Replacing your windows can be a rewarding endeavor. They can save you energy, make your home more quiet and comfortable…and more valuable. However, the PROCESS can be quite stressful.
Let’s face it, who knows anything about replacement windows, before they have a contractor come out and give them a presentation? Answer: Virtually no one.
And when you know little to nothing about a product or service, not only don’t you know which questions to ask…but you don’t know how to interpret the answers you DO get.
The whole thing can be quite un-nerving and intimidating. Well this situation leaves the door open to: DISHONESTY.
Yep, I hate to say it…but many contractors are not only aware of this dynamic, they prey upon it. Avoiding the tough questions, telling you things that are hard to verify or refute, and making sure that you don’t know “too much”.
Our mission lies in our motto: More Value, We PROVE it.
So as part of that mission, we wanted to share one small aspect/idea with you. That idea? Interviewing your contractor.
Most people are familiar with the concept of getting a presentation or estimate. But most do NOT think of that as an interview. And that’s exactly what it is.
When a home improvement contractor comes into your home, adding a few simple questions to your list, can help tremendously. Now most companies, including ours, will give you some “common questions” to ask. These typically reflect product, service, warranty, etc… That’s not the questions we’re talking about here. We’re talking about questions that help you determine the right PERSON to hire for the job. We’re talking about questions that point us to integrity, honesty and ethics.
In a great article I recently read, William C. Byham, CEO of Development Dimensions International Inc., an HR organization based in Pittsburgh, PA, said this, in reference to simply asking a person about dishonest or unethical behavior: “After all, won’t a dishonest or unethical person just lie, anyway? Psychology suggest that the answer is no, they won’t”
(full article: here)
The point is…we assume that it is difficult to find out if a contractor has treated people wrong in the past, while studies show that we can glean more information that we think, just by asking the right questions. So without further ado, here are three simple questions that will help you hire the right contractor:
1. Have you ever felt uncomfortable about a sale, AFTER you sold to someone?
2. Have you ever seen your company or installers take short cuts on the job, and NOT stepped in on behalf of your customer?
3. We’ve all made errors of judgment; Is there one job that comes to mind…where your company really dropped the ball on a homeowner, and did NOT do everything in their power to make it right?
Ask a few questions like this…and you’ll separate the “hacks”, from the PROFESSIONALS.