We all want perfection. Ideally, roads would not be rough, every situation would resolve itself in the best possible way, and we’d always have a tailwind no matter which direction we are sailing.
Then, there’s reality. Stuff happens.
I spend a lot of time in this space talking about what makes a service provider a ‘professional’. One instance is that when stuff happens, professionals return and address the situation.
Some readers may be under the impression that a professional is perfect. That’s simply not true. Problems can be misdiagnosed based on available evidence, or a product installed might have been defective when it came out of the box. Once installed, that defect becomes apparent.
Professional service companies differentiate themselves by coming back to your home or business and addressing the situation. One understands that when they own a restaurant there will be some broken dishes. Similarly, when one owns a home improvement business, things won’t always go as planned.
Where you can best help the situation is by letting the service provider know of the issue in a calm and rational way. This allows the service provider to demonstrate their professionalism. They can schedule a return, or whatever action is appropriate, without a lot of drama.
If the service provider you have hired is not a professional, then you may feel it appropriate to go online and post a negative review, not recommend them to friends and family, or take other steps to show your displeasure. That said, if your ultimate goal is to get the issue resolved, tell them about the issue and see if they resolve it. That’s the shortest path to a resolution.
Unfortunately, there are some less than professional service providers out there. If a project goes sideways on them they may leave for lunch, or at the end of the day, and never return. They don’t return calls looking for a resolution and you may feel like you’ve been taken advantage of. Not only is this a financial loss, but you can feel violated in these situations. You trusted somebody and they took advantage of that.
While I understand the anger that comes from this, presumably you will look for a professional the next time you need a service provider around your home or business. You will check out their online reputation, maybe ask your family and friends who they trust, and select a company with a solid reputation. If you’ve done this, then when an issue arises simply let them know of your concern.
How service providers handle situations when all doesn’t go as planned is what separates professionals from the pack.
At Mr. Handyman we work very hard to be perfect, and we return and address issues when we are not. If you’ve had challenges reaching somebody when you have an issue or complaint, then call Mr. Handyman the next time you need a home improvement professional. There’s simply no one like us!
