Building on what I said earlier I have been working on an enquiry process and it seems to be working. Here the process for anyone that is interested.
When someone contacts me I immediately give them an indication of how long my waiting list is along with a request for their address and telephone number, lets call this Stage Gate 1.
If they pass SG1 I give them a call, during this call I ask for the following;
Ask them for some more details of what they want
Get an idea of their budget and a then give them a guideline of how much my furniture is.
This is SG2.
If this is favorable to them (and I!!) then I go through the process for commissioning a piece, deposits, 3D model, design approval, change process etc. Once it is clear they understand that it is a process (journey, if you like) and not like buying something from a shop I arrange a time to come to see them. I finish up with a request for their email address.
I follow up with a quick email to establish full contact and to give them an email address to which they can send any images they like to.
This sounds like quite a bit of effort but in reality it is only about 10 minutes work to get this far.
On the day of the visit I send a text to check they are still in and haven't forgotten.
During the visit I examine things like journey time, access, parking and positions of electrical sockets.
I take photos of where the project is going and show them images of previous projects to try to clarify specific design details they like.
All the time I am making notes in my book so I don't forget anything when I am designing and building up the quotation.
The most important thing however is to listen to what they are saying, to many people just hear what they want to hear without actually taking on board the Clients wishes.
I try to ask as many questions as possible. Including about them, their home, their needs and any restrictions that I might but subjected to. I think this is the service that sets my business apart from the other alternatives.
I also use this meeting to get an indication of what sort of person the Client is and if they are going to pay or not. (sub Stage Gate 2a)
I depart with a promise to follow up with a quotation within a set amount of time. I also say that if for whatever reason they haven't received it by then to contact me. I think this shows that I am serious but I've not missed a deadline so not needed to be chased yet.
Back in the office I draw in AutoCAD or SketchUp what we have discussed and build up my price, I wont go into how I do that though (that's a whole different subject!!)
I have a standard quotation letter that includes my standard T&Cs, the only things I need to change in that are; the project description, the price and anticipated timescales. The drawings are presented on bordered, letterheaded and dated drawing backgrounds and sent in an email with the letter.
To do this properly is a fair amount of work and there is still a chance of it being wasted but by doing all the previous steps I am mitigating the amount of wasted effort.
ST3 - confirmation or declination of the price, if accepted then I immediately acknowledge them and send the account details for the deposit to be paid. Once I have received the deposit the project actually starts and I can start spending some money in materials and time.
I think the whole thing is about managing expectations, giving yourself clear but achievable deadlines and just doing what you promised to do.
Communication is really important, I have a policy of responding as soon as possible, even if it is to say, "I'm sorry but I'm really busy at the moment, I'll give you a call later."
Most people respect honesty so if you are booked up for 3 months then say so right at the start. If you encounter a problem and you are not able to deliver on time, say so as early as possible even if you then actually meet the deadline. Client's prefer to know that they might not get their project for another day than find out you're not coming on the morning you are supposed to be there.
Employing tradespeople is a daunting task for most people, they are employing them because they do not have the knowledge, skills or time to do it themselves so are immediately in a lesser position to the "expert". It is this knowledge/experience gap which some less reputable people have exploited and led to the general consensus that all tradespeople are "rip-off-merchants".
By approaching this in a systematized methodical manner I am trying to remove that anxiety in the initial stages and build a level of trust.
I apologize if I have rambled on and gone off the OPs track but I thought it might help to understand what is involved from the position of the trade professional. It might also help someone taking those initial steps into the self employed joinery world.
A little caveat, I am a qualified Civil Engineer, I have been around the whole "building-stuff-for-money" thing for years but I have only been running my own business for 12 months so I am far from seasoned! If any of the more experienced guys on here wanted to add to what I've said or recommend changes they would be gratefully received. Every day is a school day!
Will
