I believe that part of success both personally, professionally, as well as individually and collectively as a company is doing the “right thing” and feeling good about what you do. Successful restoration companies are built on trust and relationships. Trust in standing behind what you do. What is your promise? What is your message that conveys that you will do the right thing?
I always say, “I can’t promise you that we are perfect, that we will never make a mistake, but, what I can promise is that we will always stand behind what we do as a company.” There are several considerations to make in your commitment and your promise to doing the right thing.
Some convey this promise in the terms of a warranty. Depending on the type of service provided, a warranty may or may not apply and the terms will vary. Most insurance programs require a minimum one year warranty. We have a seven year warranty on repairs. If and when you have a warranty in place, you have to honor it. Have a protocol. A warranty call gets all the attention that any other call would get. The issue must be evaluated. Does it fall under the original scope of work, is there a product defect or workmanship issue, etc.? From that point, the repair or remedy is executed or the customer is explained why it is not a warranty issue. Sometimes, you remedy a situation merely as a goodwill gesture. Yes, this process costs money and yes you have to be fully committed to honoring your promise of “doing the right thing.”
Doing the right thing, regardless of costs, has a big picture impact on your company. Building and growing a business is challenging. How to spend advertising dollars, managing social media and staying on top of rapidly changing consumer behavior is no easy task. A company built and grown on always consistently doing the right thing by their customers is hard to top.
The next benefit to an organization who takes this concept seriously is the positive impact on company culture. When every team member of an organization knows that their company is motivated by doing the right thing (even when it costs money) it gives a sense of pride and commitment that is unmatched. Team members know or can sense if care about quality and standing behind each other’s work products and services is just a catch phrase and not carried out consistently. I recommend making sure everyone in your company knows that they can do their job and know without a doubt that their company will stand behind what they do. They can be proud to wear their company uniform because even if a mistake is made or an item accidently gets broken, they work in a company that will make it right. This pride will also result in confidently delivered quality service.
I consider myself a student of service. Anytime I experience a frustration as a customer, I reflect on my operations and the quality of our service delivery from all angles.
“I want to speak to your supervisor!” Many of us have said this or have heard this. This is the scream of a frustrated customer who is speaking to someone who is unable to give them resolution or satisfaction. Employee empowerment is very important to a positive experience. Although there may be a need for certain parameters, an employee who knows their company will do the right thing should also be given the power to deliver the message. If something gets scratched or broke, the team should be empowered to say, “We will take care of that!” All of this is intertwined with service, satisfied customers and happy employees.
All of this must be done with balancing the quality of your work product and service as to minimize the costs of warranty work. However, the best of the best will still make a mistake, or perhaps an approach did not work out as expected. Yes, it does cost money; however, what is the cost of not living and breathing this philosophy?
