Policy Of Engagement

RizzoMaryland

Through studying a personal interest of mine in international relations and affairs I have come to the conclusion that dealing with homeowners and foreign nations have a lot in common.

One such example is the policy of engagement. Through the constant and close relations with a foreign nation and/or homeowner one can minimize the possibilities of conflict. Do any of you, knowing, follow this approach of engaging the homeowner rather frequently for the sake of personalizing your presence/project?

__________________
"An idea is salvation by imagination"
Frank LLoyd Wright

Double-A

If you mean to do we speak to them regularly then the answer is yes.

If you mean do we establish a beach head and dare them to take it by force then no.

I did once ask a cute homeowner if she would marry me, and tell my wife I died. She wouldn't and she didn't. Oh well. So it was a missed engagement. Oh well, I think it turned out OK.

__________________
"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006

RizzoMaryland

Maybe too philosophical for this forum.

__________________
"An idea is salvation by imagination"
Frank LLoyd Wright

neolitic

We thought that it would go away
once the beer wore off.

Do I try to "establish diplomatic relations"
with the customer?
Of course, it starts with the first call
and I work on it til I pack up and pick up
the final payment.
Some kind of Sun Tzu thing on your
mind here?

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Put your location in your profile!
(Sorry....it seems there really are dumb questions)

SelfContract

I've only heard of Military's Rules of Engagement ==>> Shoot-2-Kill! ..j/k .. but not President Bush's Policy of Iraq/Iran/China/Russia/Georgia Engagement !!??.. LOL

RizzoMaryland

Well, the beer has worn off now...Like most of us here who try to learn from our mistakes, I was replaying, in my minds eye, a larger project (basement and kitchen) that went down the tubes a few years ago. I have decided it was due to poor communication between the HO and I.

Throughout the course of the 2 month project, communication was limited. They were always working or "to busy to sit down". Never got the red flag prior to starting the job. They were actually very accomodating with providing selections quickly and definitively etc. However most correspondence took the form of written notes left on jobsite .

The job progressed without any issues until the end when they attempted to pull the carpet out from under us. I feel this was less likely to happen if we had more face time. Through distancing themselves from the project physically, it made it easier to approach us confrontationally.

Therefore we enforce a policy of engagement. Unfortunately we leave the AR 15 at home for this type of engagement.

__________________
"An idea is salvation by imagination"
Frank LLoyd Wright