Modern Contractor Solutions January 2025 - 16

management solution
CUSTOMER SERVICE
More Than
the Minimum
perfect quality is always expected
By George Hedley
M
ost construction customers don't
really know how to compare the
difference between good or poorquality
workmanship. They ask for contractor
bids to build a project or provide specialty
subcontracting services. But, do they award
contracts based on which company provides
the best quality, lowest price, or other factors?
Quality is hard to measure. However, perfect
quality is expected and is not generally
a differentiating factor when selecting
contractors. Differentiating factors include
price, schedule, trust, experience, financial
capacity, size of company, technical skills,
and the ability to deliver what's expected.
Another important factor is positive referrals
from past customers.
After bidding projects per plans and
specifications, is quality the main selection
criteria when hiring a contractor, supplier,
or subcontractor to do the work? How
important is quality to your customers? And
what is quality? For example, when you shop
for a work truck, backhoe, circular saw, or
software, you're looking for specific functions,
dependability, reliability, longevity, low
maintenance, and ease of use. You want to
acquire the best value for money.
CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS
Why do so many people shop at Wal-Mart?
Answer: The stores offer lots of good products
at very competitive prices, with a full
money-back guarantee. If customers are not
16
JANUARY 2025
100-percent satisfied with a product, they
can return it for a full refund or exchange it
for a new one. The product either works or it
doesn't. Customers either like their purchases
or they take them back to the store. WalMart
customers expect perfect quality. If
they didn't get it, Wal-Mart would be out of
business. Over time, customers have grown
to expect perfect quality with everything they
buy. They also expect every business to offer a
no-fault, money-back guarantee if the quality
is not perfect. As a result, your customers
expect your construction company to be as
good as Wal-Mart and provide perfect quality
and a guarantee in everything you do.
You believe you provide a quality product
or service superior to your competition. But
your competitors also believe they provide a
superior quality product or service. Quality
is almost indistinguishable from company
to company and job to job. Without perfect
quality, you won't have any customers. Perfect
quality is not a reason customers want to hire
your company or buy your products. Perfect
quality does not set you apart from your
competition. Perfect quality doesn't matter to
customers because it is expected. You either
provide it or you are out of business.
QUALITY IS REQUIRED
In construction, quality is dictated by the
project plans, specifications, and industry
standards. Masonry grout joints are as
required by contract. Either they are installed
per the plans and specifications, or they
are rejected. Drywall taping or welding is
the same across the country. It is either
acceptable or not acceptable. Contractors
provide products and services required by
their contract and the agreed-upon scope
of work as a minimum. When the contract
is adhered to and the completed work is
inspected and approved, quality will be the
same no matter which architect, designer,
engineer, contractor, or builder is selected. Do
you waste your time trying to gain customers
with promises of quality work? Quality is
expected and required by the contract and
industry standards. It is not a differentiating
factor when negotiating contracts.
OFFER MORE THAN EXPECTED
Quality today involves providing and doing
more than the minimum required. What
" extras " above and beyond the contracted
scope of work do you offer your customers?
What do you give which is special or unique?
Do you offer additional guarantees or provide
more than your competition? What do you
do in addition to the minimum? How do you
work hard to guarantee perfect work? Do you
hold weekly inspections with your customers
to make sure they are happy? Do you walk
jobsites with your customers to complete a
detailed punch-list of items that need fixing
before your crew leaves the job?
Consider these ideas to offer more than
perfect quality:
www.mcsmag.com
http://www.mcsmag.com
Modern Contractor Solutions January 2025

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