A comment made by Jerrald in one of his novels in the markup thread piqued my attention.
He said that if you make money, but don’t know how you made that money, then you’re in trouble because you could just as easily lose money and not know why (or worse, not know it’s happening). This is not a new concept- I have devoted many hours to really developing a grasp on the why of our company’s financial position. But it surely is an important one.
My divergent thought of today is this. What makes my company (or yours) succeed? Not just the financial reasons, but why do people select me over others?
We just started the construction of a new home, our first. The process we’ve had to go through to get to this point has taken about 7 months, so it’s been something we’ve been anticipating for a while.
I was speaking with the client yesterday and he said that they were just delighted that they “found” us. He also said that it was a match made in heaven. I must admit that it feels strange to hear a customer say this, especially at the beginning of a job. Maybe we’re just that good (doubt it) but nothing really great has happened to make them excited. But something we’ve done makes us great in the eyes of our client.
Obviously this is a favorable response, and we will do all that we can to elicit this same type of response in all of our clients. But the question is: What have we done to bring forth this kind of emotion in our client?
Is it our clear and specific Proposal, our efforts to keep the client completely in the loop at all times, our professional image, or something else? We can only do so much in the course of a day, so which specific elements should we focus on improving?
I’m sure some will say that I need to read more (or less) Jim Collins, but I’m curious what others will say, especially those who have been in the business for a long time.
So, what makes you great and keeps your clients coming back for more work or giving you referrals?
Replies
jim collins.... WHAT is he selling ?
man i just listened to all 8 cd's of "Good to Great"
wanna borrow mine.. i'll send 'em to you
i think your customer likes dealing with you.. you've struck a chord of trust..... and you've developed that trust over 7 months to date..
consistentency probably has a lot to do with it.. also managing their expectations will help to preserve that trust
I'll borrow your cd's if you want my 8 cd set.So you think we've developed trust. What do you, M.F. Smith, actively seek to develop with your clients?
Jon Blakemore RappahannockINC.com Fredericksburg, VA
you can listen to a lot of his stuff for free on his site..
http://www.jimcollins.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFexyK8J1Iw
http://WWW.CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
" think your customer likes dealing with you.. you've struck a chord of trust..... and you've developed that trust over 7 months to date..
consistentency probably has a lot to do with it.. also managing their expectations will help to preserve that trust"
That was close to my answer . I think litte of it has to do with price as long as the price is in the ball park. I might be wrong about that .
An old guy that owned a hardware store told me people will trade with you if they like you. plain and simple .
I just got through writing in another thread thats why I dont work for the public.
Ive studied this question a lot and its always the all around guy that everyone likes and most of the time is a member of a church and community. Hes part of the scheme of things somehow . No one has any thing bad to say about that person. No one . After that trust is easy . Then they can evaluate their quality of work, but thats not first . 3rd might be price in some areas. It is mine .
In short I think its a popularity contest first.
Tim
One thing that makes me great is that I have the ability to LISTEN!
I listen to what my customers are asking for, both with their words and in other ways.
I listen to what a house is telling me, and to what the opriginal designer had to say through the house and its structure or details.
I listen to what my skilled subs have ot tell me when they offer an opinion.
I listen to what people here tell me when they have my respect.
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
Some good points, Piffin.Listening really is an action verb, and it takes a lot of work. I often find myself skipping over the listening part when first meeting with a potential client because I'm too busy trying to sell them on our company and the things that I propose to do for the needs that I think they have.
Jon Blakemore RappahannockINC.com Fredericksburg, VA
I also listen well. You also have the right choice of words when responding, which is where I fail.
sometimesMy DW tells me there are ohter times when I embarass her when a thought kind of leaks out...LOL
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
in my 46 years I've worn many hats... but the only job i ever had was at 14... every other income producing situation I provided to myself...
what I know more than anything is... that people deal with people they like given the choice... i have a good friend... ok bright...but just a great always smile'n guy... looks like he'll be the next CEO of fed-ex... it wasn't that many years ago he had on a sparkies tool belt...
I've been blessed to do the corporate jet thing... be on the sidelines and the private player parties at 2 super bowls.... been on stage with with some of the greatest recording artist of all time... stood on more pitwalls at nascar races than i can count... why? how? I don't really know.... other than the willingness to do whatever it took to get a job done... doing what i say when i say... maybe? I couldn't really tell you...
maybe it's just dumb luck
p
maybe it's just dumb luck
Man, you said a lot there... lol!
Sometimes I wonder. What works today doesn't work tomorrow... what sells one job, doesn't sell another. Every person and every job is different.
Maybe it is just dumb luck.
On a side note, I relate to you being "self employed" since age 14. My last "job" was probably at 18 though but in my entire adult life, I've worked for myself. I'm no millionaire but I've done ok, all things considered.
