Tradie Tips: Building a Trusted Business

Building a business that customers can trust should always be a top priority for tradesmen, and with so much competition on the market and available at the press of a button, it’s now more important than ever. Most customers are willing to put in the effort of researching the best in the industry in their area, so having a name that can be trusted is vital for the success of your business. When you’re just getting started, this can seem as though it’s easier said than done, however, gaining a customer’s trust doesn’t have to take a toll on your time or money if you’re smart about the process. There a number of ways that your company can gain the trust of potential customers, but here are a few of the more simpler options.

‍1) Have an Online Presence

‍We’ve discussed the importance of this before here, but it’s something that needs to be shouted from the rooftops - your company needs to have a digital footprint. Unless they already have someone in mind, there are very few people who don’t turn straight to Google when they’re looking for a tradie. This means, at the bare minimum you need to have a Google My Business profile set up, so you appear in search and map results. It’s a free service and you can get started here. On top of this, your company should also have an active Facebook page and a website. Websites don’t have to cost a bomb either. In fact, you can build your own quickly, easily and for a low price with companies like Wix, Squarespace and Weebly. These simple moves let potential customers know that you invest time in your business, and care about its reputation.

‍2) Encourage Customer Reviews & Testimonials

‍Reviews help to provide businesses with a level of credibility, and companies that have zero recommendations online (particularly through Google and Facebook) will often be scrolled past or overlooked. The fact that it’s written by a total stranger doesn’t matter, what does is that customers trust the word of other customers. Once you’ve set up your business profiles online, customers are able to leave unfiltered, public reviews. If they’re not flooding in immediately, take it upon yourself to reach out to happy customers and see if they would be willing to leave one for you. If you’re a new business, this could also include any family or friends that you’ve completed work for. For customers that are time poor or not overly tech-savvy, simply grab a few words from them about their satisfaction and list it on your website as a testimonial.

3) Share Your Work

‍If you’ve completed work on a job that you’re proud of, make sure that you share it online on your website or social media pages! This way, potential customers have an opportunity to see if you’re the right fit for their job and don’t have to blindly trust your word. If you’re sharing updates as the job progresses, this is even better as it can help customers to see how you work and, if you’re posting semi-regularly, gauge a time estimate if they require a similar job.

‍4) Act on Word of Mouth Recommendations

‍It can sometimes be hard to find good, reliable tradesmen, and when people do, they tend to remember the name and share it. Never underestimate the value of a glowing recommendation from one friend to another. If you are consistent in providing quality work, recommendations can encourage a positive feedback loop to your business and lead to greater growth and continued jobs. This is why, when possible, it’s important to take on jobs with potential clients who have received your details via word of mouth - you never know where it will take your business.

‍5) Don’t Make False Promises

‍There’s nothing more frustrating for a customer than being left in the dark, or feeling as though they have been blindsided when the job is done. Open and honest communication with customers is key. If you’re unable to deliver on time or to the standard that you promised, it’s better to express these concerns with your client early on. While you risk disappointing the customer, they will value your honesty. Delivering work that isn’t up to scratch will only lead to the customer losing trust in your business, and you obtaining a bad reputation. To prevent this, keep the customer informed at every step of the process, no matter how big or small the job is. Trade Trak can help you to better manage your jobs and your team, allowing you to deliver quality, transparent work to your clients. If you would like to find out more about how Trak can help you build a trusted business, give us a call or send us an email.

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