The Customer Experience Roller Coaster

With our hectic lifestyles, we often skip the due diligence once used to make smart, savvy decisions. And while I understand that perfection often isn't possible or affordable, my preference is to work with people I like and trust. So if you make decisions too quickly, or base a decision solely on the lowest price, it shouldn't be a surprise when you find yourself riding the customer experience roller coaster.

So the big question is … who is responsible for creating a great customer experience?

You probably think the contractor is responsible when it comes to working on your house. You're partially correct, and I had fun writing my first article for Professional Remodeler, Make Customer Service Part of Your Product. Then I started writing this article and realized homeowners also bear responsibility for getting the service they expect.

Getting the Customer Experience You Deserve

When you don't get the service you want, you need to communicate your issues and if the contractor can't respond in an acceptable way, you need to fire them (yes, and here's one example where I fired my mortgage broker a week before the scheduled closing). Even better, if you spend more time up front doing your due diligence, you should be able to spot the problems early and never hire them at all. In fact your customer experience starts with awareness, followed by research and due diligence before work is begun.

So what am I saying? Everyone has a role in making your experience positive, and this quote says it nicely. If you see a problem and don't do anything about it, you become part of the problem. A great customer experience depends on good communication, and communication is between people. If you're involved, and especially if you're the customer, you've got to speak up and join the conversation.

While I can't guarantee success or that you'll get everything you want, I can promise that you'll be happier when you do speak up. And remember that every new skill takes practice, so each time you speak out you'll be honing those skills for future success with your doctor, lawyer, teachers, retailers and of course, contractors.