In a rush? Here are the main takeaways
- A reliable communicator: gives timely responses and insightful answers to client questions.
- A proactive collaborator: guides homeowners through regulation and has a trusted network of quality businesses for specialist jobs.
- A sensitive business person: understands how to listen out for your clients’ most critical needs and empathise with their worries.
1. A reliable communicator
Homeowners want to work with contractors that they can really depend on. Make sure that you answer all questions that homeowners have asked. Acknowledging every query shows clients that they can trust you and that you are organised. It's also important to respond to messages within 12 hours. Being timely reassures homeowners that you’re committed to their project and the work that you do. Additionally, use good grammar and spelling. This can (strangely!) be an indication of the quality of your workmanship.
2. A proactive collaborator
A home renovation project can be really challenging for a homeowner doing it for the first time. To make sure that everything is done right and to reduce costs, homeowners tend look for a builder with a strong understanding of the details of building regulations so that they can guide the homeowner through legal requirements. A contractor who can make thoughtful recommendations is also valued highly by homeowners. For example, how to save money by using a different plumbing design than suggested. And let's not forget about a builder who has a great network of trusted businesses. For example, a scaffolder or a metal fabricator who are available in an instant.
3. A sensitive businessperson
The best contractors are able to put themselves in the homeowners’ shoes in order to get a sense of what their client is most concerned about. You want to ask questions that get to the heart of their worries – this will help you to gauge what they value most in their contractor of choice. What’s the most important thing to them: Security? Cost? Tidiness? Speed of delivery? etc. Once you have an answer, you can focus on nailing this during the tender process.
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