Customer service creates happy customers. Follow through and proper communication will create this relationship up front. Customer satisfaction is a key foundation to the success of any business. One happy customer can make many more. One unhappy customer will cause you to loose 6 or more customers.
Following the proper rules for engagement of the new lead can ensure your success for landing a new client. Answering your phone on the 1st ring is critical to success. An unanswered phone that goes to voice mail is a pass to the next home inspector.
This is a picture of a InterNACHI customer satisfaction survey. I believe this is a key element in keeping your client base up. It give you a chance to show you care about the client and it gives you a chance to learn how to improve the way you conduct business.
I read the article on House-Moving. House-Moving is the moving of a home from one piece of land to another. there are a few different reasons to move s home like to avoid environmental threats and to increase value by moving it to a better plot of land. There are cons to moving a home like this which depends on what jurisdiction you are in.
For this essay I have chosen the article “Doing Damage During an Inspection: It’s Your Job”
by Nick Gromicko and Kate Tarasenko
It has probably happened to everyone at some point. You turn a valve, a door handle or even flip a switch, and it breaks. It could be more serious such as putting your foot through a weak spot in the roof. The inspector is there to find things that may not be working properly. Some could be safety concerns and others could be safety hazards.
The important thing is to remind the customer what the inspector found the issue before the homeowner found it and then complained that the inspector missed something or was not thorough enough.
It might not be a bad idea to also speak to the owner of the home whenever possible to make them aware of some of the things that could possibly happen during an inspection.
For this essay, I searched the internet for customer complaints about home inspectors. After reading this one (pictured) I thought it would fit this course nicely.
I believe the complaint is not particularly a bad one but it could have been much worse. The complaining person did not name the inspector and I cut out her name and location.
I suspect that the inspector did not see the water leaking or it simply wasn’t leaking at the time of the inspection. The way that I see how this fits in with this Customer Service and Communication for Inspectors Course is two fold.
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This is a good time to have written in the past tense something to the effect “The water heater appeared to be working properly at the time of the inspection. No noted leaks or electrical issues”.
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It might have served the inspector better if s/he had the opportunity to walk the customer around after the inspection and of course, make certain the customer knew to call him/her should anything arise prior to closing or if there were any issues afterwards.
In addition to the above, I think an inspector should keep an up to date list of professional / licensed contractors with him / her. This should be a list, not of the inspectors friends but, of professionals who are known to be reliable and reasonable. Anyone new to an area could benefit greatly from this. Additional feedback from the client should be used in case there is a bad experience, then perhaps if this complaint is valid, that particular contractor is no longer recommended.
This image that I uploaded is of a man in front of a pile during business operations. He is wearing a button down shirt and slacks. He appears to be dressed a little to formal for a home inspection. Although, some inspections could warrant such attire.
The image located at “https://www.nachi.org/gallery/?level=picture&id=2307” is titled “Subtle Background Darker” and is a professional background that can be used on a business card to website. Having a professional appearance is key to a successful business. It shows clients that you care about them.
This picture represents a sample of how I would dress for a home inspection. Rugged pants that still look better than blue jeans, a polo that is a neutral color except that my company logo will be stitched on, and if weather permitted I would usually wear an undershirt that covered my tattoos.
The picture that I chose was titled “Fireplace Inspection”. It shows the inspector dressed in a red polo, khaki cargo pants, and rugged shoes. This work wear is appropriate for inspecting homes and shows the client that the inspector is ready to perform the expected tasks. The shirt is tucked into the pants, which helps further the professional image of the inspector.
The clothes worn to an inspection speak volumes about you. So, when is wearing a cap inappropriate? Some inspectors can get away with wearing a cowboy hat if that is the image the inspector wants to leave with the client. When performing an inspection, caps are best when walking on a roof by helping block out the sun while making your observations. Just remember to remove it when completing the rest of the inspection.
C.L.U.E. Reports (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) is a claims history database. It lists homeowner claims made within the last 5 years. The inspector should advise his/her client to request that the seller order a C.L.U.E. report when the inspector finds evidence of major damage that has since been repaired.
Effective communication with your client is very important in conveying the issues found during a home inspection. Using the same tone of voice, speaking clearly and having good body language when explaining what was found during the home inspection is key for the success of your business.
The above picture is of my inform I wear on a daily basis. I live in California and for the most part it is warm through out the year. I wear cargo shorts with pockets on the sides and a dry-fit polo shirt.
In this photo we can see me! I decide to have a photo taken of me in a typical non logoed work polo shirt. While I do have a beard, I keep it maintained and as professional as a beard can be. I always try to smile to keep the friendly appearance.
For this assignment I chose the Three Deadly Mistakes a Home Buyer Should Avoid article. This art talks about three different mistakes a home can make; thinking they cant afford a home, not having a Buyers agent, and having a cheap home inspection. While I do agree on the first two items, the third I do not, mainly because my prices a set well below my competitors and I know I provide a superior servie.
I choose this photo, because I had a client concern over the insulation in the attic. He suspected the loose fill may have asbetos fibers in it. I kept good communication with him by calling my boss and trying to further evaluate this matter. In short, I re-assured him by suggesting to have a sample tested and that I would go get the sample for him. He was very pleased with my effort in this matter.
I choose causing damage during a home inspection, is it your fault? It makes good sense, saying that usually its not. Things that break during your inspection can be a good thing because you are testing them as everyday use. So a valve that has not been used or tested as it should, may break when tested.
When I write my Inspection Report I include a photo of the thermostat, when the central air unit was tested and functioned properly.I state in my “Items to be Considered” section of my Report that the Central air unit was tested and functioned at the time of the Inspection.This lets the client know the unit functioned at the time of the Inspection,but is not a guarantee
the unit will last.
