By Country
America Tile Forum
UK Tiling Forum
Canada Tile Forum
Ireland Tiling Forum
Australia Tiling Forum
Tilers' Talk - Any Country Forums
Forums
Navigation
By Country
GB Tiling Forum
USA Tile Forum
Australia Tile Forum
Tilers' Talk
DIY Tiling
Tiling Courses
Tiling Tools
Tiling News
Pro Tilers Only
Tile Adhesive / Tile Mud
Cutting / Cutters
Tiling on Underfloor Heating
Tanking And Wetrooms
Find Discontinued Tiles
Specialist Tile Advice
Tile Restoration
New posts
Advice Leaflet
Blog
News
Add Your News
What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
New resources
New profile posts
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Resources
Latest reviews
Search resources
Tilers
Current visitors
New profile posts
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Words:
Navigation
By Country
GB Tiling Forum
USA Tile Forum
Australia Tile Forum
Tilers' Talk
DIY Tiling
Tiling Courses
Tiling Tools
Tiling News
Pro Tilers Only
Tile Adhesive / Tile Mud
Cutting / Cutters
Tiling on Underfloor Heating
Tanking And Wetrooms
Find Discontinued Tiles
Specialist Tile Advice
Tile Restoration
New posts
Advice Leaflet
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Show us YOUR Work thread
- 500,000 VIEWS and Counting!
Last Post/Page
-
Please Add Your Latest Tile Projects
(Here is the old read-only thread, it has 125,000 tile pictures)
Forums
Advice by Country
UK Tiling Forum
sWe's Tiling Tips - How to Tile
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Search the forum,
Message
[QUOTE="sWe, post: 88249"] [SIZE=4]A few pointers on customer relations[/SIZE] [B]Introduction[/B] Customers can be really tricky dealing with, as they tend to be human. We all know that humans are not to be trusted. Errr. Humor aside, my principles of conduct when dealing with customers, can be summarized as expediency, polite professionalism, and honesty. It works very well with most customers. Here follows a few pointers on what to be mindful of when dealing with customers, especially when quoting. [B]Quoting[/B] Always be yourself, but with a professional overtone. If you like a little banter, then by all means engage in it, if it's appropriate. There's no need to get to know the customer during this phase, though that said, you should be courteous and answer questions, etc. Don't be distant, but do keep the customer at half an arms length, so to speak. Getting to know customers a little is more appropriate once you're actually doing the job, as it might encourage them to do some free marketing. Don't stick around much longer than necessary when quoting. There's no need to stick around one and a half hours when checking out a splashback job, the reason being you're not making any money by talking. You might also be inconveniencing the customer. Half an hour is usually more than plenty, unless it's a big job. When quoting, always be specific. If a customer is unwilling to part with his or her £, or if they're just careful, he or she will likely appreciate a detailed quote. They want to know what they're getting, and not getting, for your fee, not just that it's going to cost them 20 odd pounds per square meter plus materials. It's adds safety for you too, as you can refer to the quote if they want extras, and say "anything not on the quote will cost extra", and then you charge a day rate or whatever for it. If you're not the cheapest tiler around, tell the customer so, and why. It is likely to win them over if they care about quality. Some (many) value low costs more than quality though. Use your own judgement. [B]Final notes[/B] As you're doing a job, or when you're just completed one, never, ever, ask them if it looks good. That is for them to say. You're a craftsman, a professional, and you should know wether or not it looks good yourself. Asking makes you look like a jolly amateur who's hoping for the best and doesn't know the differance. You can however, point out details of particular cleverness and/or technical correctness, but don't overdo it, and do not bragg. "Note how I've seamlessly made x intergrate with y" or something like that is enough. Warn the customer(s) to wear shoes when they're moving through the work area, so that they don't get stray shards, from nipping or some such, in their feet. Lil' ol' ladies especially, appreciate being "watched out for" a bit, and it increases the tea/biscuit ratio. Keep the working area relatively clean. Put protective coverings in transit areas and take special care to protect sensitive surfaces and/or furnishings. Tidy up before you leave. Vacum cleaning is top advice. Small commercial hoovers aren't that expensive, and it's greatly appreciated by customers. The ten minutes it takes to hoover, adds disproportionaly to your reputation. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Please visit our sponsor websites, they keep the forum free to use!
Advertisement
Share This Page
Facebook
Twitter
Reddit
Pinterest
Tumblr
WhatsApp
Email
Share
Link
Forums
Advice by Country
UK Tiling Forum
sWe's Tiling Tips - How to Tile
Top