1 . Set customer expectations correctly

A few years ago , the expression ‘ sticker shock ’ came into use in America . It came from car sales where there had been a big and unexpected rise in prices . The point is this . Whenever we start thinking about buying something , we have a rough price in mind . We experience a shock if the price quoted doesn ’ t match up to what we had in our heads .

No one likes a surprise and if they get one , they tend to react badly . Trying to set expectations correctly can avoid this pitfall

Many residential customers will have a wrong expectation of what a new heating system or rewiring project may cost . It ’ s our job to guide them into the right ball park before we send the quote to them , so they won ’ t experience ‘ sticker shock ’. It also means that if they aren ’ t prepared to pay the price needed for a quality job , we can both save each other ’ s time before anyone invests more .

Matthew Stevenson of The Landscape Company puts it this way : “ I always tell customers that we won ’ t be the cheapest , but we will be the best value .”

No one likes a surprise and if they get one , they tend to react

badly . Trying to set expectations correctly can avoid this pitfall .

2 . Get your quotes out quickly

A while ago my company , Powered Now , conducted a survey of over 1,000 home owners . One of the questions was about getting quotes from trades companies . This turned out to be a major frustration for the typical homeowner . Ideally , they would like several quotes to compare . In practise , they often found it hard to get one .

That ’ s why there is such a benefit in turning quotes around quickly . Doing so demonstrates

your efficiency and putting a time limit on acceptance helps you to beat the guys that are still looking up the parts .

If you are busy , you can always negotiate on the start date . Being straight with the customer helps to build trust . Being busy suggests that you are good because you are in hot demand . It all helps the relationship with the customer and makes them more reasonable when you start doing the job .

3 . Be professional in the little things

We recently employed some decorators . They were good . They came when they said they would . They did a professional job . They charged a reasonable price . But we will never use them again . Why not ? They were a bit too fresh with my wife and she felt uncomfortable .

When you do a residential job , you are invading your customers ’ most personal territory . That ’ s why making sure you leave the toilet clean , take off dirty shoes , clean up and treat customers and their families with total respect is so important . Failing to do this can often explain the apparently inexplicable behaviour of customers . That ’ s what happened in our case as we have ignored every contact we have received from those decorators .

4 . Do what you say

You said that you would start on Tuesday . You didn ’ t turn up and the next time you contacted the customer they were fine about it . So that ’ s OK ? I ’ m afraid not . Lots of people dislike confrontation but every time you say one thing and do another you undermine that most precious commodity – trust . Undermine this enough and

they won ’ t trust you at all . You will then wonder why they seem uncooperative and don ’ t believe anything you say .

My sister recently had a new boiler fitted . She had asked for a particular model and the installer said they didn ’ t normally supply that one . Under pressure they said they could . When the job was completed she noticed that the wrong model was installed . Emails pointing this out went unanswered . That was until she said she was getting someone else to rip out his boiler and replace it with the right one . Was this all deliberate ? It ’ s hard to think that it was a mistake . The installer in question is going to end up with a second-hand boiler and will have done two installs and one uninstall to be paid once . He would have been better off saying he didn ’ t want the job in the first place .