Satisfied customers can do great things for your business. Does your web site content include testimonials? Posting a well-written testimonial story on your website can influence potential buyers. Testimonial stories should quote your customers and demonstrate how you solved a problem or provided a service in a timely and efficient manner. By using stories in this way your potential buyers can see that you have an understanding of issues that they also face. You can add substance to the stories by adding photos of installations or video interviews with customers. Of course, it’s always nice to have testimonials from customers with big names that are recognizable in your industry.
Here at our house we recently had dealings with a young landscaping contractor. He is really nice guy (let’s call him Tommy) and he seemed to understand exactly what we wanted to have done. In looking at his web site, I thought it needed a little help but he seemed to know what he was talking about when it came to patio stones and decks. I was thinking that after he had finished the work to our satisfaction, I could write a testimonial story that he could put on his web site. Satisfied customers are the best recommendation you can get.
After doing our homework on three contractors, we got quotes and checked references. We hired a Tommy’s Landscaping to build a small deck and patio, and to rebuild an old patio and walkway. It is a LONG story.
Just think what this story might have looked liked.
Tommy’s Landscaping team showed up on time and started in immediately cutting the sod for the new patio. In no time, they were levelling the gravel and started laying the new pavers. They re-graded the bed for the old patio to ensure there were no low spots and to make it slope away from the house. They were careful not to disturb the buried PVC water pipe and took special care of our flower beds and grass. We love the new deck and the patio. Tommy’s team cleaned up the property when they were finished so it looked undisturbed. Best of all, we were able to use the patio on the holiday weekend, as planned.
That’s the story I wanted to write, but Tommy’s Landscaping will not get a testimonial from us. I am now convinced that the references that we called must have been the contractor’s brother and sister.
He did not communicate to his team what was to do be done. His workers were unskilled and untrained. His carpenter did not know how to measure nor did he know how to cut a board straight. I will give him credit. He willingly sent his team back four times to fix, repair, and redo work that was not acceptable. We are left to repair a buried the PVC hose connection that was nicked by a shovel in (so far) three places!
How do you use testimonials and recommendations in your business? Do you ask your customers to write testimonials for you?
