Unfortunately, many companies become entangled in the busy nature of the construction process and forget to maintain good customer communication about the progress of the project. This often leads to design errors, order confusion, workflow issues and other operational issues involving the customer. In addition, poor communication can severely limit a potential opportunity to win repeated business with the customer. Email provides a non-intrusive way to provide useful information to existing and potential customers, becoming their trusted construction expert.
It is also important that you do not get carried away by the debt game and hold other people responsible. Your customer will not be interested in knowing that important material has not been delivered on time or that another company has caused damage. The best strategy to deal with difficult customers in housing and restoration projects is to first avoid problems. You will notice from the beginning whether someone is prone to causing problems and can lay the foundation for a smooth process by getting some things from the start.
The first connection you make with them is the name of your company. Your company name tells you what it does and how it can help you?? Jim Hardy Construction only tells the customer that he is in construction.
Before a construction starts, tell your customer how important your reputation and references are. This keeps customers informed during the construction process, which, while sometimes annoying, can start early referral conversations with neighbors and family members. References are one of the strongest tools contractors have to generate new business. A good recommendation from a trusted source is more powerful than any ad, so customers who recommend it to friends and family are so crucial. Today, with so many people opting for digital marketing strategies, traditional strategies are often forgotten. However, these “old” strategies can still attract many new customers for construction companies.
By using building software such as Builder Trend, you can offer exactly that. Contractors who issue change orders on the basis of an oral agreement with customers ask for problems. Instead, contractors must document changes in the scope of a project and have the owner sign and approve the costs of initiating a change.
Because delays and unexpected costs are a natural part of the construction industry. I’m sure you know all the thousands of things that can go wrong: providers fall, subcontractors mysteriously disappear, schedules collide, even the weather can dampen your project’s timeline. Fortunately, most customers understand this and don’t expect all things to run 100% smoothly.
Rather than recommending traditional marketing strategies or even social media marketing, we prefer to approach construction marketing with technology that a consumer really wants to commit to. Marketing ideas we traditionally use include technology-based solutions such as mobile apps and visions and customization of touchscreen products, as well as virtual tours. We also use beacons, Bluetooth devices that target mobile devices, to attract new customers and increase brand awareness. Google recently released a new functionality called Austom Intent Audiences. This allows advertisers to target web users with ads and YouTube videos based on their recent Google searches and even website visits.
To place your company in front of those potential customers, you also want to be online at the recommendations websites. The most popular of these recommendation sites is probably checkatrade.com, but it is also classified as people.com, mybuilder.com and teptradespeople.co.uk. Having your label adds another layer of security and confidence to your business, especially if your comments are good and your website is up to date. This is a strategy that I have seen working very well for construction companies in my time as a consultant. It is a super simple strategy that can open the door to another network of potential customers so that it can work.
This often applies in business relationships, especially in deals where millions of dollars are at stake. You must assure them that you are the right person for the job and during the tender this is your chance to do so. This time drop the “be modest” mantra and make sure you emphasize enough of all your strengths. Show them your digital Procore vs. IntelliSpex portfolio and explain in depth how you have been able to realize your previous successful civil engineering projects. By going through their process, they can learn about their exemplary planning and leadership skills. Communication plays an important role in building your reputation and showing the customer that you can trust.
You can use digital tools like the Angi Pro app to directly update clients, display progress images and collect comments. Your potential customer may have a very specific timeline in mind and you should be able to meet their expectations or set more realistic ones. If you know your ideal start date, you can determine whether you have the means to take on the project.