Effective Strategies to Reduce Customer Complaints

Author: Lee Polevoi | October 13, 2023

Like many businesses, roofing contractors are constantly looking for strategies to reduce customer complaints. Completing an outstanding roof repair or replacement on time using high-quality materials will obviously help reduce customer callbacks. But a disgruntled customer may not immediately see the value in the work you've completed, or they may have questions about the repair process, warranties or clean up after the job. In all these cases, communication is key..

Put Everything in Writing

At each meeting with a customer, take time to write down their requests and questions. This not only demonstrates that you're focused on what the customer wants, but also provides a tangible record of every conversation and enhances the understanding between you and your customer.

Any mistakes made as a result of poor communication end up costing a roofing contractor time and money. That's why it's imperative to set clear expectations at the outset of a job, including:

• Estimated start and end times for each day's work.
• Whether heavy equipment will be needed on the jobsite.
• Any changes in the project scope and/or estimate if problems surface after the initial roof inspection.
• The possibility of unanticipated delays due to a sick worker, bad weather, etc.

Putting all of this information in an email or written brochure can help enormously in preventing misunderstandings with the customer.

Update the Customer at Appropriate Intervals

Most (but not all) customers are likely to want updates on your progress on their roof repair or replacement. Keep them informed in the manner they prefer, whether that's calling or emailing, but also report on anything you do that goes beyond the initial project estimate.

It's not boastful to let clients know when you exceed their expectations. Homeowners will usually be happy to hear about the high-quality work you're doing on their roof!

Compile a Post-Project Checklist

Ideally, you'll successfully complete the roofing project, your customer will be pleased with the results, and they will pay you in a timely manner for the work. But if you think this the end of a roofing contractor's responsibilities, think again.

Here's a brief checklist to keep in mind when work is complete:

• Clean up all materials left on the property.
• Attend to any landscaping issues that have been caused by equipment, materials or workers.
• Remove any on-site dumpster (if it was needed) as soon as possible. This can be a real eyesore in the view of the customer.
• With the customer's permission, put up a job sign advertising your company.
• Call the customer within 1-2 days of completion to check in and monitor their satisfaction.
• If bad weather such as a snowstorm or rainstorm immediately follows, make a point of contacting the customer to ask about any leaks.
• Make sure your cleanup crew is always efficient, polite to customers and thorough in their work.

Being able to check off every item on your list helps increase your odds of not receiving a customer callback.

Train Your Team in Customer Relations

You hire your roofer for their work ethic, integrity and skills in the field. But being able to interact with customers is often just as important.

As Roofing Contractor notes, not every company provides employees with training on what to say or do when a customer approaches them. When you train team members, you may want to confirm that they understand that, while it isn't necessarily their job to solve each customer complaint, it is their duty to be courteous, to listen to the customer actively and to make sure an owner or manager contacts the customer for follow-up.

Like owners and operators of every other type of business, Roofing contractors don't want to hear complaints from customers once a project is done. But these strategies to reduce customer complaints can help. Effective communications, attention to detail and a clear, focused commitment to getting things right will go a long way toward minimizing customers' dissatisfaction with finished projects.