Pros Tell How They Provide a Good Customer Experience
Six pros share tips for ensuring that the stressful remodeling process is a positive one for homeowners
Erin Carlyle
November 6, 2020
Former Houzz Editorial Staff. Writing about the cost of renovation and what it takes to remodel. Former Forbes real estate reporter. Fascinated by cool homes, watching the bottom line.
Former Houzz Editorial Staff. Writing about the cost of renovation and what it takes... More
Delivering quality remodeling or outdoor projects is an important part of running a successful remodeling business. But it’s also important to provide clients with the best experience you can. In fact, creating a positive experience for homeowners is a good way to garner valuable positive reviews, which can then help you stand out to people who might be considering hiring you. We recently spoke with six remodeling pros to find out how they set themselves apart.
Tailor Project Updates to Fit Your Client
Adjusting your communication style to fit the client is a great way to create a personalized experience that leaves the homeowner feeling their needs were met throughout the project. No two projects are carbon copies and no two homeowners are exactly alike in how much information they want to receive. Some want frequent updates on many details, such as the exact dates specific lighting fixtures arrive. Others prefer a high-level review focused on the project phase and percentage of completion.
“The way we do it is weekly reports where we share what was accomplished that week and where we stand on completion for the total project — the estimated and the actual,” says Margarita Bravo, a designer in Denver who has won Best of Houzz Design and Service awards.
Bravo adjusts her weekly written and verbal reports as she gets to know each client’s style. Homeowners who like a lot of detail get lengthy explanations of the project’s current activities, including construction phase, percentage complete, product arrival dates and reasons for any schedule adjustments. Clients who prefer brevity get a pared-down, bullet-style version, such as “Cabinetry, scheduled for November install, 25% complete.”
Adjusting your communication style to fit the client is a great way to create a personalized experience that leaves the homeowner feeling their needs were met throughout the project. No two projects are carbon copies and no two homeowners are exactly alike in how much information they want to receive. Some want frequent updates on many details, such as the exact dates specific lighting fixtures arrive. Others prefer a high-level review focused on the project phase and percentage of completion.
“The way we do it is weekly reports where we share what was accomplished that week and where we stand on completion for the total project — the estimated and the actual,” says Margarita Bravo, a designer in Denver who has won Best of Houzz Design and Service awards.
Bravo adjusts her weekly written and verbal reports as she gets to know each client’s style. Homeowners who like a lot of detail get lengthy explanations of the project’s current activities, including construction phase, percentage complete, product arrival dates and reasons for any schedule adjustments. Clients who prefer brevity get a pared-down, bullet-style version, such as “Cabinetry, scheduled for November install, 25% complete.”
Hope Pinc of Hope Pinc Design in San Diego, a four-time Best of Houzz Service award winner, sends twice-weekly reports to her clients once construction begins. “I find it extremely helpful for clients to understand what is going to be accomplished at the beginning of the week with both myself and the contractor,” she says. “At the end of the week I go back through the email and detail what has been checked off and if anything will carry over to the following week.”
And Heidi Clark, who runs the office and customer-facing functions for Clark Builders in Lompoc, California, stays on top of communication with both customers and leads by carefully tracking everything using Houzz Pro business management software. “I love calling a company that can look in my folder and say, ‘I see that you talked to so-and-so on a date,’ ” she says. Her small firm is trying to offer that same personalized, tailored-to-you customer experience.
Download our e-book Nine Essential Tips for Working With Clients
And Heidi Clark, who runs the office and customer-facing functions for Clark Builders in Lompoc, California, stays on top of communication with both customers and leads by carefully tracking everything using Houzz Pro business management software. “I love calling a company that can look in my folder and say, ‘I see that you talked to so-and-so on a date,’ ” she says. Her small firm is trying to offer that same personalized, tailored-to-you customer experience.
Download our e-book Nine Essential Tips for Working With Clients
Know the Latest Products and Materials
Another simple way to create a positive experience for homeowners who hire you is to keep abreast of new products and materials. “A lot of builders will stick with the products they’re most comfortable with,” says Andrew Zimmerman of Otis Creek Construction in Shepherd, Montana, who installs high-end windows and doors and replaces siding and roofing.
Zimmerman aims to provide better service by researching any product a homeowner is considering. If it’s a quality product, he will install it following the manufacturer’s recommendations to a T. If it’s not quality, he’ll recommend an alternative and discuss the pros and cons of each option with the homeowner. “This allows our client to learn about their choices better and also understand any issues that may arise with their choice,” he says. He has won two Best of Houzz Service awards.
Similarly, Barbara Milner of South Hill Interiors in Toronto makes a significant effort to keep up with the latest products, including materials that are sustainable. “My clients are always interested in the latest innovations and I am finding that now, more than ever, sustainable products are becoming sought after and considered despite the premium price point that is often a reality when it comes to products of this nature,” she says. “I keep myself up to date on new products and always offer clients a variety of options.”
