The Keys To Good Service

Yes, it is easy, do what you say you will. But surprisingly this is rarely the case. I don’t know about you, but I find all too often vendors and providers don’t do what they say they will. Recent experience getting quotes for replacement windows has been frustrating to put it mildly. Before getting quotes, I made some calls. My favorite response was Anderson Windows, and they license great grandfather’s designs! They said I had to come to the showroom first, but that they were rarely there and I needed to call first, not convenient. Don’t bother with Anderson (at least in Atlanta).

Bring samples of product or brochures of work. Next was the quoting, the first contractor came out and wanted to create a life long relationship for all sorts of services, but never managed to get me a quote on just my windows, nor was he prepared with any samples or even brochures. Case Contracting, don’t bother.

Listen from the get-go, if you don’t have the right product, don’t quote. The second provider came out and wasted my time by asking me all sorts of interior design questions when he realized in the first three minutes that he didn’t have the product I wanted, despite my being very specific in my original call. I didn’t keep track of his name, he didn’t have what I wanted.

Don’t promise what you can’t deliver. The third vendor swore he was qualified and could beat the other quote received by at least 30% but when his quote did show up it was higher than the original. He never followed up with a call and despite my leaving two messages at his office, he didn’t return the call until two weeks later saying he’d lost my number (but called me three times before coming out the first time.) The irony is that his salesmen told me he is the company owner, and almost never does calls. Now, we know why! While he had the product I liked and I’d have considered paying it as he was the first to show up with samples, I’m not comfortable doing business with someone I have to track down even when I like his product. Atlanta Window and Door, disappointing.

Follow up, follow up, follow up. The result is I still have one quote that is higher than desired, but at least the salesman has followed up repeatedly every week with me, touching base and checking in. He turned his quote around the fastest. I don’t love the product but might do it anyway. Pella, there is a reason these guys got big in an industry that is evidently a mess.

I am awaiting one more quote, hold your breath. I am!

FAQ’S

What makes good customer service in contracting and design services?

Good service means doing what you say you will. It includes bringing samples or brochures to meetings, listening carefully from the start and not quoting when you don’t have the right product, keeping your promises on pricing and timelines, and following up consistently. When vendors fail these basics, they waste your time and signal that your project is not a priority.

Why do contractors fail to follow through on quotes?

Many contractors promise quotes but never deliver them, or they deliver quotes that contradict what they promised during the initial call. Some fail to return calls even after multiple messages, or they lose contact information despite having called multiple times before. These failures often come from poor systems and a lack of accountability, even when the business owner is the one doing the sales calls.

Should I work with a vendor who has good products but poor follow-up?

If a vendor fails to return calls, loses your contact information, or requires you to track them down even when you like their product, you are not comfortable doing business with them. Consistent follow-up signals that a provider values your project and will be reliable throughout the work. Without that, even great products become risky investments.

About Melissa Galt

Melissa Galt is a sought-after business coach, marketing consultant, keynote speaker and workshop leader who empowers designers to build highly profitable businesses, without the burnout. With over three decades as the principal of her namesake successful residential design firm, Melissa brings firsthand experience and proven strategies to guide creative professionals earn more in less time, with less stress.

She is the author of four transformative bestselling books, Marketing Luxury Design: Attracting Affluent Clients; The Language of Success: 35 Words to Boost Your Worth & Wealth; Design Discovery: The Proven Process to Land Ideal Clients & Grow Profit, and Proximity to Profits: 50 Strategic Locations to Meet Affluent Clients.

She is also the host of the weekly Design Business Freedom™ podcast, where she shares unfiltered advice on mindset, money, and marketing for interior design pros ready to elevate their game. When you’re ready to take your practice to the next level, book a complimentary Design Business Assessment with Melissa.

Melissa draws inspiration from her legacy of iconic creatives including her mother, the late Academy Award-winning actress Anne Baxter; her godmother, the legendary eight-time Oscar-winning costume designer Edith Head; and her great-grandfather, American architectural icon Frank Lloyd Wright.