A matter of trust

Contractors, consultants and building owners discuss important aspects of establishing a relationship


  • Dennis Conway
  • Mike Dietrich
  • Alex Hernandez
  • Ray LaTona
  • Bud Lewis
  • Ted Michelsen
  • Luther Mock
  • Rod Wetherbee

To be successful, roofing contractors and roof consultants must possess a vast knowledge of the roofing industry. In addition, these professionals must continually develop one of the most important characteristics for any business—excellent customer service skills.

To determine what denotes excellent customer service, Professional Roofing asked roofing contractors, roof consultants and building owners to answer the following questions: What is the most important thing in establishing a relationship with a customer, and how do you maintain that relationship?

Respondents representing roofing contractors include Dennis Conway, co-owner and vice president of Commercial Roofers Inc., Las Vegas; Alex Hernandez, vice president of Clark Roofing Co., Broadview, Ill.; and Rod Wetherbee, vice president of Wayne's Roofing Inc., Sumner, Wash. Responding roof consultants include Ray LaTona, regional vice president for Simpson, Gumpertz & Heger Inc., San Francisco; Ted Michelsen, president of Michelsen Technologies, Lakewood, Colo.; and Luther Mock, RRC, managing partner of EDIFIS Building Exterior Solutions, Fort Wayne, Ind. Responding building owners include Mike Dietrich, manufacturing project engineer at Turtle Wax Inc., Bedford Park, Ill.; and Bud Lewis, senior planning specialist at Army Reserve Installation Management, Little Rock, Ark.

Contractors

Dennis Conway

"In the roofing business, as in any business, the customer is the most important ingredient to the success of a company. In my opinion, there are several items that are important when establishing a good working relationship with a customer. The first and most important element is trust. Building that rapport can be a difficult task because many customers have had previous poor experiences with contractors. That mindset can put a contractor in a difficult position before ever personally meeting an owner. A contractor must work to prove he has an excellent business reputation, expertise and a team of qualified professionals to complete every phase of a project.

"In addition to trust, it is important a contractor be a good listener. Many times, we are too eager to sell projects, which may appear aggressive to owners and hurt us in the end. A contractor must listen intently to an owner's needs before rushing too quickly to offer a solution. Also, during initial conversations with an owner, it is important a contractor does not speak negatively about his competition. It is important a contractor sell the owner only on the services of his own company, accentuating strengths and professionalism. Items such as length of time in business, financial strength and combined years of experience of the entire team of professionals who will contribute to the project should be stressed.

"Another important item is the first impression made on the potential customer by company representatives. If a customer's first contact with a contractor does not go well, it becomes a battle to keep that customer. The customer forms impressions by scrutinizing the contractor's company—from the way the receptionist answers the telephone to the appearance and attitude of the contractor's sales representatives. Professionalism is the key word in every area.

"Finally, the discussion of price often is the key element in making or breaking a deal with a customer. Most customers, of course, look for the lowest price. However, I am convinced many owners can be sold on a higher price if they truly feel comfortable with a contractor. A customer must be assured a contractor offers the integrity of his good business reputation, the highest-quality products the industry has to offer, highly skilled applications by a qualified team, and the promise of continued support and follow-up service when a project is completed. A customer must feel confident his questions will be answered, his telephone calls will be returned and an open line of communication will be maintained from the start through the completion of the work. If all this is offered at a fair market price that is beneficial to both parties, it should make for a successful and ongoing relationship.

"The final summation of these important points may come down to this: The best way to establish and maintain a relationship with a customer is to give him what he needs and more. If you remember to go the extra mile in every area of service, you can build a successful relationship that may be profitable for years to come."

Alex Hernandez

"Trust is at the core of business activity and productivity. In a trusting environment, customers, owners, managers, salespeople and technicians can depend on one another. As trust builds, relationships evolve.

