Allowing The Client to Watch You Perform Task and Answering Questions

I have a client who likes to come watch me build his ADU. Many clients will come by and look at the progress made, but this client likes to come out while I am working and study how I perform tasks. I may have to direct him as stand in another spot or give him other safety instructions, but in many ways his presence is similar to that of a new employee that you have to train. Except a few differences, he asks question and shares his observation.

I understand that many people do not like others to watch them, and others do not like to teach others how to do their trade. I believe that people who know what they are doing enjoy sharing their knowledge for the most part. There are those exceptions which must remain protected because of it being proprietary information. However, I find if you are able to explain the task you know the task. I understand that many feel the risk are to great, I would much rather have them come out while I’m there to supervise than sneak out when I’m not.

Taking the time to explain something opens the clients’ eyes to not only how something is done it shares with them the time it takes to preform the task and leaves them with a different perspective. There is a certain satisfaction which comes with your accomplishments and there is also satisfaction when you can see the beginning of understanding or the ability to appreciate your workmanship. Many people can appreciate the end result but not many can appreciate the workmanship it took for you to get those end results.

In many ways I think his coming out and watching and sometimes asking if he could do some simple tasks is his making this building his own. Yes, I have to keep the site clean and be concerned about his safety but are those bad things. Taking the time needed to be safer may keep me going a little longer. Showing him how to read the square and then layout the rafters did confuse him a bit but it also gave him an understanding of this craft. Explaining the difference between plumb and level helped him ask questions in a manor more easily understood by myself.

I do not believe that he will go out and begin building a project tomorrow or anytime soon. But the other day I overheard him talking to another person about his ADU. He was pointing out details which I had to explain to him. Not hard task but things I did to make it easier for task a homeowner does. Task such as hang curtains, of secure a bookshelf, mount their TV.

When he came out, I asked him where he planned on having certain items and was able to add the blocking to make his task easier and better in my opinion.  It struck me that he was not saying I’m building this ADU he was saying my contractor was doing this and that and this is why or this was done because. The man has become a walking advertisement for my company.

I need to consider his presence. It does take time to allow him to come to me, but he also is considerate of my time and does not abuse this opportunity. Still, he is able to reach people and explain things in a manor I may not have the opportunity to do. He also has asks if he could bring someone, he has talked to talk with me about building something on their property. He also asks when would be a good time. I believe there are some great benefits for allowing the clients to watch you build their structures. I understand that this is not doable on larger project where the crews are larger and multiple trades are on the project. There are some advantages to being a smaller contractor. We need to annualize what these are and capitalize on them.  

It is nice when someone sees the value in the services you provide. And I take pleasure in helping my clients turn their houses into their homes.

Note: Images on this blog site are from a free source or taken by the author. No image or group of photos is intended to represent the people the author serves. The author does not care about Race (that is a politically correct term that he does not like because we are all of the same Race, the Human Race. He prefers the term ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender, marital status, disability, genetic information, national origin, source of income, Veteran or military status, ancestry, citizenship, primary language or immigration status.) He is a service provider for all people. We will all rise together when we band together and help one another. Joseph Erwin is a Real Estate Broker, DRE # O2131799, and a CA general contractor # B 696662. He’s a member of the CRMLS and The East Valley Association of Realtors located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California.