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huggytree
04-06-2009, 09:58 AM
ive lost some customers after doing only 1 job. Some were obvious personallity conflicts, some were obvious price issues, some were mutual, but some are Unknown.....i still wonder what happened with them..the projects went perfect in my opinion...but obviously they didnt in some respect.

i just made up a customer survey and i have 2 new customers to send it to...i want to find out what people really think of my work...

please give me opinions on it?

rezzy
04-06-2009, 10:26 AM
That could be a good idea, but it depends on how you intend to give it to them.

If you are going to mail it, and expect them to pay postage to send it back, I expect a low return rate. If you hand it to them after the job and wait for them to fill it out the response may be jaded.

I think you method for giving it to them and getting it back are important. Are you going to start a survey via a website?

Steve B
04-06-2009, 11:20 AM
I think you should just pick up the phone and ask.

cocoy
04-06-2009, 12:00 PM
How do you know you've lost them as customers?

Are these homeowners or developers?

Are developers not asking you for a bid on their jobs anymore?

vangogh
04-06-2009, 03:48 PM
Nothing wrong with the survey, though I agree with Steve that you'd be better to ask them directly. Keep in mind with the survey that only a certain type of person will fill them out so what you learn may not apply to all your customers. Also consider that the people who don't hire you again will be less likely to fill out the survey and of they do they may be rating you very low more out of spite than to give you useful info.

The survey is fine as long as you understand its limitations.

Steve B
04-06-2009, 04:52 PM
I think surveys have been overdone in general. Unless you have a couple thousand customers to ask - you might as well just pick up the phone and have a conversation.

Every once in a while I will respond to a survey and I ALWAYS get frustrated because there isn't an opportunity to give the feedback that I really wanted to give. I've started many only to throw them away because there was no opportunity for an "open" response.

huggytree
04-06-2009, 08:12 PM
I will be mailing them along with a stamped return envelope

I will include a letter saying why its important they fill it out...I will say something about wanting to constantly improve my product.

I cant just call them up because 90% of builders/remodelers dont answer their phone. I call them back looking for work or asking about a bid and never hear back....so after 2 tries and 1 or 2 months they are mysterously gone...

the phone idea may work once in a while and in a perfect considerate world it would work everytime....i want some insight into why they dont use me again..

i expect to get 25% back

25% is better than zero! and it may teach me something i dont know about myself.

this whole thing is also just another piece of great service...it should impress new customers who like me and open up some dialog.

vangogh
04-06-2009, 08:23 PM
I will include a letter saying why its important they fill it out...I will say something about wanting to constantly improve my product.

Important for you. Not for them. If you want people to fill out the survey you need to make it worth their while. Offer them a small discount on future work or something that benefits them.


this whole thing is also just another piece of great service...it should impress new customers who like me and open up some dialog.

Why would your survey impress your customers or be of service to them?

Steve B
04-06-2009, 08:37 PM
I may have misunderstood. I thought you only had two customers you wanted to send it to - I see it was two NEW customers you wanted to send it to (and apparently a lot of older ones).

I think you'll be lucky to get a 10% return on them. You may want to do both - send them and call them (leaving messages on their machines). If you're persistent you will get a good response and probably some good feedback - just make sure there is an opportunity for them to give the feedback in other formats. For instance, suggest they send you an e-mail if they wish.

orion_joel
04-06-2009, 11:39 PM
I think the idea of a survey is good, to get feedback. I would also agree with Steve B that 10% may be more realistic, possibly even less.

One point i think that you are getting to miss out on greatly is the challenge that builders/remodelers are possibly the least likely people to respond to a survey, even more so if i don't respond to calls. Another point is that if they cannot be contacted via phone to start with, and you have trouble even hearing back about quotes you have put out, then how might this lead to them when it comes to paying the bill.

