Business & Marketing Advice
THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING RECORDS AND CLEAR DOCUMENTATION! Mr and Mrs James are standing to my left, leaning against the breakfast bar with their arms folded. The Showroom Manager is standing to my right, his hands clutching the worktop behind him, making his elbows bend outwards like a cowboy reaching for his six-shooters. This was deadlock, and I could see only one way to help them reach some kind of agreement about what they should do next. Mr and Mrs James had been friends with the retailer for years, that’s why they’d gone there to get their new kitchen. Now their friendship was under strain. ‘Let’s have a look at the drawings and order form’ I say. ‘Let’s see what was agreed in the original scheme.’ Mrs James pulls out her file of paperwork. It looks comprehensive. Print-outs of email exchanges, a bundle of negative customer reviews from the web, sketches and notes taken during site meetings with the salesperson and fitters, even her bank statements confirming what has been paid. Amongst all of this, just one small line drawing of a plan that bears little resemblance to what’s in the kitchen today. The Manager has an enlarged copy of the same plan and a copy of the order he placed with the 80
kitchen supplier. The two plans are different, but there are no dates on them to identify when they were drawn. The order form differs from both. And the finished job has differences, too. Kitchen planning is a complex process. Understanding what the customer wants, finding the right products and giving the best advice is crucial, but don’t underestimate the importance of clear documentation. Plan and perspective drawings, itemised orders and fitting information are essential. Clear information prevents misunderstandings and helps to ensure any problems can be sorted out quickly and easily.
As installers, we often come across problems that need to be overcome and these can be frustrating and time-consuming. We have to talk to the customer and the shop about solutions to ensure the job is completed and we get paid. Keeping records of this may feel like a waste of time when we just want to get on, but it can save time dealing with issues later, and it can enable us to give feedback to the designer/planner to help them with future plans and designs. The small amount of extra time it takes could save many hours. And maybe even a friendship or two.
