Where Good Neighbors and Good Servicemen Meet
Shopping For Services
Trust is more important than price.
Most of our shopping is for some product, rather than for a service. When you know exactly what you want, and warranty is not an issue, it makes perfect sense to shop for the lowest price. I do that all the time. But sometimes you don't know what you want.
First Example
I was having back problems, so I went shopping for a new mattress. The first two mattress stores had plenty of merchandise, but that's all. My next stop was at All American Sleep & Mattress, where I talked to the owner. Jack knew his business, and asked all the right questions. He carefully helped me select the make and model that has proved to be the perfect solution to my back problem.
Once I knew what I needed, I was faced with a choice: Would I buy from Jack, or would I go "price shopping?" I felt Jack had earned my business, so I didn't allow myself to be tempted by checking prices elsewhere. Jack will always be my friend and my sleep consultant.
When you call a serviceman, you are depending on someone else to solve your problem. That's when trust becomes more important than price. In the Kool Konnection, a Kool Kustomer is connected to a Kool Kontractor. The result is a good relationship and a repair job that is well done.
Second Example
I recently got involved in an unkool connection. Marty had a difficult problem that took me half a day to fully diagnose. I'm pretty careful, and I had to be sure before I condemned his equipment. Finally, I came to a conclusion: He needed a new central AC match up, and the model I recommended would cost him $3200.
Marty then went price shopping, and bought exactly what I had recommended. He gave the job to someone who was cheaper and less qualified. Marty saved $330, but lost our professional relationship. Besides that, the job may come back to haunt him later, and the cut-rate contractor may not be able to solve his problem. He may not even be available.
Third Example
Melvin called with an emergency—he lives 25 miles from my office. XYZ company is in his neighborhood, so I suggested he call them. He had, but they were busy with their regular customers. Lots of folk shop around for AC services, and never call the same guy twice. Melvin may have been a price shopper.
XYZ is a great company, and here's what Melvin should do for the future. Every year he should call XYZ for a spring check-up—he might even opt for a service contract. Melvin lives in a Texas mobile home. He can't afford to be without air conditioning.
Fourth Example
Taking bids is a common type of price shopping, but it can get you into trouble. After assessing his situation, I wrote the homeowner the letter that follows:
Dear Ed,
Neither of my two employees is skinny enough to get under your house, so I bow out of the competition.
You said you wanted a fair bid, and I appreciate that. But your job is not something we see on a regular basis, so it's really difficult to assess how much work is involved. Let's say I were to bid on your job.
If I bid too high, I would lose the job. If I bid too low, I would lose money. It's a catch 22.
If I were in your position, I would forget the bidding. Find someone you trust, and ask for a ball park figure. He could even give you a price based on certain equipment and so many hours. If additional supplies or time are needed, you could pay the extra on a time/material basis.
Bottom Line:
I have given four illustrations to show: when it comes to a service, trust is more important than price. Even if the price is a little higher, the trustworthy repairman will never take advantage of you. Our Word Of Mouth Pages Directory will help you find a repairman you can trust.
I suggest you register as a Kool Kustomer—it's free. You can then build your own personal service directory. Each time you find a good serviceman, you should quickly transfer his listing from the Word of Mouth Pages Directory to your personal service directory. We will automatically upgrade your "My Directory" every time your provider files an update.
Be a Kool Shopper,
Dr. Kool
