The Customer Focus Series – Part 18

Jobs gone wrong….they happen

Stuff happens. Even a tiny percentage of tricky situations – those jobs that didn’t go quite as well as promised – can create fallout.

Decades full of happy customers and successful jobs have laid the foundation of Nolan Painting’s strong reputation and brand presence in the community. Still, we are no strangers to the curve balls and roller coasters of the customer service experience.

Unhappy customers derail the team, suck the energy out of the crew, and damage the company’s reputation if the resolution isn’t handled with urgency, humility, and emotional intelligence.

So let’s talk about jobs gone wrong, lessons learned along the way, the importance of having those difficult conversations with customers, and how the team shares the responsibility for the customer experience at each touch point along the way. 

First line of defense: Avoid the problems

There is always a hyper-picky customer or a customer who isn’t comfortable having people in their home. Some folks have health issues, family issues, work stress, etc. There you are, part of their lives for a while. You might become collateral damage to these other things in their lives if they redirect their frustration on the people doing projects for them. Then, there’s the customer from hell. That, too. You know you’ll run into weird situations where you must be smart. The best way to handle these situations is to spot them early and avoid them entirely. 

Avoiding problems is Plan A if at all possible. 

After doing this for 30 or 40 years, it has become paramount to identify customers you want to stay away from – the problematic customers. This skill is a game-changer. 

Remember, it is hard enough to run a business; picking the right customer is essential! Next week I’ll detail how I ‘avoid the problems’ and offer you my Plan A. See you then. Build muscle.