Customer expectations explained
What do customers really want from you? To do a good job, of course, but it’s more than that! Your customers have a number of expectations they want you to meet. Let’s take a closer look!
Safety
Your customers want to feel safe. What does that mean? It means you have to convince them their kitchen cabinets are sturdy and will stand up to wear. That’s a start. You must also instill confidence by providing a business card, or by thoroughly explaining the work you do in their kitchen if business cards or licences aren’t required for the work.
Similarly, a mechanic who explains in detail the work they’ve just done on an engine by saying what part they changed and why reassures the customer that the mechanic know what they’re doing and has done the necessary repairs. When viewing the invoice, the customer will have an easier time understanding it.
Service
Customers would be quite surprised (unpleasantly so) to have an appliance repairer come into their home who is clearly fed up with their day and who starts swearing at the fridge. Customers expect you to be at least polite and to smile a bit.
Smiling doesn’t mean opening your mouth wide and grinning like a fool—it means having a positive attitude, being open to comments and responding with courtesy.
Competence
If you can convince customers that you know what you’re doing by explaining the work you’ve done and justifying each step, you’re sure to come out a winner! Even if they don’t know anything about house facades, they’ll trust you if they feel that you understand what you’re doing, especially if you can explain to them what working on their facade is all about.
If it’s impossible to finish their driveway paving job properly by the deadline, remember that customers would rather you take more time than end up with a bumpy driveway. Between going over deadline to do the job right and bungling things by working too fast, customers always pick the former! You’re better off explaining what you’re doing so everyone understands—you’ll do a better job and be able to better explain justifiable delays. The more courteous and respectful you are, the more customer will love you!
Respecting deadlines
Do everything you can to meet the deadlines in your quote! If you’re taking longer, your customers will wonder if they’ll have to pay more and may stress out—or stress you out. If it’s impossible to finish their driveway paving job properly by the deadline, remember that customers would rather you take more time than end up with a bumpy driveway. Between going over deadline to do the job right and bungling things by working too fast, customers always pick the former!
You’re better off explaining what you’re doing so everyone understands—you’ll do a better job and be better able to explain justifiable delays. The more courteous and respectful you are, the more customers will love you!
