It’s an ages old question, really. Who to trust? From kings of old building castles, to modern day families repairing their homes, we all need to know who to trust and where we can go to get quality work on our homes. While Google wasn’t around in 1241, folks had to find other ways to get in contact with and hear about tradesman.
If Word of Mouth is King, who is Queen?
Inarguably the most valuable way to find a contract is through a trusted friend/family member who has already used them. You can pick their brain for full quarters of an hour over a drink before you can convince yourself that if they were happy, you will end up happy too. It is a simple concept, following what works. Powerful, too. Who can argue with success?
It would seem the most pertinent thing to do would be to call your friends and family, throw out a post on Facebook, and send an email to that uncle who always seems to know everything. The problem with this presents itself quite quickly, everyone has used someone, and they all have something to say about them. So how do you decide whose experience is most repeatable?
Do Your Own Research
Your stock-investor friends are prone to saying this to your repeatedly, right after they give you a “hot tip” for some stock. Truth is, a lot of people are worried about staking their reputation/word on another company, especially if they weren’t blown away from how amazing they are. If you hear the phrase in any combination, “but you should do your research,” take their advice and do your own research. Some people just like giving advice to give advice. Ever know someone who talked about anything to anyone who would listen? 😉
So where do we go to do our research? Luckily, we are in the ‘Roarin 2020s, where Internet reigns supreme and the whole of humanity’s knowledge is available at our fingertips. So when we are between looking at cat videos and the latest storm footage from around the world, we can also use these amazing devices to find out exactly who a company is, and what they don’t want you to see.
Check out more about How To Choose a Foundation Repair Company?
There is No Hiding Anymore
With the birth of the internet also came the removal of any stones to hide behind. While there is a lag with some older, smaller companies to get on board with the internet, it is widely accepted as the place respectable businesses present themselves and share their knowledge with the world. Companies can present, and consumers read, all sorts of information like these from:
- Blogs written by the company
- Videos produced by the company
- Content on their website
- Newsletters sent out
- Events, gatherings, and keynote speaking arrangements
Most all content a company creates can, and should, be available on their website. But what about what they don’t want you to see?? Where can you find that?
- Yelp
- Far and away the most sensitive barometer for how a company values customer service. Ever see a company on there only respond to the good comments? How about companies who respond to EVERY bad comment with the same “we don’t do business like this and take it as a learning opportunity. We have reached out to make the situation right…blah blah blah.” Every person reading those know it to be what it is, complete horse manure.
- Don’t just look at the reviews, read them for the content. You want the full experience, so look for it!
- Angie’s List
- Less prevalent than it was 5-10 years ago, but still out there, Angie’s List can be a good source for reputable contractors as well. Problem with Angie’s List is that the contractors have cooled off to Angie since she made memberships free. The quality in leads went down, and some contractors took that personally. While not the powerhouse of reputation it once was, you can use it as another tool to compare companies over multiple platforms.
- Better Business Bureau
- Although not what it used to be as the pillar of business integrity, it still can be a valuable source of information. Looking at the company’s complaint profile can tell a lot about them, much more than the reviews on the same site. Read the complaints against the company, and how the company responded. It may surprise you that companies can RESPOND to complaints but not SATISFY them, while still maintaining an A+ rating. Be sure to read the whole experience so you know what you are in for, worst case scenario.
Bringing it all together, there are many ways to find a good contractor. Make sure you compare your friends’ testimonials with the reputation you find online so you can make an informed decision. Thanks for reading, and as always:
“Not Everything’s Better When Wet”
