Better business

How to build and maintain good business relationships

Maintaining good business relationships will encourage repeat business and referrals for years to come.

Repeat projects and referrals are a huge part of a successful painting business. You know that you’re far more likely to return to a restaurant, store or hotel if the experience was an easy, memorable one that exceeded your expectations. You’ll also happily recommend it to friends and family for those same reasons.

Repeat projects and referrals are a huge part of a successful painting business. You know that you’re far more likely to return to a restaurant, store or hotel if the experience was an easy, memorable one that exceeded your expectations. You’ll also happily recommend it to friends and family for those same reasons.

The same principles apply to your work and maintaining good business relationships. There are many ways to ensure your clients book you again and pass on your details to their network with a glowing report. Some of these tips are more obvious than others, but implementing as many as possible will ensure you’re consistently busy for decades to come.

The old adage always rings true: Communication is key in a good business relationship. Before you start, confirm the scope of the job up front, address the estimated time frames or deadlines, whether scaffolding will be required, whether any furniture needs to be moved, and who will be in charge of clean-up at the end of the job.

Ask one person in the client household to be your main contact for the job. This will minimise confusion when perhaps one person asks for work to be done that is contrary to what the other person has already requested.

Set your project boundaries from the get-go and ensure your client is aware of your capabilities. Make sure to update them regularly as you progress with the job.

Being open and honest with your customers is key to building trust. They’ll be very grateful to be looped in and to be aware of what’s going on. Then, should something go wrong, they will be more likely to understand and be patient while the issue is sorted. Most customers know that sometimes things don't go according to plan, but if they feel like you’re keeping them informed of what is happening and how the problem will be resolved, they will usually be more confident about their project because they feel like you have a handle on things.

If you build trust early with your customers, they are also less likely to ‘micro-manage’ your project and simply leave you to complete the job.

Make sure the site is tidy and clean at the end of each day, and if you’re leaving tools on-site, make sure they’re away and causing minimal impact.

Always remember, you can do the best paint-work possible, but if your ladder falls and damages your customer’s prized rose bush – that is all they will remember!

Team talk

Your staff are a reflection of you and your business so ensure they’re delivering the same standard of work as you are. Communicate clearly and respectfully with them, check in with them regularly and be understanding about their personal situations. A happy worker is an effective worker.

Follow up

After each project or job, reach out to say thanks. It may be a simple email or a quick card in the mail, or even a note that you leave behind at your client’s home or business when you leave. Resene has a ‘Thank You’ Card you could use for this purpose – free from your Resene rep. This will help cement you in your customers’ minds as professional and polite.

It’s also vital to make sure they can communicate with you when they want to get back in touch for the next job. A fridge magnet with your company name, website and social media details is a great idea. Asking them politely to follow you on social media, provide a Google review or sign up for an EDM are also good methods of keeping contact up.

Rectifying any issues

Anyone who has ever done even a small renovation knows that the initial timeline and budget will often blow out. And sometimes, depending on a range of issues, the client may also be unhappy with the finished product.

No matter how good you deem your customer service, complaints are unfortunately inevitable at one point or another – the difference is all in how you manage it. The first step is always to listen to the complaint and figure out exactly what the issue is. In many cases, you’ll be able to come up with a solution that is agreeable to both parties.

While you should aim to avoid sinking time and funds into customers who can’t be impressed no matter what you do, most clients will appreciate the extra effort you put into fixing the issue and may end up your biggest advocates.