The construction industry is a highly competitive space. Contractors must prove to their customers that they can get the job done at a higher level than anyone else to make sure they feel safe and satisfied with the end result. Finding a great contractor to hire for changes in your home, additional structures, or foundational improvements can be incredibly stressful. We can all think of someone who paid a good deal of money only to be left with a faulty job or a project that took three times as long to build as originally planned. Many things can go wrong, so building trust with each one of your customers is essential. Creating a network of customers that are excited to refer you to their friends and family can help grow your business over the years and increase the chances of its longevity. So here are three tips to make sure your contractor business prospers through healthy customer relationships and quality results.
Stay organized
Staying organized is an essential part of any business. Over time, with a growing client base, an increasing number of employees, and an increased ability to complete complex projects, it can be easy to get some things mixed up. Being organized from the start and creating a system in which you can keep track of everything from new and returning clients to the number of materials used for each project and the time it took to complete each task can be beneficial by making you more aware of your businesses strengths, weaknesses and potentially needed improvements. Additionally, it will help you keep your clients more informed about the time and money that will need to be spent on a project from the start. So make spreadsheets to document your progress and keep important documents on file; they could prove more valuable than you think later on.
Know the value of your time and be upfront
Your time as a contractor is precious. Customers want their contractors to understand the time, materials, and workforce it takes to get the job done. Understanding the process it takes to complete certain types of projects will allow you to organize your business further to be as efficient as possible. Explaining to the customer from the start the time and cost of what they ask and additional costs associated with any changes they may want later down the line will make you look more professional and help avoid financial problems.
Learn to say no and know your strengths
Understanding your skills and abilities can also take you a long way. It might be tempting to say yes to a project because the pay is good and you're convinced you can figure it out. Making a decision such as this could be exceptionally detrimental to your business. Not to mention dangerous to your client and even your workers. Building up your skills as a contractor takes training and time. If something is outside the realm of your abilities, consider providing an alternative option to your client or refer them to someone else. Learning to say no to projects
you don't feel confident you can complete to the highest standard can save your company from financial and legal disputes and will send the message to your client that you care about their safety and want them to be satisfied and impressed with your services.