If you are planning a home improvement project, your contractor will likely be an intimate part of your daily life for a significant amount of time. Your experience with the project will be much better if you are prepared to develop a relationship.
When you consider all the places you spend your money, how many transactions are truly relational? Do you send Christmas cards to the grocery store clerk, or visit your car salesman when he’s in the hospital? Most people would never give a thought to these transactional purchases. But what about a relationship-based service? Your doctor, attorney or financial advisor are entrusted with enhancing your well being and therefore demand a certain level of personal relationship development.
The relationship the shopkeeper and service provider had to the consumer in simpler times established the backbone of the community. These days, the relational-transactional gap has been significantly widened with acceptance of automated tellers, web accounts and e-commerce. Today’s consumer generally prefers typing on the keyboard to picking up the phone.
Remodeling contractors, in particular are very relationship-conscious and generally offer no more than digital brochures on their websites. Initiating contact requires a phone call, followed by a conversation in your home about somewhat personal lifestyle parameters. By entrusting this professional with the necessary information, they will be able to tailor your project to fit the needs of your family today and in preparation for the future.
Most importantly, a well developed relationship will open lines of communication, reduce confusion and meet expectations. If all goes well, a good contractor relationship results in the highest compliment a customer can give – a referral.
Michael Tenhulzen, CGR, CAPS of Tenhulzen Remodeling in Redmond
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