Knowing other people who have used the tradespeople can make you feel more at ease
Happy customers are the most powerful form of marketing, according to new research.
The research, conducted amongst 2,000 homeowners by Checkatrade.com, found that more than two thirds of people said they valued a reliable recommendation from a friend or family member friend more than any advertising or marketing.
In contrast, only 15 per cent said they were content looking through the local directory to find a tradesman - just a quarter of those who favour the views of friends and family. However, despite rogue traders and cowboy builders on the rise and increased internet usage, only one in 20 people are taking the trouble to consult a tradesperson review site before employing a trader.
Commenting on the findings, Kevin Byrne, founder of Checkatrade.com, says: “Our research findings just go to show that tradespeople competing in difficult times need to offer the whole package – accuracy, speed, punctuality, politeness and personal presentation. Homeowners consider it vital for tradespeople to treat their properties with respect.
“Reputation matters. Word of mouth and recommendation are immensely powerful and this is what we have built our business on. Customers remember a job well done, but neither will they be quick to forget poor service.”
The survey also highlighted that, with the exception of price and workmanship, Brits rate tidiness above all other qualities when choosing a tradesperson. Almost two thirds cite it as the deciding factor, and, despite our increasingly hectic schedules, just one in 13 property owners favour tradespeople who simply get the job done quickly.
Meanwhile one in seven busy homeowners are more concerned with whether their tradesperson turns up to the job on time, and the same number says being polite is the best way to win them over.
For one in twenty people builders arriving in scruffy overalls simply won’t do – they say it’s more important than anything else that their tradesperson is clean and well presented.
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