There is something interestingly unique about those that look to themselves to provide for themselves instead of looking to others.
When you're this good, EVERYONE wants a crack at you!
http://www.petedraganic.com/
There is something interestingly unique about those that look to themselves to provide for themselves instead of looking to others.
Thats an interesting comment Pete, kinda arogant IMO but interesting!
Does that mean because I work for someone that I'm looking to others to provide for me, or, have I just misunderstood your meaning?
Just currious, I've found it interesting the people that refer to themselves as "great"
Doug
Not meant to be a crack at anyone just that there seems to be something unique about those that have always been self-employed vs the varying degrees of other types.
I'm not necessarily even saying that the traits of us perpetually self-employed people are all positive...lol.
When you're this good, EVERYONE wants a crack at you!
http://www.petedraganic.com/
It's funny, because often you don't realize that the things you're doing are so spectacular until someone points them out to you.
What I mean is, relative to 95% or more of the contractors out there, the folks around a cut above- we think about things like margins/markup, how to do the best job for the client, how to grow our businesses, etc. The majority of contractors are just "getting by", so when a customer finds someone who listens to him, who he can trust, and who truly has the best interests of the project at heart, to them it's "a miracle", while to us, it's just "doing our job".
I had a meeting this afternoon with a good friend who I've worked for in the past, regarding doing some upcoming projects together. We talked about his projects, my role in them, etc. He told me that he's talked to literally dozens of different people about taking on the role I would, and not one of them had the grasp on what needs to be done that I did- he said there was no one else he was willing to entrust his projects to. I didn't think there was anything extraordinary in what I discussed, but to him it was like a revelation.
I've had several people tell me that in the past, and I just never understood how being diligent, thinking things through, and doing the right thing could be such an oddity, but i guess it is.
Bob
It has to be the free toaster I give each new home owner, hey word gets around!
smart.
toast is under rated ...
who don't like toast?
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Last fall, I installed some windows for a client. Removed the vertical siding, installed the window, flashing, insulating etc according to the best info I could find.
The customer asks me to look at another window someone else installed. No nail flange, no flashing, no caulk, no foam. The only thing holding the window in was the interior casing. An approximately 4'x 3' Anderson casement window was pulling the trim nails when it was opened and was going to end up on the sidewalk.
I owe a debt of gratitude to the people I learn from, especially the folks on this forum because:
1)I learn how to do things right.
2)I am learning from pros how to do business like a pro.
In this case,using tips from this forum, I gave the customer a professional proposal which told them what to expect. I then followed through by installing the windows with best practices which looked really good when I reinstalled the other window.
When the customer handed me the check, she said,"We'll have some more work for you." These people are good references.
The honest truth is I am far from great at anything. If I worked for a window company, I would be far from being their best installer, but I am learning how to conduct business in a way which makes me look a cut above the competition.
As you know, I sub to SeeYou.
I do because we have a need to help each other. I can help him, he helps me.
Financially and experimental ( on his trust ) I learned..
Whatever makes him great, is what makes me great.
My job is to be great..if I wasn't we'd not have a job.
In a word, Trust.
This is the foundation all successful relationships. When a client knows you will take care of them start to finish you have a customer for life. If one's greed surpasses the ability to serve, the dynamics change for the builder and client. But if costs can be explained in a clear manner, then trust is again established for the betterment of both.
Expert since 10 am.
"TRUST"....
You said it all.
It takes listening skills, the ability to "See" what the client "Sees" and bring that to fruition.
Trust. That and the fact that after watching me work for a day or two, it becomes obvious that I'd do this for FREE if I could afford to, simply out of love of the job.
this would be a great question for all the homeowner lurkers to weigh-in on..
i mean ... i'm just guessing that Trust is #1Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
"i'm just guessing that Trust is #1"
You are doing more than guessing. You hire subcontractors for every project who hold your financial well being in their hands. You trust them to do their best for you and your clients.
I met with a man this afternoon who is supervising a project that we are involved in for his church. There is some duct work alterations that need to be made for the new kitchen to have heat and in the contract there was a general request to improve the efficiency of the heating system in this wing of the building. I added an allowance for this work without knowing what really should be done. Yesterday I met with a sheet metal guy that I have worked with in the past and listened to his suggestions. I told him to go ahead.
The supervisor from the church asked whether the heating guy should meet with someone from the church. My response was that they could meet with him if they wanted to but that they should really just listen to what he has to say. What could they possibly tell him? I told the supervisor that I had complete trust in my sub to do the right thing. On hearing this the supervisor was satisfied and gave me the go ahead. Was this because we had already established a level of trust? Probably, but it is really what makes any project possible without the undue burden of red tape.
Mike:
I knew eventually you'd come to me for advice!
