It is important to know what a client truly wants and what is important to them, but it may be surprising to know what is truly important to clients.
We conducted a survey of our clients to determine why they hired us and why they would refer us to others. The results were surprising, because it was all the things that sound obvious:
Nobody said anything about quality, because quality is an expectation of any reputable contractor, so it is not always what motivates a client. Nobody said anything about price, because lowest price wasn’t critical when you first build trust.
The above noted items are the secret to a happy client, which really isn’t a secret. Obviously, you have to know your business and do it well, to attract and keep clients, but trust and communications are truly driving factors in achieving a satisfaction and often repeat business and referrals.
We protect our reputation fiercely, always returning phone calls and e-mail promptly and addressing concerns quickly. Most importantly, set realistic expectations with the client.
We tell the client upfront:
“We are not perfect, but we will ensure the project is as close to perfection as possible when we finish”
“There will be deficiencies, but we will do a final inspection, and we will address any issue quickly”
“We will be available when the job is done, if there are any issues and we will return”.
When we finish a project we want the referral, not just a pay cheque. If we don’t get the referral, I believe we did something wrong and we should never be in that position.|
I hope you have found this article both helpful and informative. My goal is to help educate and make the public more aware of the significant skill, professionalism and organization that is required to be a Trusted Professional in the renovation and new home building industry
Dan Monk, P.Eng. / Red Seal Carpenter
Owner – MONK Renovations
