About a month ago, I sold my old home, bought my current one, and moved (all on the same day — it was insane). Unfortunately, my old home didn’t exactly pass inspection to the buyers’ standards, so I had to call in a plumber, an HVAC company, an electrician, and a roofer before closing. And once I moved in to the new home, I recruited several more contractors to make the necessary repairs.

In having all these strangers traipsing through my house(s) over the past couple months, I’ve realized that it’s not just the quality of the work that impresses me the most as a customer, but also the customer service and attention to detail. Of course I expected them to do quality work, but honestly, it was the little things that really charmed me.

The individuals who impressed me the most were the two general contractors who came to fix the attic joist, seal the chimney, and install gutter shields. They were polite and professional, but also very personable. They explained exactly what they were going to be doing, step by step, and made sure I knew I was welcome to ask any questions while they worked. And they always put on their booties in the house, even when I insisted they didn’t have to.

Before they left, they walked me through all the work they’d just finished. On top of doing everything they said they’d do (and doing it quite well, I might add), they also fixed a few small things on the exterior of the house that I hadn’t even mentioned, at no charge. But the thing that really set them apart was that they took the time to wipe down the outside of the dirty gutters with alcohol just so they would match the freshly painted exterior. They certainly didn’t have to do that, and it was a wonderful gesture that meant a lot to me.

I’m not saying your techs should be giving away services for free, but if the opportunity presents itself to go above and beyond, why not take it? A small gesture on your part could mean a lot to the customer, and it could help ensure they become a customer for life.

Publication date: 7/7/2014 

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