Mitch Mauck learned a valuable life lesson from his father growing up.

“My dad, Dr. Randy Mauck, used to be the assistant superintendent in Logansport,” the former Logansport resident said. “He was a behind-the-scenes guy. It was interesting to see how he worked and maneuvered. He always treated people equally and with respect — whether is was a janitor or a principal.”

Mitch uses that same principal in his Indianpolis-based business, Langenwalter Carpet Cleaning.

“Mitch learned to treat everyone equally,” said his wife and business partner, Jennifer. “That is how we treat our customers.”

A Logansport High School graduate, he recently returned to town to attend his 30th class reunion. He also shared some good news:

Langenwalter Carpet Cleaning recently achieved a national customer service milestone.

The company was recognized by Angie’s List as having the highest number of positive customer satisfaction responses among 1.4 million service companies, 1.2 million members and more than 2 million customer reports, Virgina Gunther, a business consultant the company uses, said.

According to Gunther, no other company has achieved the milestone to date.

“It was exciting,” said Mitch.

While Angie’s List is similar to the Better Business Bureau, it is more customer-based. Customers have the opportunity to rate a specific contractor — such as roofers, plumbers and carpet cleaners throughout the entire country.

When someone calls looking for specific contractor, Angie’s List has the ratings received for that company.

Mitch said Langenwalter earned more than 1,000 ratings with a small staff — just 19 people, including himself and Jennifer.

“Some of the companies have 100 people working, but we pretty much dominated with the 19 people we have,” Mitch said. “It’s kind of neat.”

Mitch started his business on March 17, 1995, with his wife Jennifer.

The couple formed their first business partnership in 1989 and eventually worked their way into the franchised-owned company.

“We started the business because it is a service business,” Jennifer said. “We are very good at customer service. We knew there was a need for a company that really excelled in customer service oriented carpet cleaning.”

Even though the company name is franchised, Mitch and Jennifer took their business several steps past what the franchise usually offers.

“The company taught us how to fix bleach stains, Kool-Aid stains and pet stains,” said Mitch. “We were directed that way because there was a need to fix those type of stains.”

The needs of their customers, however, expanded past the services typically offered.

The business offers guaranteed stain removal, as well as cleaning of carpets, oriental rugs, hard surfaces, air ducts, upholstery and leather furniture.

They also offer water restoration work for basements, which have been flooded, with the work done by certified employees.

 “The franchise does not offer the other areas we’ve gone into. It has kind of developed on its own,” Mitch said.

To date, the Maucks’ business services more than 10,000 customers, both residential and business. The majority of their customers reside in Marion and Hamilton counties, but they have also traveled as far as Detroit.

The couple says they don’t necessarily need the franchise name anymore, but don’t want to sell it either.

“We made a name of it and are afraid if we sold it, someone else would take advantage of our hard work,” said Jennifer.

Mitch and Jennifer believe they have been so successful because they talk to their customers and ask for feedback.

“Positive or negative, we want the feedback,” said Jennifer. “Feedback is so important to know how a business is doing.

Customers will go away to someone else and you may not know how you are doing.”

Mitch earned a degree in entrepreneurship in 1986 from Ball State’s Miller School of Business. Jennifer attended Northland College in Ashland, Wis., and Columbia College in Chicago.

“We both knew there was a lot of opportunity to starting our own business,” said Jennifer. “We knew if we put in a lot of hard work into it, we could make it successful and we knew we could it.”

The couple landed in Indianapolis after finishing college. Mitch said they decided at the last minute to move to Indianapolis instead of Chicago.

According to Jennifer, they haven’t regret the move since.

“It’s a great place to start a business,” she said.

Gunther has watched and admired the couple grow.

She wishes she could package and distribute their recipe for success.

“Whatever it is, the Maucks have channeled their own unique form of genius into the topsy turvy world of business and come out on top, garnering national platitudes from their peers and their partners,” said Gunther.

The business is located at 4521 W. 99th St., Carmel. It can be reached at 317-876-9944.

• Denise Massie is a staff writer at the Pharos-Tribune. She can be reached at 574-732-5151 or denise.massie@pharostribune.com