"The nuts and bolts of trusting relationships start with simple ideas. Common courtesy is required, and lines of communication must be open and maintained. Credibility needs to be earned, and reliability must be established. And above all, honesty is necessary.

"Roofing contractors usually are in positions of power when it comes to roofing issues. We often know something our customers do not. We shouldn't abuse the power to extract exorbitant profits. Profit is required, but it must be tempered to avoid taking advantage of a strong relationship. If customers view you as an ethical person, this will help develop trust.

"Contractors also need to be available during adversity. We all have had problems on a job or during negotiations. As difficult as it may be sometimes, strong relationships are developed through common experiences. Partnering with customers in planning and problem solving and asking for assistance when it is needed can build trust. We should help customers develop solutions that will meet their expectations.

"Also, contractors should listen to customers with empathy. Understanding another's situation only can be done if you ask questions and stop talking. And we should strive to develop resolutions to customers' requests whether or not we can comply with the request. The real estate industry lays claim to the three L's—location, location, location. The three L's of customer relations are listen, listen, listen.

"Being accessible and returning calls, e-mails, faxes, letters and voicemails in a timely manner also are important. That doesn't necessarily mean jumping when the cell phone rings. There is nothing more annoying to a customer than having a meeting with you interrupted by your cell phone. Use voicemail and e-mail to your advantage by promptly returning calls when your undivided attention can be given to the caller.

"A personal touch is important. I know it can be tough, but contractors should consider setting up a system to remember and acknowledge significant customer personal events, such as birthdays, anniversaries, the date on which a customer opened his business, etc. Then, send a card—it counts.

"Encouraging customers to develop relationships with other key personnel in your company also can strengthen relationships. As customers become more comfortable with the people in your organization, the tie to your company strengthens. Price becomes less of an issue if you have demonstrated the ability to consistently execute the work.

"Remember, customers have families, needs and lives outside the workplace. As a relationship and trust develop, your customer may invite you into his world. Tune up your radar to detect these sometimes subtle invitations. Participate at a level at which your customer feels comfortable and, when appropriate, reciprocate.

"I also employ these other trust-building methods:

  • Inviting customers to visit me

  • Subtly striving to find common ground

  • Appreciating customers—thanking them, helping them and advising them

  • Spending time with customers

  • Being happy to hear from customers—it is not an imposition

  • Not demeaning my competition

  • Not making promises I can't keep

  • Surpassing all customer expectations"

Rod Wetherbee

"The most important thing about establishing a relationship with a customer is building trust. To build trust, you must be able to understand the best way to communicate with your customer. If you are unable to communicate, it will be difficult to build a relationship.

"While you are gathering information about a customer's project, it is important to determine the type of customer with which you are working. Every individual is unique and communicates differently. You must be able to adapt to each customer's method of communication. If you are unable to adapt, it will be difficult to build a relationship. However, don't become frustrated if you have a difficult time adapting to a certain customer. Invite the participation of another individual within your organization who is well-suited for that customer's personality.

"One way to create trust is by listening to customers and finding out what they are looking for and how they arrived at that decision. Too many times, I have heard, 'Hi, I am with Company X, and I want you to look at my roof and give me a price for a single-layer torch-applied re-cover.' And when I ask how they decided on that system, they say it is what the previous contractor suggested. I then proceed to look at the roof and find they already have three or four roof systems installed, not to mention an old building with a combustible deck. I wonder what kind of roofing contractor would suggest this system on this building. I then know I need to educate the customer.

"Educating the customer is another way to build trust. A majority of customers are not roof savvy and are looking for a better understanding of their roof systems. While educating a customer, remember the type of individual he is. If he is serious, give only the facts. If he likes humor, throw in a little humor. The key is to give customers the tools to make the right decision. Do not force them to make a decision but, rather, guide them.

"Honesty is the backbone of trust! Never sell your customer something you wouldn't put on your own roof. Be willing to walk away if the customer has asked you to do something you know won't work or will be problematic in the future.

