The Importance Of Setting Customer Expectations
I believe the most important thing for any business is to set customer expectations properly. This is rarely done though, simply because marketing tends not work that way, it is up to us as customers to coax this out.
It is far too common nowadays for people and businesses to promise the stars and not deliver. Part of this is our own fault as consumers, because we want to believe we will get the stars, even if all the signs say otherwise. Our nature is to see the best in people and believe what they are saying (I know, I know, this is debatable), but the alternative is not very appealing.
I’m certainly not suggesting that we should assume everyone is a liar or incompetent, I am just saying that we should be critical of what is being presented and try to separate fact from emotion. This can be difficult for many, and a little easier for others (engineers and accountants), but we can all do it with some discipline and it is necessary. Whether it is cost, schedule, performance or any other aspect of a product or service, establishing accurate expectations is paramount. That is, assuming nobody likes to be disappointed.
Our Team and Process are key to setting and following through with customer expectations. It is also helpful to put these expectations in writing, because there is an old saying “Good contracts make for good neighbours.”, so get it in writing.
Below is a letter of reference from one of our customers speaking to this.
I believe the most important thing for any business is to set customer expectations properly. This is rarely done though, simply because marketing tends not work that way, it is up to us as customers to coax this out.
It is far too common nowadays for people and businesses to promise the stars and not deliver. Part of this is our own fault as consumers, because we want to believe we will get the stars, even if all the signs say otherwise. Our nature is to see the best in people and believe what they are saying (I know, I know, this is debatable), but the alternative is not very appealing.
I’m not suggesting that we should assume everyone is a liar or incompetent, I am just saying that we should be critical of what is being presented and try to separate fact from emotion. This can be difficult for many, and a little easier for others (engineers and accountants), but we can all do it with some discipline and it is necessary. Whether it is cost, schedule, performance or any other aspect of a product or service, establishing accurate expectations is paramount. That is, assuming nobody likes to be disappointed.
Below is a letter of reference from one of our customers speaking to this.
To Dan Hill at Hillson Homes,
I am writing this letter to say how pleased i have been with the 2 projects we have undertaken with Hillson Homes. They built our home 7 years ago and just recently built a rental garage suite for us. I would use them again without hesitation on any future projects.
I have always been impressed with their organization and honesty. Their timing has always been exactly as they say – projects are finished on time. Both projects were on budget, under budget in fact (5-10%). When getting the original quotes it is important to understand that they try and include potential expenses and contingencies (you might need to replace that water line, so let’s make sure it’s in the budget).
It is unlikely, in my experience with our new builds, that unexpected expenses will arise that they did not foresee. This may result in the initial cost estimate being a little high, but it is far better to be prepared for it, and end up under budget, than forget big ticket items and come in over budget at the end.
They plan their projects well, and keep a tight schedule to ensure clients are keeping up with their selections so as not to cause project delays. I am fully convinced that if 2 original cost estimates from different builders come in at very different prices, that one of them is wrong (misunderstanding of level of finishing, forgetting things, etc) and I doubt it will be Hillson’s.
The quality of workmanship is excellent. They build quality, taking pride in their work, and are not afraid to try new things. Our house was one of their early eco-builds where we all learned some new things, and this garage suite was a unique project as well. They don’t take short cuts – everything is done properly (and we are quite particular), and they are a great group of people and I trust them; I enjoy working with them and would recommend them to anyone.
Tracy
