Learn When to Ask. In another case, a generous builder agreed at orientation to have five limbs removed from a 100-year-old oak tree that had been preserved in the front yard of a custom home. The tree service accurately diagnosed that, in fact, 11 branches needed to be removed for the health of the tree and proceeded to cut off all 11.
Upon arriving home that afternoon, the homeowners were furious that this had been done and demanded that the builder landscape the backyard to compensate them. The resulting disagreement destroyed what had been a good relationship up to that point. A simple phone call could have prevented this dilemma.
No Good Deed. The movers at another home broke five tiles getting a piano into the home. As the homeowner had the extra tiles from the original work, and dye lot wouldn’t be an issue, the tile installer who was working across the street offered to replace them at no cost.
Unfortunately, in removing the broken tiles the installer damaged several more. The tile the homeowner had wouldn’t cover this new need. Because the dye lot couldn’t be matched, the entire floor had to come out. The installer, taking responsibility for this new problem, volunteered to foot the bill for the new tile.
Now impatient that he’d gotten himself into this expanding work, the installer didn’t think carefully about the sequence of the work. He neglected to drape off the area and block the vents. The dust from his work was circulated throughout the home. This negative was magnified by the fact that the homeowners collected antique musical instruments. The cleaning bill exceeded $5,000. (The builder and tile installer split this cost.) Not only was this “service” more than the homeowners wanted, it far exceeded any wish of the tile installer or the builder.
The increased emphasis on service and customer loyalty in recent years has driven many to monumental levels of effort and attention—with sometimes unhappy results. Beware of providing too much of a good thing by regularly evaluating your efforts from the customer’s perspective. Balance intent and result with careful planning. Ironically, being overzealous can create dissatisfaction when the opposite was your intention. Think calm, kind, and competent. And accept that sometimes the customer will tell you, “That’s all I need, thanks.”
Carol Smith offers customer service assessment, consulting, and training programs for home builders. She can be reached at csmithhomeaddress@att.net.
