References Inundated???

daleshad

I usually do not give references until "the HO is ready to sign". It's a policy of mine to limit our references being called too many times. I still feel like they are being called too often.

I have heard of services where references can call and leave an audio message.

Has anyone tried that? What are your thoughts about that type of service?

Is there a 3rd party reference verification company out there who can take the brunt of these calls?

Thanks - D

ultimatetouch

I only give referals upon request.

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Ultimatetouch
Illinois Remodeling Company, Kitchen Remodeling Chicago, Room Additions Illinois

Same Old

Me too. No one really asks anymore.

ultimatetouch

Not only that it gives people a way out or an excuse to get back to you.

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Ultimatetouch
Illinois Remodeling Company, Kitchen Remodeling Chicago, Room Additions Illinois

Ed the Roofer

Upon my intial measurement call, I leave, amongst several other things, a recent 75 satisfied customer reference list. I also leave a 30 customer testimonial multi-page document.

I do NOT put anyones phone numbers on any reference list.

I tell each HO that if they want to, they can politely knock on anyones door they want, but at the same time, I ask them if they would want their own phone number passed on to several hundred strangers? I make certain that their personal privacy will be guarded as far as unsolicited random phone calls.

The various responses contained within the 30 customer testimonial sheet provides a broad spectrum of feedback, which is certain to hit at least some of their buttons, which they would have wanted to find out via a phone call anyway.

Ed

ultimatetouch

Ed your saying there is a list of 75 satisfied customers, how many pages is that. Mine has ten and I tell them if they want more thats fine.

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Ultimatetouch
Illinois Remodeling Company, Kitchen Remodeling Chicago, Room Additions Illinois

Ed the Roofer

The 75 recent satisfied customer list is all on one page, which includes the name, address, city, brand of shingle and which quality level, and the color of the shingle. Font size reduce down to 10 or 11 so they can all fit and remain very readable.

The 30 satisfied customer testimonial document takes up only 3 pages total for the comments, which have been edited down from the original full length testimonials I have received upon completion of each job we do. It is part of our ongoing end of job for customer satisfaction evaluation form, which includes a section for their comments.

I do not hand them 1-2 dozen pages of info, if that is what you were wondering.

Ed

P.S. I have found that the majority of competitors only state that they will gladly supply references upon request.

Why wait for the request.

Also, why be like anybody else. I've done a lot of real high quality work and I am damn proud of that fact. Why should I only submit only 3 or only 10 satisfied customers.

I further explain to each new prospect on how it comes that we maintain such a high satisfaction rate.

dirt diggler

this is a nut ive been tryin to crack lately


yeah - i don't like disturbing the past clients


at the same time - THEY want me to succeed --- THEY want me to stick around


so far, haven't heard any complaints.



also - what i'll do is stagger references so that the sames ones aren't always bombarded

lawndart

I get a testimonial from every single customer, and include it in my trusty portfolio. Each job there are before, and after shots with the customer standing in or next to the work we did. Each job tells a story. I take pictures of every major step in the process. I've found that this is very impressive to potential clients, and most are sold right after we have shown it. I've only had 1 customer refuse to take a picture out of 100's.

George Z

I send people a link to our growing list of testimonials
all handwritten in our completion form, or e-mailed.

http://www.ecopainting.ca/testimonials.html

Most of their phone numbers can become available to call

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Painting Toronto Blog

vinylguy

hey if my potential customer wants a referral i just simply pick up the phone and call one for them while i am sitting with them hello mrs or mr soso this is uhmm with hend co. how are you today? the reason for my call is i am sitting here with mr & mrs soso and they have a few ?s they'd like to ask you at this time or i will do the asking this way i control the ?s and not the homeowner and i am right thier to say after wards what else will it take to get your buisiness today!

Mike Finley

Man I wish I had the problem of having our refrences called too much. I seems like maybe only 1 out of 20 of our new customers ever bother to call anybody. I wish they would all call, nothing is better than that little transformation you can tell has happened between the last time you meet your potential client and the next after they have been told how great you are by some past clients.

Bill Z

I carry a book with around 2000 past customers including product, address and phone number, sorted by city. You can easily imagine how people flip to their city, see a few names of friends, co-workers, and local personalities they are familiar with and immediately get a feeling of confidence about our work. They make comments like, "Oh, you did a job for so and so? He's really picky. If you can satisfy him...."

One person out of a hundred ever calls anyone on the list. I'd be more than willing to take them to a job and give them a tour, but the list usually puts them at ease about our company reliability.

One feature of the list is that a homeowner's name may appear multiple times because they bought a room for one house, moved in a few years and bought a room for the new house. Says a lot about our service.

Once a prospect told me he had his car painted and even after getting three references from the painter, he got a horrible job. I asked him if he expected the painter to give him one good reference, one bad, and one in the middle? Why any potential buyer who is serious about researching a company would respect only three references is beyond me.

I simply tell that story and offer my 2000 references for them to pick at random. That way they know the references aren't tainted.

Just one way to approach it,

Bill

ruskent

I wish people called the references i supply! Seems like maybe 10% of the people will actually call. My references are my best sales man!

daleshad

Thanks for all of the good feedback.

Maybe one of our problems is that my biz partner and I are young (30 yrs old), and we've only been in our "own business" for 3 years - just a theory.

We each worked for other comapnies before going on our own.

Our average job is in the $30-$80k range, and I can see why people want references.

I will start to compile a list of testimonials and see how that works out...

Thanks Again ... D

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Custom Building and Remodeling
http://www.GoodFellasLLC.com

Same Old

Can you post a copy of your form? That sounds like a good idea.

MattCoops

I never really understood the concept of a reference list.

If you think about it, would anyone really give someone's name that's gonna give a bad reference?

Better yet, give the homeowner the number to the Better Business Bureau

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Matt with Cupan Custom Tile & Paint of Lowell, Massachusetts
Design and installation of ceramic tile and natural stone for floor, wall, and countertops
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Ed the Roofer

The presentation proposal for the roofing and ventilation scope of work that I delivered last night went very well.

It went even better, when they were reviewing my short current list of 75 recent satisfied customers and they new 4 different families on the list.

P.S. I also gave them the BBB advisory sheet with contact information so they could call if needed.

By using references, it takes the comfort level to a new plateau. They would not have that comfort factor if they didn't have the opportunity to see how many satisfied customers I have accumulated and were to only be given the BBB phone # by itself.

Ed

daleshad

Another contractor gave me an interesting response. When the HO asks to SPEAK to a reference you, say you will do that.

Then ask to speak to 3 references of theirs that they have done business with in the past.

__________________
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Custom Building and Remodeling
http://www.GoodFellasLLC.com

Ed the Roofer

Usually they do not need to actually "speak" to your previous satisfied customers.

I tell them that if sincerely want to speak with anyone, they are free to knock on anyones door or leave a note in their mailbox requesting feedback.

If they seem as if the phone # is a big deal,(It never is with over 2,000 references), then I ask them if they would mind if I put their phone # in for the next several hundred people I meet with to call on them.

Politely, I just explain that in this world on "do not call" and still unending unsolicited telemarketing calls, that I choose to value their privacy. They always agree with that.

Ed