I would say that you maybe should try the survey but i wouldn't expect and massive revelations from it. I know you would like to keep getting work from these customers and are trying to change things to make it easier for them to deal with you, however at the same time it may be absolutely nothing you have done that makes up their decision. It could be a case they were over booked so they get you to do a project for them, while there other plumber was on another one. Maybe their normal plumber is a low cost low quality guy, but they needed you on one project because you did better quality work.

Then another point also comes to mind some people wont want to do the curvey because they will not be able to fault you, but for some unknown reason such as above, they wont choose you every time. It almost seems like you want to find ways to win more bids, be being able to find out why you are not winning some now, while this is nice, at the same time you need to still be looking to grow your customer base as well.

huggytree
04-07-2009, 07:13 AM
thanks for all the advice.

i thought the survey would impress them just for the fact that i care enough to send something like it. i dont think other plumbers are doing that..most dont care.

i have new customer right now...i just finished the house....it turned out well and the homeowner is happy...they havent contacted me in 6 months for a new project...could be that they were waiting for me to finish this one to see if they want to work with me again.....or could be they havent had a new project that requires me...i asked the expeditor if everything was up to his level & correct...he said yes....i have the 'feeling' this customer will be a 1 time customer...things just dont feel right..like there's something they didnt like.....they just arent friendly enough with me..very cold...could be how they are , but when someone doesnt want to be friends its usually because they arent going to use you again...

i am used to going to dinner & getting to know families with my customers...the ones who stay jump at my offers...the ones who say they are too busy are the ones who wont stay long term....they dont want to get close...all my customers are small time..this one is bigger and arrogant. being cold and unfriendly goes with that attitude.

i counted yesterday...23 builders/remodelers...ive done well in 2 years..im always trying to do better.

phanio
04-07-2009, 09:08 AM
Is the purpose of your survey to find out specifically about you and your services? If so, I don't think you will get honest answers or answers that offer you any help. If they like or don't like you - I don't think you will ever really know.

If you want to improve your service, maybe you should change the survey to a general survey. Make it about the industry or your market and not about you. Give your customers a reason to vent about all plumbers they work with - I think this way you will find more ways to improve - then just trying to find out if something is wrong with you. If the majority of your surveys come back saying that plumbers in general do "this" - then if you do "this" you can change it and put that out in your other marketing.

dynocat
04-07-2009, 09:57 AM
i am used to going to dinner & getting to know families with my customers...the ones who stay jump at my offers...the ones who say they are too busy are the ones who wont stay long term....they dont want to get close...all my customers are small time..this one is bigger and arrogant. being cold and unfriendly goes with that attitude.

Not all business people want or have time to be "friends" with their subs. I broached this topic once before and don't mean to offend, but to me, the family dinners, gifts, etc. would turn me off. It sounds like you're trying too hard. I expect professional, timely service, quality products and fair pricing. If I get that, I'll be satisfied and will call someone back for another job down the road.

orion_joel
04-07-2009, 08:35 PM
I am in a complelty different industry, that being Information Technology. There have been a number of times that different places have offered gifts or such. But really in pretty much all cases it has been offered and obviously offered in what is plainly an attempt to grab more business, not because of the fact they do what they do well but because they are just trying to grab that business with the gifts they are giving.

Now i can tell that you are not doing these dinners and gifts with that intention, yes you want more work, but you also provide the goods to support it from the sound of things. However while some people expect this or are happy to go along with it. There are just as many who may see this as bribery, or an under handed tactic to try and gain their favor, which may not be your intention, but some people just automatically associated one with the other. Also some companies will not allow their staff to accept gifts or any sort of reward or freebies, or such. This may not be something that they tell you, but it will generally be where you are not dealing specifically with the owner. Finally if you start trying to give gifts or invite to dinner to early on, then this could put off some potential long term customers, because there first thought would be "Is this guy jacking up the prices on me to pay to take me out to dinner and give me gifts".

Do the survey if you are still interested in, however i would not expect some great revelation that will give you this magic idea to market to these customers. More what it comes down to at the end of the day i think is that if you go in do a good job at a price the contractor is acceptable with.