Challenge

We recently met with a customer who continually insisted that they just needed an estimate, didn’t want to take the time to truly discuss the project, and would not accept that this was not the best way to approach such a decision. At first, he was adamant that he would not take the necessary time to sit down with us and review the project, and he also questioned why his wife needed to be involved in the meeting. He stated that he handled everything outside of the house while she was responsible for the interior. While simply getting a quote quickly may seem easier, what we told these customers shows exactly why the quick way out is anything but the best way.

Solution

To help these customers understand why a time commitment with everyone involved in making the decision is necessary, we explained the following:

“The critical success factor in any construction project is the contractor. A qualified, professional, experienced contractor knows what results are required for owner satisfaction, as well as what will lead to dissatisfaction down the road. Allow yourself a minimum of 1 hour to sit down with each contractor. Both of you need to explore the products, problems, and prices. You will be surprised at how many options and questions can be discussed with a professional contractor. Taking only 1 hour of time getting to know and qualify the contractor prior to awarding your project can save endless hours of time dealing with dissatisfaction. Most dissatisfaction involves an owner who did not fully know what they selected or committed themselves to. A professional contractor will take pride in his work and will have no problem discussing your options, his previous  experience, and his list of satisfied customers.”

This explanation shows exactly why committing the right amount of time and having everyone involved is the only way to make a decision on your project, because it is the only way to know you’re getting exactly what you need.