Coaches Corner (VIDEO) with Mike Draper: Managing your customer's emotions during their renovation

In this video, Rob Koci talks to contractor coach Mike Draper (Renovantage.com) about managing your customer’s emotions during their renovation.

As Rob says in this interview, at the beginning of a project, the relationship is usually pretty good.

“You sign the contract, they’re excited, they like you. They see that you can do what it is that they want you to do… They’re loving you, they’re bringing you coffee in the morning, they’re giving your guys donuts in the afternoon. And everything’s wonderful… But after a few years (as a contractor), you get to realize, that somewhere down the road there’s going to be a problem with the relationship.”

What can you do at the beginning of a job, when things are great, to prepare for that time later when things go sideways?

Don’t wait until that moment, Mike advises. Address it at the beginning of a job when things ARE really good.

“After the agreement has been made to go forward, talk about a process that you’re going to go through if the homeowner has concerns about the project,” Mike says. “Make it so that they can feel comfortable coming to you with issues so that that you can deal with them.”

At the beginning of a job, when there is a “honeymoon” period, establish everything that will take place to ensure communications, resolve disagreements, and get things out on the table.

And don’t ease up on this attention to detail – and the relationship – at the end of a job, either.

At the end of a job, “when you’re doing the deficiency list, the tension can be brual,” Rob recalls from his 20 years as a renovator. “How can you handle that?” he asks Mike.

Focus on the job even more during the final few weeks and days, don’t cut corners, Mike advises.

“Contractors (at that point) start pulling away,” Mike says. “They fear they’re not going to get their last cheque. But you’ve got to push in, get it done, and get out.”

With the relationship on great terms (for future referrals), with that deficiency list down to zero, and with your last cheque fully paid.