OPINION PIECE by Damian Walters

DON’T BE CATEGORISED…

For years the press have publicised the spectacular failings of some tradesmen.

Anne Robinson and that chap on the motorbike have made a career from the misery of others; although to be fair they have highlighted some appalling instances of tradesmen, who quite frankly should be imprisoned for their antics.

My beef is not that rogue tradesman are targeted and named and shamed, but it’s actually that there isn’t a fair balance between the good and the bad, which perhaps gives the public an incorrect and skewed opinion of all tradesmen.

Aside from the Beeb’s DIY SOS, which showcases the best of British tradesmen, there’s little else in the media that focuses on the many great people operating in the home improvement sector. This can almost breed suspicion and even animosity between consumers and tradesmen, often before the two even meet! Therefore, relationships can begin on a bad footing which can ultimately have a negative effect on the overall success of the project and relationship.

So what can professional tradesman do to combat this? The simple answer is to focus on controlling expectations up front and treating the customer relationship as important as the installation itself. This will underpin a happy project, so it’s win, win. Recognising that consumers use the internet to source, vet and appoint tradesmen, it’s worth investing in a solid digital profile. A good website (opposed to a cheap self-built one), will provide the consumer with their first experience of your business. Basically, it’s your shop window. It should be open, honest and professionally presented and don’t refer to yourself as the Managing Director if you’re a small business. Consumers will see right through it and may actually prefer to know that you’re the installer and your wife does the invoicing. Similarly, avoid stock images of installations purchased (or borrowed) from the web; they can either look tacky, too professional or even irrelevant. The amount of UK websites I’ve seen that clearly display images from overseas is frightening, and a little embarrassing if I’m honest.

A professional social media platform is also incredibly important. Are you on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? Is your profile professional? Are you sharing your commercial successes, testimonials from happy customers and pictures of beautifully fitted products? If not, your customer may not be getting the correct feel of your business and this is before you arrive on the doorstep. Demonstrating professionalism from the moment you meet your customer must also be a priority. We live in a consumer savvy and technically capable world and

subsequently customers recognise the difference between good and bad, so the days of quoting on a ‘fag packet’ and handshake agreements are long gone.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression so don’t turn up on a potential customer’s doorstep in your work boots and silicone covered jeans. The project may be valued at thousands, so make sure you demonstrate your professionalism up front and it will instill customer confidence from the very beginning of the relationship. All this said there’s no need to arrive at your potential customer in a suit and tie either, its all about striking a balance; a clean branded polo shirt and smart jeans is often all that’s required. If you should be wearing boots or work shoes then offer to take them off before entering the dwelling, this will demonstrate that you have respect for someone else’s home, this is critical because this is what the potential customer wants from the person who is appointed to undertake their installation project. Little gestures go a long way. And finally, think about the quality, detail, appearance and speed of your quotation. Customers appreciate a clean, itemised quote that is delivered quickly. Strike whilst the iron is hot and aim to get the quote to them within 24 hours. Do include a set of terms and conditions to ensure both you and your customer are clear about exactly what you will be installing and how much you’re charging and how and when you’ll be expecting payment(s). If you’re not clear up front, tradesmen may leave themselves open to rogue customers when it comes to getting paid; something the press doesn’t seem to enjoy writing about half as much! Remember, iKBBI members get access to a wide range of advice, tips and tools via the member’s website (members-login.org), including terms and conditions that you can use with your customers that satisfy the new Consumer Rights Act (2015) legislation that came into force earlier this month. www.ikbbi.org.uk