Surefire Ways to Get Positive Reviews as a Contractor

You can never underestimate the importance of positive customer reviews no matter what line of business you are in, but as a contractor, they are all the more important. Whether you are building a new home or commercial structure or are renovating someone’s home or office, you are dealing with one of their biggest investments and that’s something everyone takes quite seriously.

Most consumers today want to know something of the businesses they deal with and the best way to gauge a company’s performance before working with them is to see what others are saying. At all costs you want to avoid publication of contractor disaster stories, so how can you get those reviews you need? Here are a few things to consider.

Go Above and Beyond in Customer Service

Some of the worst contractor disaster stories you will hear are those times when a client wasn’t able to communicate with a contractor they’d hired. Nothing came out as expected and when they called to file a complaint, they were met with excuses or delays in response times. Whether a job was inadequately completed, or a service overcharged, some customers got no satisfaction either from the contractor or the CSLB.

Some filed complaints for shoddy workmanship while others were charged for services they never received. If you want a positive review, take the time to listen to what your customers are saying. Sometimes all it takes is a genuine concern and a willingness to hear their complaint. If you hear them, they have little reason to give negative feedback online.

Don’t Cut Corners

Another reason why so many customers are disenchanted with the work their contractors do is when they try to cut corners to save time or money – or both! For example, painters hired to paint the interior of a home didn’t cover furniture and flooring adequately and paint was splattered everywhere. Sometimes in an effort to clean paint spilled on flooring, it can result in scratches or mars which completely ruin the surface. Taking the time to cover flooring of any kind can help prevent this kind of disaster.

Other times lamps, ceiling fans and sofas were ruined, and the contractor wouldn’t compensate for their obvious neglect. From gouges in furniture to paint-spattered furniture, these are the kinds of contractor disaster stories which could have been avoided if that painter had taken the initiative to purchase the right drop cloths and tapes to protect that customer’s interior. Exterior complaints range from paint splattering cars in the driveway to ruining shrubs and decorative landscaping. Cutting corners will quickly earn you the kind of review you don’t want to get!

Avoid Viral Complaints

Most often you can elicit a positive review by really hearing what it is that a customer wants. Today’s consumer wants to engage with businesses they deal with and if you pay attention to their wants and needs, you will most often get that positive review you are looking for. Remember, this is the age of the internet and one complaint can quickly go viral, especially on social media. As a contractor, the majority of your business will be local so the best way to get positive reviews is to satisfy each and every customer to the best of your ability.

Having said that, it is impossible to satisfy all customers all the time, but one negative review in a sea of positive reviews will have little impact. Do your job well, take care not to damage any of their property and listen to what they are saying. These are the best ways to get positive reviews each and every time.

Finnis Architects. Quarry House. Melbourne. Australia. photos: Tom Roe