Milner’s focus on sustainability has become a point of differentiation in the client experience and expertise she offers. “Not everyone is inclined to spend the time required to understand the science,” she says.
See more resources for pros in Houzz Pro Learn
Another simple way to create a positive experience for homeowners who hire you is to keep abreast of new products and materials. “A lot of builders will stick with the products they’re most comfortable with,” says Andrew Zimmerman of Otis Creek Construction in Shepherd, Montana, who installs high-end windows and doors and replaces siding and roofing.
Zimmerman aims to provide better service by researching any product a homeowner is considering. If it’s a quality product, he will install it following the manufacturer’s recommendations to a T. If it’s not quality, he’ll recommend an alternative and discuss the pros and cons of each option with the homeowner. “This allows our client to learn about their choices better and also understand any issues that may arise with their choice,” he says. He has won two Best of Houzz Service awards.
Similarly, Barbara Milner of South Hill Interiors in Toronto makes a significant effort to keep up with the latest products, including materials that are sustainable. “My clients are always interested in the latest innovations and I am finding that now, more than ever, sustainable products are becoming sought after and considered despite the premium price point that is often a reality when it comes to products of this nature,” she says. “I keep myself up to date on new products and always offer clients a variety of options.”
Milner’s focus on sustainability has become a point of differentiation in the client experience and expertise she offers. “Not everyone is inclined to spend the time required to understand the science,” she says.
See more resources for pros in Houzz Pro Learn
Exercise Your Empathy Muscles
While flexibility in your communication style and expert knowledge in products are two specific, actionable ways you can provide an excellent customer experience, another more holistic approach is simply to keep perspective. While a particular design project or renovation might be your 100th, there’s a good chance it’s the first for your client, which may mean they’re understandably feeling a blend of excitement and anxiety.
“You are dealing with two of the most valuable items in their life: their house and their wallet,” says Raychel Wade of Raychel Wade Design in New York, a three-time Best of Houzz Service winner.
Keeping that in mind can help you maintain empathy for your client, even when a project gets tedious or the client shows fatigue or frustration. Empathy helps you continuously treat the client in a way that makes it a positive experience for them, despite the inevitable project blips.
Plus, when you have empathy for a person, it makes it hard to dislike them, which is important for such an intimate working relationship. “From the very beginning you have to really like each other,” Wade says. “It’s a long relationship.”
Empathy also means you’ll think about the details of your work and your process that really matter to the customer. For instance, Zimmerman, the Montana contractor, aims to ease the stress of remodeling for homeowners by maintaining a dust-free worksite. When he leaves a job, “everything is absolutely perfect for the client so they aren’t having to come home with their kids and there’s dirt everywhere,” he says.
More for Pros on Houzz
Read more stories for pros
Learn about Houzz Pro software
Talk with your peers in the Pro-to-Pro discussions
Join the Houzz Trade Program
While flexibility in your communication style and expert knowledge in products are two specific, actionable ways you can provide an excellent customer experience, another more holistic approach is simply to keep perspective. While a particular design project or renovation might be your 100th, there’s a good chance it’s the first for your client, which may mean they’re understandably feeling a blend of excitement and anxiety.
“You are dealing with two of the most valuable items in their life: their house and their wallet,” says Raychel Wade of Raychel Wade Design in New York, a three-time Best of Houzz Service winner.
Keeping that in mind can help you maintain empathy for your client, even when a project gets tedious or the client shows fatigue or frustration. Empathy helps you continuously treat the client in a way that makes it a positive experience for them, despite the inevitable project blips.
Plus, when you have empathy for a person, it makes it hard to dislike them, which is important for such an intimate working relationship. “From the very beginning you have to really like each other,” Wade says. “It’s a long relationship.”
Empathy also means you’ll think about the details of your work and your process that really matter to the customer. For instance, Zimmerman, the Montana contractor, aims to ease the stress of remodeling for homeowners by maintaining a dust-free worksite. When he leaves a job, “everything is absolutely perfect for the client so they aren’t having to come home with their kids and there’s dirt everywhere,” he says.
More for Pros on Houzz
Read more stories for pros
Learn about Houzz Pro software
Talk with your peers in the Pro-to-Pro discussions
Join the Houzz Trade Program
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Great article, and very solid point on empathy
Very good advise here Erin, thank you. Communication, empathy, knowledge, all of the points are totally valid and make a difference. Anticipating what is coming and informing clients in advance. Managing their expectation and keeping them grounded. Giving them time to process information and make decisions would be another few that work for Joseph and I.
As a general approach try to make the entire design and build process as hassle free as possible. Try to do everything for my clients that may take up more of their time and effort. I often pay Planning Application and Building Regs fees, make the submissions and then claim back the cost. Set up all the meetings with the team, + source and manage contractors and subcontractors and payments due so everything clear. Few examples, probably more...