"A relationship with one of my best customers—and now good friend—was developed through this approach. He had a roof system that typically cannot support the weight of two built-up roof (BUR) systems and the snow load required for the applicable building code. One of my competitors had priced a BUR re-cover, and I priced a tear-off and replacement. Obviously, the re-cover was less expensive, so the customer asked me to bid a re-cover or forfeit the job. I educated the customer about my concerns and asked him to reconsider or, unfortunately, I would have to walk from the job. He said, 'You mean to tell me you would walk away from a half-million dollar job?' I replied 'Yes.' I then followed by saying: 'I feel so strongly about this that if you hire a structural engineer and I am wrong, I will pay for the engineer. If I am right, I get the job.'

"Needless to say, he paid for the structural engineer; Wayne's Roofing got the job; and we now perform a half-million plus dollars with that customer every year. I find if you are honest with customers, they appreciate it, and you will be rewarded a thousand times over.

"A relationship is a long-term commitment to customers. Make sure customers know they truly made the right decision, and consider providing programs that will keep you in touch with your customers year-round. For instance, Wayne's Roofing offers semi-annual roof system maintenance designed to prolong our customers' roof systems, which keeps us in direct contact with our customers year-round. Whatever approach you take, remember communication builds trust, and trust is the key to every relationship."

Consultants

Ray LaTona

"The most important thing for a roof consultant to do in establishing and maintaining a relationship with a building owner is to practice the three A's: amicability, availability and ability—usually in that order. This practice leads to mutual respect and cooperation.

"Amicability is simply the effort by a consultant to create a pleasant working relationship. We all prefer to work with people we enjoy being around. A consultant needs to work with an owner as a member of the team and create an atmosphere of cooperative problem solving where both parties feel the other hears and understands their concerns.

"It is important both parties feel comfortable and respect one another. This feeling of mutual respect is fostered through clear, concise communications of all types, including face-to-face conversations, telephone conversations, e-mail and written communications. It is important for a consultant to explain to the owner the various options, such as pros and cons for any given situation. Usually, it is best to communicate in simple, clear, precise terms. When communications break down, amicability suffers.

"Availability usually is interpreted as responsiveness. It is important to return telephone calls promptly so an owner knows you are available. We make it a rule to return telephone calls as soon as possible but no later than 24 hours after receiving a call. If you're going to be away from the office and cannot receive the call, the owner needs to be redirected to another person or telephone number where you can be reached. When owners cannot reach their consultants in a timely fashion, opportunities may fade or be missed. Even if a missed opportunity does not terminate the consultant-owner relationship, it may cause the relationship to deteriorate.

"Ability is a measure of a consultant's technical competence, including accuracy and attention to detail. Although many consultants believe this is the most important aspect in a developing relationship, it actually can be the least important of the three. In the current marketplace, most building owners have evaluated the technical competence of potential consultants before initiating contact with any consultant. The potential for establishing a working relationship often depends on the value created in a personal relationship. Of course, a consultant must competently provide the necessary technical information so a project can be executed within the imposed schedule and cost constraints. If a consultant cannot or does not provide these services, the relationship will break down.

"Owners always want early warning of problems that lie ahead, such as an increase in costs and/or delays in the schedule. The sooner these conditions are communicated to an owner, the better it is for everyone involved in the project. Early notification of problems allows an owner time to respond to these challenges with minimum effect on the job.

"Another facet of ability is value. An owner must feel he gets value for the money spent on his consultant. The consultant's fee must be perceived to be fair and appropriate. A relationship with an owner will break down if the owner perceives the consultant's fees are too high for the services provided or the consultant's fees are so low inadequate service is being provided. Owners expect to pay a fair value for consultants' work product, and they usually do not have a problem with any fee as long as they feel they received appropriate value for the money.

"By consistently practicing amicability, availability and ability, a roof consultant can establish and maintain an ongoing relationship with a building owner based on mutual respect and cooperation."

