associates, says, “Those brands that differentiate themselves from the competition also focus on making their paint easy to apply and educating customers about how to achieve the best results. In times like these, where customers are looking for the maximum value for their money, emphasizing these aspects can make for a particularly satisfying product experience.”
