Tips to Guarantee Your Reputation as a Home Remodeler
As a home remodeler, you know that choosing a home remodeling company can be a daunting and stressful process for homeowners. You also know that most homeowners choose a home remodeling company primarily based on one key factor: reputation.
So here are six tips to help you guarantee your reputation as a home remodeler.
1. Promote Your Credentials
Homeowners will want to know whether you hold all the required licenses from state and local municipalities, along with designations from any professional associations such as the National Kitchen & Bath Association, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry and the National Association of Homebuilders. So if you have these certifications, promote them — on your website, on social media, and on all your advertising material.
2. Offer a Range of Quality Products
Providing exceptional service and top quality workmanship is critical to your reputation, but so is offering clients a choice of quality products that will stand the test of time. Where possible, use materials and products that offer warranties or have been certified by an independent organization such as The Vinyl Siding Institute.
3. Provide Exceptional Customer Service
You know that nothing can ruin a company’s reputation faster than poor customer service, and while good customer service can be defined differently by different people, some basic rules to follow include showing up when expected, returning phone calls and emails promptly, keeping the work site as clean as possible, ensuring workers are polite and respectful and even something as simple as not throwing cigarette butts on the owner’s property.
4. Put It In Writing
Nothing sets off a homeowner more than being surprised by the unexpected. Provide a detailed, written contract and be very specific about what’s to be done, what is included and what is not, the exact materials to be used, payment schedules and how changes to the scope of the project will be handled. Include a guarantee of your workmanship and outline a clear process for signing off on the project.
5. Request Testimonials
Word-of-mouth is one of the best ways to protect and guarantee your reputation, and asking a happy client for a testimonial is one way to leverage word-of-mouth. When searching for a home remodeler, most homeowners start by doing an internet search. They will most likely visit a site like HomeAdvisor.com or even Google or Yelp to read reviews about your company. So, when you’ve completed a job, ask your customer to provide you with a testimonial. Provide them with a feedback sheet to ensure they cover key details such as what made it a positive experience, if you came in on budget, how you handled problems, and if they would recommend you and use you again. You might even want to offer them a small incentive to complete an online testimonial.
6. Professionalism Provides Peace of Mind
Some additional basic things that can reassure clients of your reputation include:
- Maintaining a permanent mailing address, email address, personal phone number, fax number, cell phone and voicemail.
- Having an established presence in the community by supporting local charities and events or sponsoring a local sports team.
- Many homeowners will judge the professionalism of a company by how much pride the company takes in its appearance. Do vehicles look well maintained or are they run down and
shabby? Do staff dress appropriately? Do workers communicate with clients politely? - Finally, give your clients a Home Remodel Checklist to help them get started.
