The term “customer service” is used quite a bit by companies
in service-based industries. A lot of businesses like to advertise that their
company offers quality customer service or that they specialize in customer
service.
Unfortunately the term “customer service” can be interpreted
in many different ways. The definition of customer service is “The assistance
and advice provided by a company to those people who buy or use its products or
services.”
In many situations companies that provide a service feel that
completing the job they were hired to do is
the customer service.
In my mind customer service applies to more situations than
strictly to the services that said company was hired to do.
In the construction industry there are a lot of opportunities
for customer relations to break down. I have a personal experience that is
happening right now where the customer service from my hired contractor is
horrible at best.
We have hired a company to replace some exterior items on our
house that were damaged during a hail storm. As a consumer I did my due
diligence and received multiple bids, checked references (BBB, Angie’s List)
and “interviewed” multiple contractors. In the end I chose who I thought was
the best contractor for the job.
The damage occurred in July 2014, the contract was signed in
August 2014. Fast forward to today, January 9, 2015 and the job is still not complete. It was supposed to be wrapped up by mid October. 2014
There have been some delays due to product not being
available, the wrong quantity of product ordered and some delays due to weather. However, I never received a phone
call to inform me of the situation and the company will not rarely return calls that I place to them. Basically I’m
left waiting for the work to be done.
The contractor has an “A” with the BBB and not enough
negative reviews to throw up a red flag. What I didn’t know is that this
company offers zero customer service. It’s amazing what a simple phone call can do to put a
worried customer at ease. If only this company understood that.
The work that has been completed looks
good and I’m sure that this contractor will qualify that as providing good
customer service. In my opinion, its good workmanship, thanks to his crew.
This process has given my wife and myself plenty of stress
and anxiety to last a lifetime.
As a customer, there is no chance that I will ever refer
this contractor to anyone, which unfortunately for this contractor, is a missed
opportunity to obtain new business.
I share this story because, as a business owner, I have the opportunity everyday to provide the stellar customer service that I want as a customer.
At Wireworks Electric, Inc. we know how stressful a
construction project can be. We understand that customer service goes beyond
just the work we are hired to do. It includes constant communication on the status of the project, sending respectful electricians to your home, cleaning up our work space when we're finished, getting to know you so you're confident your best interest is our best interest, thanking you for your referrals and appreciating that you chose us. We believe in creating life long customers.
I can blog all day long about how well you’ll be treated
when you’re our customer. But actions speak louder than words. Give us a call
the next time you need an electrician and experience the difference for
yourself.
-Matt Ursch
