Tips for Better Customer Service

You pride yourself on your service, touting it as what separates you from the pack. And clients who are awed by that service are quick to recommend you to others, bringing in more business. But what qualifies as high-quality service? Here are several ways you can impress your customers.

1. Communicate Well. Developing close lines of interaction with regular meetings ensures customers remain up to date, reducing their feeling of lack of control. "We always do a pre-construction conference to talk about expectations on both sides and to work out simple essentials such as parking, hours of operation, access, etc.," says Dale Nichols, president of Artisan Remodeling in Granite Bay, Calif. "This gets things off to a good start and sets some ground rules for all parties to follow."

2. Be Responsive. "We hear so often that our clients never get a return call from other contractors," says Kent Eberle, president of Eberle Remodeling in Sacramento, Calif. "We have a 24-hour rule on returning calls." Eberle uses whatever communication method works best for the customer, whether that's phone, fax, e-mail, product manager's cell phone at the site or an after-hours emergency telephone number. "Our clients can always reach us, and they're impressed by our availability."

3. Create Detailed Proposals. Nichols stresses that nothing should be assumed. "Put it all in writing," he adds. "This minimizes misunderstandings and mistakes and gives you evidence in case of a dispute." It also puts the homeowners at ease, as they can review details, down to names of products to be used.

4. Review Product Choices Carefully. An upfront review of all allowances and product options is critical, says Jesse Morado, president of Renovation Coach in Atlanta, which works with contractors on marketing skills. "Many people become overwhelmed with all the decisions they must make," he says. "Have your designer assist clients with choosing products that will meet their budget needs and still produce the quality look they want. This also helps you keep the project on track and avoid delays."

5. Go the Extra Step. Every person who works on the project—in the office and in the field—serves as the face of the company, Nichols says. "Train your employees and subs to be pleasant to anyone at the job site. It is amazing how much good will this can create. It also is amazing how much one unpleasant encounter can turn things sour."

6. Keep to the Schedule. "Finish the job on time, or better yet, finish early," Nichols says. That, of course, requires keeping things running smoothly and not being too optimistic in setting the original schedule. Customers aren't upset with a 10-week project they thought would take 11 weeks, but they are if they were told it would take nine weeks.

7. Keep It Clean. "We really pound it into our guys that, every day, we want the house as clean as or cleaner than when we walked in," says Doug Bannan, president of Bannan Construction in Harleysville, Pa. Crews use a shop vacuum, a Hoover upright vacuum sweeper and cordless vacuums for cabinet corners. They also put away tools every night and take out trash, to ensure homeowners don't have to walk around this material. "Our customers really like that," he says. "They mention it to us regularly, and it gets us more jobs from their friends who visit."

"Not all customers can always tell if you're doing a good job, but a clean job at least gives the impression that you care about your work," Nichols says.

8. Budget for Gifts. Add a few dollars into the job for special thank-you gifts, Nichols says. "At critical times, you can give something extra to the homeowner, but it won't hurt because you've budgeted for it," he says. "The homeowners are happy because they think they got something extra." Morado suggests providing clients with dinner passes during key points in a kitchen remodeling, when the kitchen is out of commission.

9. Walk in Their Shoes. "Practice putting yourself in the homeowners' shoes and ask if you would be delighted with what is being done," Nichols says. "If not, do something better." Morado suggests giving clients lots of paper china, plastic cups and utensils, along with a cookbook on microwave cooking. The goal is to show you've considered what they're going through.

10. Exceed Expectations. Throughout the process, the goal is to exceed expectations. "The key to great customer service is creating realistic expectations by educating clients about the products and the processes that will be involved," Eberle says. Once that is accomplished, the contractor should aim to exceed the expectations. "Don't promise what you can't deliver," Nichols warns. "But do what you say you will do. First and foremost, realize that you don't just build things. You are in a service industry, and your job is just as much about meeting a homeowner's needs and expectations as it is about building things. If you think remodeling is just about building things as fast as you can, you are doomed to fail."