Cementing Client Trust with On-Time Excellence in Construction

0:02Hi, and welcome to this week's episode of the Epic Entrepreneurs podcast where we are all about helping business owners just like you achieve success. So we don't do fancy smancy. We don't do flashing lights. We don't do a lot of things that a lot of podcasts will do. These are just real stories about real people and their entrepreneurial and business experiences. We go into their wins, their challenges, and their learnings. So we hope you enjoy it.

0:37Welcome to this week's episode of Epic Entrepreneurs powered by Action Coach Growth Partners. You likely went into business to have more freedom and flexibility so that you could spend more time with your family, do more things or travel or enjoy your hobbies or whatever it is that you like to do in your spare time. We're here to help you find better ways to make more money, build better teams and get that time back so that you can have that freedom and flexibility. will help you simplify things and make sense of business, investing, and wealth building so that you can be epic and achieve all your dreams and goals.

1:10And now, enjoy the show. Hey there. I'm going to be talking specifically to people that are contractors and subcontractors today, but I got to thinking about it, and this will apply to everyone because, hey, aren't we all in business, some sort of contractor? What is a contractor? A contractor is someone who contracts for some service or some product at some agreed upon deal. Isn't that what we all do? But I want to deal specifically with the building industry and their lessons for everyone in this one. But let's take a hard look at the building industry now. And I want to talk specifically about great customer service within the building industry.

1:58And I was talking to one of my clients a couple of weeks ago about customer service in the building industry. And they're a really good remodeling. We work really hard on customer service. But what we agreed was that as an industry, the building industry has not done a great job with customer services. There are all kinds of stereotypes of the way people dress, the fact that they don't ever show up, that they're late, that they're messy. all kinds of things so that as an industry the bar is low now part of our goal is to raise the bar as an industry this is why this is directed at contractors and subcontractors but it's also to raise the bar in all industries because we all want to be served at the end of the day one of the companies that we're all competing against who's doing a great job on customer service because they've got it so systemized they've got the money they've got the power is who?

2:58Well, it's Amazon. I don't care what business you're in, you're competing against Amazon. Amazon, they'll give you what you want. They'll refund you very quickly. They don't mess around. If you order something, you get it sometimes the same day or certainly a day later. So just keep in mind that it doesn't matter what industry in your bar is being set by other industries. So building industry, let's take note. A lot of our clients tend to be in that industry, let's take a look at what we can do to be better in this industry. And this is going to sound simple, but maybe it's not so simple to pull off.

3:36Otherwise, why wouldn't people doing it? Now, if they don't care, they're going to go out of business anyway. We're not going to put up with it. So here's the deal. As a contractor or subcontractor, you have to know that people are already suspicious of you no matter how well they know. The first thing we have to do is establish trust, which basically means that you have to, as a friend of mine said, here's the initials, DWYSYAGTD. And what it stands for is do what you say you're going to do. and I'll add a codicil which has the initials W-Y-S-Y-A-G-T-D-I when you say you're going to do it. Do what you say you're going to do when you say you're going to do it.

4:26When you show up to do the proposal, be on time, be professional, be well-dressed, look the part. You don't have to wear a coat and tie but you do need to look like you work for a contracting company. Now, for most of us, that would be khakis or neat blue jeans decent shirt you've got to look the part you've got to begin to create trust right in your sales process then you have to do what you say you're going to do when you say you're going to do it now I get it it is a industry with a lot of moving parts you have a lot of people that you're coordinating but somehow the best get it done the second thing I would say is when you're going to miss shoot straight.

5:12Tell them the truth. If you're not going to be able to keep a time frame, if maybe they've changed it with a change order, shoot straight. Tell them the truth. When things are bad, something bad happens, or you screw up, just be honest. It's going to work out. You're going to be better. Will they be unhappy for a little while? Yes. Will they eventually be happy because you do great work? Yes. Shoot straight. I think as an industry, we're scared that we're going to lose jobs as subs or as contractors because we won't say, hey, I can't get there for three weeks. Or let me see what I can do. I know promises.

5:56Let me, you know, I'll be there. My goal would be there to be in two weeks. I'll keep you posted every day. Shoot straight. Something goes sideways. Let them know and let them know you're going to fix it and how you're going to fix them. shoot straight. The third thing I would say is over communicate. Now there's all kinds of software programs now that allow you to send pictures and texts and emails. It's a good practice anyway so that all the legalities are taken care of because a lot of these jobs and building are big jobs, a lot of money. So you want to use all those programs, but make sure you stay in touch.

6:34Make sure you go by and visit everyone. If you're the owner of the company, you need to go by and talk to the clients every once in a while, even though you may not be the one happy. You make calls, text, let people know what's going on, over-communicate. Now, you know, sometimes things happen that get out of control. They just do. It's okay. Shoot straight, over-communicate, do the best that you can to do what you say you're going to do when you say you're going to do it. But overestimate some of your time so that it'll work out. Because let's face it, in every job, things go wrong. In a building contract, you're in a short-term, essentially marriage with these people because they have input and you have input.

7:19The fourth thing I would say is most of you will do some sort of change orders. You've got to be super clear on how much money that adds and how much time that adds. You need to stop the job and get them to sign the deal so that you're communicating, you're shooting straight, everything. Because we've seen everybody gets to the end of a job and they're like, oh, I didn't know it was going to be this much. So that's my thing. Do what you say you're going to do. When you say you're going to do it, shoot straight, over-communicate. Make sure when there are changes that everybody's on the same page, that everybody knows how much we're going to get paid and how much more time it's going to add to the job.

8:01Otherwise, you're going to disappoint your clients. You're not going to be giving them great customer service. I hope this was useful for you in the building and the trades and everywhere else. And until next time, all the best. Thanks for joining us for this week's episode of Epic Entrepreneurs. Here's four things you can do. First, you can listen every week on Biz Radio Mondays at 1. Second, you can subscribe to the podcast. Hey, you get it. The more subscribers we have, the more cool things we can offer you. Three, you can also go out and give us a five-star rating everywhere. And number four, if you'd like a free copy of my book, The Coach Approach, Five Principles to Build an Epic Business, just go to giftfrombuild.com.

8:46It's your roadmap to building your epic business. That's giftfrombuild.com. Until next time, all the best. hey thanks for listening to the epic entrepreneurs podcast here's three things that you can do number one remember to subscribe to the podcast it takes very little effort on your part it's going to help you and your fellow entrepreneurs plus you you guys know how it works the more subscribers we get, the more cool things we can offer to you. Second, to learn more about growing your business, just download my book, The Coach Approach. It's free for you at giftfrombill.com. That's giftfrombill.com.

9:32Hey, and if you'd like more info about growing your business and what we can do to help you grow your business, send me an email directly. Just send it to williamgilliland at actioncoach.com. That's my personal email that I read. No one else reads it first. It's not screened. It's my real email. Just send it to me. I can't wait to talk to you. Hey, and until then, all the best.