How To Become A Trusted Heating & Plumbing Business

Checkatrade recently published a report looking at trust in the trades—and they found that only 52% of customers express feelings of trust and confidence when hiring a tradesperson. 

For all the repeat business you get from loyal customers, this may not be such an issue. These are customers that, over the years, you’ve slowly built up and earned their trust. But the fact remains that every trades business, big or small, needs new customers to top off the numbers or even grow the business. 

Here’s the problem: in today’s digital world, people are increasingly suspicious and sceptical. Many more customers are taking to finding tradespeople online where horror stories of rogue tradespeople make headlines and bad reviews linger. Even if you run a perfectly honest and reputable business, new customers are less likely to trust you. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything you can do about it.

Access a copy of the report here.

What’s causing the lack of trust?

Firstly, the report identified that nearly two-thirds of customers have experienced a rogue tradesperson. Even though certain industries and areas are more affected, the lack of trust can carry across. 

Secondly, poor trust can stem from issues of “poor workmanship (38%), incomplete jobs (24%), use of substandard materials (20%), and failure to meet agreed specifications (25%)”.

What do customers care about?

Customers still believe that quality of work is most important (68%), but others suggested cost considerations (62%), experience (53%), professionalism (44%), and personal recommendations (52%). 

But, most importantly, the report found that customers are increasingly viewing trust and reliability as more important (26%) than cost (18%). This suggests that customers are willing to pay more for a business they trust, although with one caveat: transparency.

The issue of quoting

The study also revealed that a great deal of distrust, or even simply hesitation, came from the quoting process. A variety of unforeseen circumstances can mean that final invoices go higher than the original quote, but only 63% of consumers say that the final bill met the initial quote, and only 59% are informed of price increases. Furthermore, only 37% received a fully itemised written quote before the job started.

Because of poor quoting practices, 56% of customers believe they have been overcharged or hit with hidden fees in a quote.

Create & send professional quotes in seconds with Gas Engineer Software.

How can you become more trustworthy?

The one key takeaway from the report is that being trustworthy allows you to charge more for your work, and therefore earn more money. This is obvious enough, but most trades businesses build trust through skilled workmanship and years of service. How do you actually build trust with customers you’ve never completed a job for?

Here are some ideas to get you started: 

• Ask for referrals. Getting a recommendation is still hugely important when it comes to trust. You can encourage customers to refer you by handing out business cards, sending out emails to past customers, or simply asking if they know anyone who might need work done.
• Collect reviews. Almost every single new customer will check for your reviews online nowadays, even if they’ve recommended your business. Ask your customers to leave a review on Google and platforms like Checkatrade. Read our full guide on why reviews matter and how to get them.

“Reviews are massive. I get a lot of work [because people say] I can see all your reviews online and I can trust you.”

– Ryan Mills from G.D. MILLS

• Send professional-looking and detailed quotes. A good quote can make or break a job for you. It should look professional and have a detailed breakdown of all the work and prices on it – not just a lump sum. Using an online quoting software like Gas Engineer Software makes this quick, easy, and effective.
• Use platforms like Checkatrade. Many customers use these websites to find tradespeople. There’s no harm in making an account, collecting some reviews, and casting a wider net for new customers.
• Post photos of your work online. Since the report identified that poor workmanship was one of the leading causes of poor trust, why not start posting some photos of your work online? It could be a bathroom you’ve recently renovated or a boiler you just installed. If you’re doing this already, be sure to post consistently. Read our social media guide here.
• Prioritise communication. The first call and first impression can greatly influence whether a customer trusts you. Be helpful, friendly, and offer good advice where you can. The goal is to make the customer feel valued and not like you’re just after some quick money. Likewise, if a project is going to be delayed or extra parts might increase the prices, let your customer know as soon as possible.