Ted Michelsen

"My answer to both questions is one word—trust. No relationship, short- or long-term, can exist without trust between parties. The question is how to develop and maintain trust with your customers. Beyond trust, I believe I must also supply quality services a customer needs at a price he feels is fair.

"To develop the necessary trust, I believe you always should act professionally, especially during initial contact with customers. This includes dressing for the occasion—dress or casual clothing for meetings and clean work clothes for rooftop work. More important, always arrive on time for meetings and other activities. Although I may be busy, my customer is, as well. Because the customer pays the bills, it is important to show him respect for his schedule and not be the reason he has to work late.

"Initially, demonstrating your knowledge is important and will help a customer trust your recommendations. While doing so, you also should be listening to what the customer perceives as his roofing issues. This way, I find out which roofing options, if any, are considered acceptable or unacceptable. When I make my recommendations, I generally can offer a workable option that fits a customer's perceptions. If I have to disagree with a customer's perceptions, I provide detailed information as to why I am recommending a system he may not favor. I believe this shows respect for the customers' knowledge. This generally makes for a good initial working relationship, which is so important when trying to establish a long-term relationship.

"I work hard to make sure all reports and other written information is accurate (no typos or spelling errors) and all photographs and drawings are as clear and presentable as they can be. I also work at directing the text of the report to the knowledge level of the recipient. This way, the report also helps the customer better understand the issues.

"The initial relationship is helped by other professional actions, such as how the telephone is answered and how welcomed the customer feels by the roofing professional.

"The ongoing relationship still is basically a trust issue, and you have to work to retain it. However, once the customer knows you and your work, it is important to keep the quality level the same or better than that of earlier work. Also, interpersonal relationships become more important. I work hard to remember personal information about the customer so I can talk to him on a personal, as well as professional, level. I always make sure I quickly return any telephone calls I miss, and if I will be unavailable or out of town for a period of time, I let my major customers know so they do not expect an immediate call back during these periods.

"In this electronic age, it also is important your computer system is capable of producing files that work on your customers' computer systems. I make sure my software is able to produce compatible documents in electronic format for their use, and when I do not supply compatible documents, I explain why. Keeping customers informed always helps.

"My approach to customer relationships is trust, service and value."

Luther Mock

"When you begin a relationship with a customer, it is important to remember prospective customers are taking a leap of faith with you and your company. Put yourself in their shoes. Think about how you feel when you must make decisions about services in your own professional and personal life. Too many times, service providers are so preoccupied with their own needs, they forget about the customers' needs and how customers feel. You and your company are part of the customer's team—you are all in it together.

"Before and during a relationship, it is incumbent on you to listen intently to the customer's needs. Many relationship problems can be traced to the provider's failure to listen to the customer during the marketing phase of relationship development. Too many times, the provider's market model for business may not fit the customer's needs. Be prepared to walk away from a customer if both of you cannot celebrate success from your relationship.

"If you and your customer are a good fit and a relationship begins to develop, turn up the volume on your ears and listen again. Ask enough questions to fully understand the customer's needs, especially during the early stages of the relationship. Don't assume anything. I have found most of my customers are appreciative of questions. It lets them know you want to do the best job possible. The term 'best job possible' is a measurement by their scale, not yours. You have to determine the units of measurement they use.

"I also believe customer decisions predominantly are driven by three factors: cost, quality and time. Listen, and ask enough questions to find out what is paramount and what can be secondary. It is nearly impossible to achieve all three. Find out what is important.

"One way to maintain a relationship once it begins is to measure and evaluate. That is, ask the customer what you are doing well and what you can do better. Of course, asking is not enough. If the customer relationship is important, you must take action. For example, you may commit to make improvements (in the eyes of the customer) if you can or are willing.

"An age-old tenet of business states, 'Say what you are going to do and do what you say.' Albeit simple, it is tried and true and one of the best ways to maintain a great customer relationship."

