Ann Marshal bought a beautiful two-story house, exactly what she and her family wanted, and when it came time to hire a carpenter to build a shelving unit, she asked her Realtor, Ed Roynek, for a recommendation.

“I referred her to my handyman; in the past, people who hired him were very happy, “ said Roynek.

But Ann was not happy, and one evening she called Roydek up, feeling frustrated and angry, and told him to come over to her house and see the job that the handyman did.

“I walked into the house, and the shelves were indeed slightly tilted by a fraction. Only a perfectionist would notice it,” Roydek said. “But then, Ann told me to stick my hand down the back of the unit. I thought she was crazy, but I followed her instructions. (She’s a good client!) And when I did, I pulled out a tangerine peel. There was a thump sound as the unit tilted and moved sideways on the wall. ‘Now hurry – put the peel back where you found it!’ Ann yelled. Roydek laughed. “Though I felt bad for Ann, my first thought was how many other clients has my handyman shortchanged?”

What do you need to know about your home improvement providers before you can make referrals? Will they take shortcuts, have attitude, give miserable customer service ---or are they everything you expect them to be? I asked a number of homeowners about their experiences with contractors and specifically those referred by their Realtors and concierge services, and here are some of their comments.

1. They should be honest.

   Sounds simple, but it is human nature. Judy Barnes of Seattle said that the painter she used (from a concierge service) showed up four hours late and blamed it on traffic, but she knew he was going to a job before hers. The painter’s wife told her that! “Why lie? Just tell me the truth. I’m not going to do business with someone who is dishonest.” It’s an ethical issue that is not always easy to share with a contractor, but it is an important one. If the work is not done right, the contractor shouldn’t try to hide it by using a tangerine peel. And yet, when work is plentiful and time is precious, how often do contractors take shortcuts?

2. They need to have a clear communication system with their workers.

   Ever hear this story before? Contractor X told the client (Y) to buy a sink, which she did. X said call the office with dimensions, which she did. But the manager (W) who took the phone call never gave the message to the Foreman (Z) who never gave the message to the installers(A,B,C,D); when A,B,C,D showed up with the granite already cut to specific dimensions, the client was livid. Realtors can double check on their home improvement people by asking previous customers about their experiences. The proof is in the work. Are the workers arriving late? Did they do what they said they’d do? Does the contractor have a well organized office? According to the dozen contractors I spoke to, most offices are chaotic, and it not unusual to have communication problems. What should they do? Get a handle on it. Take the time to set up a workable system. Hire a consultant to help, if that’s the answer. Diagram the communication problems, and analyze them.

3. They should communicate with the customer before, during, and after the job.

   One homeowner complained that after doing a $40,000 remodel, she simply never heard from the guy again. “He never checked with me after the job was done. He never asked how things worked out. He got his check; he was gone. I would have liked a follow-up call. There were a few little problems, and I had to track him down to get him to fix them. What a pain!” And yet, according to a roofer contractor I spoke to, he gets 50% of his leads from his follow-up calls. “Most contractors can’t be bothered calling after a job, but I insist on it. If my workers finish the job, I make certain a follow up call is made. ‘Are you happy with everything that was done? Any other work we can do for you?’ Most contractors miss this opportunity for future work! You’d be surprised how much deck work I get out of it, and the referrals keep on rolling.”

   They need to get back to the client within 24 hours or sooner.

   “The one problem that irritates customers the most is the inability to talk directly to the contractor,” a homeowner told me. . “I hate voice mail. I can’t stand leaving messages. When I get a human being on the phone who can schedule estimates, I’m happy, and I buy based on the ability to speak to a live person. ”

Most of these issues are simply common sense, and yet seldom will contractors spend time training their workers how to focus on customer service.

“If you don’t train your workers to communicate well and respect the client’s property, you’ll have incidents. Simple as that. “ said Michael Strong, a trainer for a customer service firm. “Training is essential. Yes, you have to tell your people not to leave cola cans on the new kitchen counters and to either wipe their feet or wear booties. Take nothing for granted. Spell everything out.”

Part of the problem is that a lot of handymen and contractors are willing to sacrifice jobs. They’re simply so busy; it doesn’t matter if they lose a customer or two. “It’s crazy here right now in Orange County,” Ivan Merchant told me, a Prudential realtor. “ These people are rushing because there is so much work. A lot of my clients are just happy to find someone who will show up! Forget the bells and whistles.”

Yet, according to several concierge services I spoke to, expectations are very high. “Clients want a hassle-free experience. Simple as that. And a lot of contractors fail to realize that,” Ann Martinez from a concierge service told me. “If a service rep treats a customer unfairly or fails to rectify a problem, they’ll be cut off from the list. And many contractors rely solely on the referrals we give them. It could ruin their business. Why not do a little training?“

Some companies provide weekly meetings to discuss customer service (as well as technical issues). “It isn’t that I stopped giving referrals,” said Roydek. “I’ve just become pickier. I want a contractor who truly cares about the customer and does a perfect job, but believe it or not, a lot of contractors don’t realize that tangerine peels should not be used to hold up their business.”

Editor's note: Gary Seigel is compiling responses and reactions to customer service issues for a new book on what customers want from their contractors. Your comments and stories of your own would be appreciated and can be sent to him at garyseigel@sbcglobal.net.

Published: June 18, 2002

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