Customer Fatigue

"Fish and visitors stink after three days."
-Benjamin Franklin

For most customers, the only thing better than meeting a great contractor is saying goodbye to one. For most contractors, the same holds true for customers.

Over the years I've coined the term "Customer Fatigue" to describe the inevitable circumstance that develops when, as a contractor, you've allowed a project to drag on too long. Even the most reasonable and polite customer will turn into a rabid and deranged maniac when you've overstayed your welcome. Now, there may be many justifiable reasons for the project to have been delayed: Weather, bad special orders, change-orders, unforeseen circumstances, etc...

None of that matters once Customer Fatigue sets in. What's important to remember as the contractor is that it doesn't matter why you didn't hit your target date for completion, the only thing that matters is that you didn't hit it.

People are reasonable, but they don't have endless patience... especially when you are invading their homes everyday and playing loud music while you work. Now, you may think Eminem is the greatest rap artist since The Sugar Hill Gang, but your customer doesn't like Eminem... I can pretty much guarantee that. They may look the other way when your truck dumps quart after quart of oil in front of their house, but once the EPA shows up you have to understand where they're coming from.

Now, this whole thing works both ways, BELIEVE ME. The customer that chews your ear off every morning while you're setting up is the same one that will wonder why it takes you so long to set up every morning. Unfortunately, they are the ones signing the checks, so reasonable consideration pretty much doesn't exist. I am constantly amazed at customers who ask me why something looks "unfinished." Usually I point out that it's not finished yet... Sometimes that's enough to satisfy them, but not always.

The point to this rambling entry is this:

You can't control things that are out of your control, but you can control how you deal with them. Do not under-estimate the time of construction on the contract. Be upfront and attentive during the entire project. If a special order comes in wrong, be honest about it and don't make excuses. At the same time, don't lose control of the situation. If you've ever ridden a horse, it's the same thing. If that customer bucks and whines on day two, you've gotta crack the whip and let them know what's going on. If you allow unreasonable expectations to take root at the beginning of the project, things will be completely out of control before you finish. At the end of the day, everyone involved wants the same thing. They want the job done.

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