I was recently on the Miami site of one of our roofing clients who is currently renovating much of their home, one of the things he mentioned to me was how disappointed he was with some of the contractors who he is working with.

One of his major complaint was that a lot of the Miami contractors were constantly breaking their word to him. Telling him they would be there at a certain time and then simply not showing up and not calling. Days wasted.. and trust broken.

Trust Broken is a Contract on the Line

Once trust between a client and contractor are broken, for any contractor not just those of us that are roofers, those fences are hard to repair.  Once a client has lost trust in a contractor it affects not only the current job, but also affects the view that the client has of other contractors. Bad experiences with one contractor paints all contractors with the same color and makes any future interactions with contractors start out with mistrust.

If you have somehow managed to break your clients trust, you have put your contract and reputation on the line. Any dissatisfaction the client has with your work is now coupled with the mistrust they have with your integrity. They now do not feel you will do as you promise, and that means you will not do what they have asked of you. This puts your whole relationship with the client in jeopardy.

Call a Spade a Spade

Honesty is always the best policy when it comes to working with your clients. Make sure that they have a clear understanding of the project and the amount of time it is going to take to complete.  Be upfront and honest about any and all changes to the plan and materials. If you have any delays or mishaps, make sure you speak honestly with your client about them and take responsibility for the issues.

We at Istueta Roofing have always prided ourselves on the fact that we are very honest and upfront with all our roofing clients. Even when that honesty may be good for the client and not as good for us. If we can do your roofing project at a better deal to you, we will always tell you. We will also always show up on time and make you aware of any changes right away. That’s just good customer service.

Even if unexpected events or circumstances interfere with the job, being upfront about them may be difficult as you never want to disappoint a client, but the consequences of skirting the issue can be much more devastating.

A Happy Client is Priceless

If you need to make adjustments to the plan to ensure that your client is happy.. Do it.  Making small sacrifices for the sake of your client relationship is valued more than any cost the sacrifice to you may have.

A happy client is worth far more than the best advertising money can buy, as they are sure to sing your praises to everyone they know. Keep this in mind when you are faced with breaking your word to your client or perhaps going the extra mile for them.

I think it is an easy choice for any contractor to make!

Thanks for reading,

Frank Istueta