Every day that you are in business you are either building or destroying your reputation by your daily work habits. Below is a good example that happened today in our neighborhood.
About 10 days ago we had heavy rains and wind that resulted in some pool screen enclosures suffering some damage to the screens. A neighbor called a screen repair contractor over a week ago and was told someone would be there to do the work today. Sure enough, about 8:45 am two workmen show up to perform the work. There is no problem so far.
They take a couple of measurements and then say that they need to get their walking boards because it is over the pool. They walk outside and then a couple of minutes later one walks in and says that they cannot do it today “because it’s still wet and we have a big job to do so we will come back maybe Tuesday”.
Any idiot could figure out that the only wet that was a factor was in the pool and that wasn’t about to change. These fellows just did not want to deal with this small job right then and there. They were in essence telling the customer that her job was not big enough or important enough to take care of right now as originally promised.
She called me and I arranged for somebody else to do it for them in a couple of days.
These two fellows’ actions were short-sighted and just plain stupid. In our neighborhood everything travels like a contagious virus. If somebody gets his driveway sealed and is happy with the contractor; then within days it seems like we see that contractor’s truck at just about every house doing many of the other driveways.
Every day is a performance. Your customers and your potential customers are your audience and they are all forming impressions of you. By the way you conduct your business each minute of the day you are either building or destroying your reputation. What these two men did this morning will hurt their business in ways that they will never know.
Do not be like them! Keep your word and do what you agreed to do when you said that you would do it. Do not do this!
