Concerned Customers: How You Handle Them Speaks Volumes

We all say it: "Next time, I am going to remember to do this or that differently." Unfortunately, time has a way of blurring the specific circumstances of the situation; rarely are the circumstances on each job the same, which allows busy contractors to forget about how they might improve a procedure at the next opportunity. Recently, we had an occasion to remember firsthand the importance of following a specific, predetermined procedure for job-site success in regards to customer service. How we deal with customers' concerns and questions is vital to our survival in this delicate economy, since referrals are one of the best ways to demonstrate professionalism in our field. Here is what happened:

The issue began with the customer asking questions about irregularities she noticed with the contractor's work (gaps between recently installed boards and debris in the finish) before the job was completed. In this situation most contractors are busy trying to meet a specific time schedule or get to the next job on their work ticket. If you don't give a customer your undivided attention, the client will believe that his or her concerns are being minimized. If you don't plan on addressing the concerns immediately, write them down in a list of "Things to Do Tomorrow." Acknowledging the concerns and letting the client see you write the concerns on a list provides accountability.

In this case, the workers (rightly or wrongly) informed the customer that both the gaps and the debris would be dealt with during the next coat and specifically would be remedied with additional applications of finish. Here we have two issues. First, the customer is getting information from and giving information to workers who may or may not relay all the concerns accurately to their supervisor or the next crew. Without a record of the concerns, the information may be forgotten and/or not passed on to the next crew. Second, the written record provides you, the business owner or supervisor, with an opportunity to use your professional knowledge and follow up with the client (hopefully with a phone call). This reassures the client that the concerns will be addressed on the next scheduled visit, or it's possible an impromptu inspection or repair the next day is warranted. At this point, you can reaffirm and recognize the client's concerns and propose a course of action to remedy those issues.

After speaking with the workers, the client wondered how these issues would be remedied when they were already covered with a coat of finish. Here is where doubt creeps into the minds of our customers and plants the seeds of discontent. Clients have countless sources of information they can check to validate a contractor's response (GCs, the NWFA consumer website, certified inspectors, other contractors, neighbors, etc.). One small concern opens the door to curiosity, and before you know it, the client is on hands and knees with a headlamp inspecting every inch of flooring. Make sure the response is logical and clearly conveyed to the customer. If necessary, write out a "change order" on the bid (at no charge, if the quality of work is in question). Get the customer to affirm the corrective action with a signature on the change of work order.

As a result of the above concerns not having been met to her satisfaction, the client contacted her GC to discuss her concerns and lack of customer service. This is where the process starts all over again, with a greater number of concerns and a less amicable working environment. Unfortunately, the owner continued to discount the customer's concerns and ultimately blamed the customer for the existence of the issues. Ultimately, after two certified inspectors visited the job site and offered their recommendations, the customer decided to not allow the contractor to finish the job.

We were hired to fix the concerns and complete the job. For me, this job speaks volumes: Live and learn. When we drive the truck and trailer around the city and show up in work clothes, we give the impression that we work as blue-collar laborers. We get stain and dye on our hands and under our fingernails, and dust floats off of our sweatshirts in the wind, but what we want to convey to you, our peers in this industry, is that we are not just laborers. We are skilled craftspeople, accountants, account managers, customer service representatives, advertising representatives, and quality control managers. By reading this magazine, you prove that you are all of the above, as well. As wood flooring professionals, we all must have the skills to provide our clients with a beautiful, long-lasting floor as well as a business process that meets and exceeds their expectations. If you are in the field for the long term, you must take whatever steps necessary to satisfy your clients' expectations, even if it means sometimes not making a short-term profit. If you don't, someone else will.

Here are our recommendations for dealing with customer concerns:

1. Listen intently to customer concerns and write them down.
2. Immediately correct or address the concerns, even if it takes extra hours.
3. Provide NWFA documentation on procedures or call the NWFA tech line. Let your customer talk to the tech, if needed.
4. Get affirmation on the rectified concerns.
5. Smile and don't take it personally (at least not until you get home).

Here are my recommendations when starting a job with an already-dissatisfied client, as we did on this job:

1. Recommend an independent inspector if one hasn't already visited the job site.
2. Clearly explain what actions need to be taken to remedy the work and specifically list those actions on the bid.
3. Document everything: Take pictures of the existing issues. Take pictures of your work as it progresses. Receive enough payment up front to pay for your materials and labor (if state law permits). If the client is committed to improving their floors, they'll pay for the changes.
4. Be honest about your opinion and realistic in your ability to meet their expectations; you are fighting an uphill battle.
5. It seems like a lot of up-front work, but call to check in with the client. Do they have any concerns in the process so far? If necessary, contact them each day of the job, just to ask how they're doing. Explain the work that will take place that day and reassure them that they can contact you at any time. Provide them with something for free (cleaning kit, flushmount vents, maintenance coat, etc.)
6. Be confident, particularly if you are an NWFA-certified professional. There aren't a lot of us, and we should take pride in our work and efforts to remain knowledgeable in regards to products and processes.