After building a roofing reputation for my company where I did work for the same contractors for years and having re-roof customers waiting 14 weeks for a new roof I am giving some advice.

The average person knows approximately 250 people. Every time you meet someone and build a relationship, you increase your list of potential clients by 250. Even if this person does not need or desire your services, there is a good chance one of the 250 people she knows will need you.

I've found that being an entrepreneur means that you affect people in different ways. If you do a good job or provide a good service for your clients/customers, they are happy. They walk away feeling satisfied. They feel glad about the fact that they made a good decision in using your services or buying products from you. They tell everyone about how wonderful you are.

But treat a customer bad – and you can forget it most times. They leave feeling cheated, unsatisfied and as though they are not worthy to get your business. They bad mouth you to everyone. 

Making your customers satisfied and happy

Call your customer the day before starting their roof to confirm you are on schedule. If you are not on schedule call them as soon as you find out. Be truthful on what the is causing the delay. Never start a job and pull the crew to start another job. When you call them about the delay tell them that you do not do start a job short handed and will be there until the job is done. Never start the job and start stalling to get more money for a bunch of little things that should have been in the contract in the first place. eg: cutting tree branches, caulking cracks in bricks etc. Do something extra if possible that is not in the contract eg; spark arrester in the chimney etc.

• Always be honest
• Never promise to do things that cannot be done just to get the job.
• Never price gouge a customer because you are referred and trusted.
• Take care of any problems promptly.
• Always be a man of your word and if you say you are going to do something do it.
• Always call customer if problems occur or being late.

Put on the best roof possible

• If can't do something right don't do it.
  Eg; Flashing is rusted thru, install a new flashing instead of caulking the old.
• Always use the best materials available.
• Don't let a customer talk you into doing anything that is not the best way just to save him money.
• Always install roofing to code.

Recap

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