Trust is number one. Trust in competence and fairness. When my DIY stuff has gotten over my skill level I've brought in some great help. I know guys that I can give a large down payment to and know they will be there on time and do quality work.
I once got into some stair work and cold called a contractor. I wanted him to save me some money by modifying a stair that would have left one slightly short riser. He told me he would not bid the job because it would hurt his reputation to take a shortcut like that. I called him back an hour later and hired him to do it right. He turned out to be a "great one". He worked out an affordable solution (and I learned a lot about stairs!)
I've heard a lot of horror stories that come down to falsely placed trust and incompetence.
"With every mistake we must surely be learning"
Hi John.
This is a great discussion, and a very important part of my business.
I don't know how great we are, but 90% of the work we get is referral. We have found that these jobs are by far the best because generally you don't have to competitively bid them or sell yourself-the past customer has already sold us!
I have been building for 22 years, and been contracting for 7. The things that I have learned are number one, listen like everyone else said. Do what you say you will do! This means to be careful what you promise and watch what you say! Someone else said to "manage their expectations" I think this means to be honest and clear in what you communicate. Both in regard to what you can do and how things will turn out. Writing things out has helped me to remember and my clients to remember what was said too. This is a big help and goes a long way towards avoiding the dreaded 'that is not how I understood it' syndrome.
To the degree that I can, I am committed to making my customers happy no matter what. I will go the extra mile and once they see this it also builds trust. Now, there is a small minority of customers that seem to never be happy..I go the extra mile and finish with a smile anyway.
Being patient with the customers is also very important too. They are not construction experts and it often takes time to educate them as to what is going on. This also means that WE must know what is going on too. So, now is where I will say that doing professional, quality work with quality materials installed correctly is the foundation.
I have worked in the past for companies that made adversarial relationships with their customers, and to me this would make my job suck. I like to do quality work and I love when we are done with a big project and the customers hug me and love the job. That makes it worth all the work.
Oh yeah, charge enough to do a good job and to have a little extra to throw in the odd small change. This seems to be much better than nickel and dime-ing them to death for small extras/changes.
So, hopefully this and all the other stuff I can and have learned from the other pros here makes us Great.
Edited 3/19/2007 2:00 am ET by robzan
Hey,
Hit the enter key every two sentences or so.
Your text is so close together I won't even take a peak, it hurts my eyes so bad.
Look at some of the other posts here and model your stucture the same.
Not to be sarcastic.
Eric[email protected]
WHICH content will be free, of course; WHICH content will require registration; but WHICH content will be available only to members of FineHomebuilding.com.???
Hey Eric, thank you for the tip. I edited my post. Is that better?Robzan
I can see again!
I was figuring you for a youngblood until I read your post. It must be nice to have good eyes still.
FWIW, we often see stuff written that is just a huge block of text.
Usually one of the (real) old guys like Piffin ;~) will step up with the comment; "we need white space!"
Take care.[email protected]
WHICH content will be free, of course; WHICH content will require registration; but WHICH content will be available only to members of FineHomebuilding.com.???
Well, I can't hardly hear anymore but I can still see pretty good!
I guess I am not a young blood anymore either. Oh well.
Take care.Robzan
I think I have a good reputation mainly because I tell people the truth. I'm sure all of you know that people in the construction business (in general) are generally assumed to be lying anytime their lips are moving. Heck, there are plenty of people in the company I work for that I don't trust to give me a straight answer. I don't think it's possible to tell every customer the exact truth EVERY time. But if you get into a pattern of lying, it won't be long before they figure it out. And everything you say from then on will be suspect. But if they know you've given them a straight answer time and time again, they come to depend on you when they want the truth.
Beware of half truths You may have the wrong half.
"I'm sure all of you know that people in the construction business (in general) are generally assumed to be lying anytime their lips are moving."
I never thought this about the construction industry, just the realtors selling the houses. ;)
I responed to Mike about the content of the thread but not the title.
I dont know about great , but I cant believe there are so many people out there in business that dont know their numbers. If they dont know their numbers they dont have a hold on their business . You said Jerald touched on that .
If I am then its because I know my numbers and percentages . I take care of money management well. I never lose more than I can afford to lose .
I dont think thats great but compared to a big lot of people out there it might be simply because its sad out there . Every contractor buddy story I hear could have been taken care of and cut off at the bud. They waited till the problem flowered or went down the wrong road to begin with and did not run a credit check on their client or somthing illiterate. They performed work with out a contract or did extra work with out an addendum contract. They dont have their profit worked up right . They dont know their true costs. It goes on, but the bigest problem I see is money management which covers a lot of it .
Tim
I was a Boyscout when I was young. I still am in may ways, and apply the laws to my life.
Piffin's response rings true. Everybody seems to have an agenda going on with all kinds of subtext to boot. It takes a real steady mind to be able to listen. People want that.
Be level on the level.