Building owners

Mike Dietrich

"Contractor relationships with customers are curious things. As a building owner, I thought I would view the situation of being a customer differently than when I was a supplier consultant. However, it really doesn't seem to be any different. The relationships between customers and suppliers are based on business needs, whereby one side can provide what the other wants. Most often, this is provided through a supplier's capability to meet the needs of a customer in providing either services or goods. Nevertheless, these relationships are maintained through human contact.

"The attitudes of these relationships are developed through good service, good response to needs, satisfaction of work and timely conclusion of contract. In essence, a good relationship is developed and maintained if a person actually does what he says he is going to do.

"It seems simple, but to maintain a relationship with a business owner, all a vendor has to do is provide the service it says it will provide. Of course, an even better relationship is developed and cultivated when either side chooses to provide more effort than what is dictated—if you work for me, I will provide you with compensation; if you provide me with more than I expect, I will continue the relationship and give more to you.

"There are many times during the course of a business transaction, contract or length of service when a situation comes up that is not covered by the contract or specifications. It is during those times a contractor or supplier is called upon to use common sense—solid, practical action based on experience and intuition—to come up with an answer. That's when the exceptional contractor tries to think like the client. If a vendor can feel the same obligation I feel when we are talking about my plant, we develop a mutual respect for each other, as well as the other's services. The ordinary relationship of a customer/vendor then graduates to a higher level, and that vendor rises to the top. It is in these cases a contractor doesn't just make a sale—he makes a customer.

"It's been said a customer's satisfaction is the gap between what a customer expects and what the customer gets. That is the mark of a continued relationship."

Bud Lewis

"Three characteristics are important to me when working with a roofing professional. The first is what I call 'operational experience.' There is no substitute for the practical knowledge gained through years of installing roof systems. Operational experience is important because it is gained through hard work at the most basic level. This gives a roofing professional a unique perspective and incisiveness when evaluating roof problems and determining possible solutions.

"The second characteristic is technical expertise. Physicist Niles Bohr said, 'An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field.' Of course, I want an expert—someone who already has made all of his mistakes. Formal studies across the roofing field's broad spectrum are imperative. The ability to accurately calculate requirements for such things as drainage, wind uplift and ventilation are essential for roofing professionals. NRCA and the Roof Consultants Institute provide excellent educational opportunities. Membership in these organizations, as well as professional registration or industry certification, indicate a person is serious about technical proficiency.

"However, technical expertise also must extend beyond the roofing industry. I think knowledge in related fields such as waterproofing, environmental issues or lightning protection systems demonstrates true professionalism.

"The third characteristic is a roofing professional who is personable. Being personable is necessary because roofing professionals must interact with people from diverse backgrounds.

"When maintaining a good working relationship, there are three characteristics that are important. One is accountability—backing words with deeds is crucial. Being able to rely on a roofing professional to perform tasks in a timely manner and start or finish projects on schedule breeds confidence and establishes an atmosphere of mutual respect. Being forthright, doing what is right and accepting responsibility, especially if a mistake has been made, are character traits necessary to maintain a good working relationship.

"The second characteristic I value is being progressive. I am resistant to change, but I recognize the benefits inherent in staying open-minded and looking for unique ways to solve problems. A progressive roofing professional will see the big picture, provide creative solutions, adapt to evolving technologies and overcome all obstacles.

"Last but not least is integrity. I expect a roofing professional to maintain objectivity when providing services or giving advice, as well as be wary of circumstances that would suggest a conflict of interest. Integrity is the cornerstone of the relationship. I trust my roofing professional to ensure I get the best quality and value for each dollar spent.

"I can say with conviction that most roofing professionals and industry suppliers I know are people of integrity."

Trust me

Although contractors, consultants and building owners may value different characteristics, they all value trust. The ideas described are ways of building a trusting relationship. When a customer can trust his contractor and consultant, a strong relationship can be formed.

Krista Reisdorf is associate editor of Professional Roofing magazine.

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