2.1    Introduction

We will certainly
get to the fundamentals of being a handyperson, but this module will focus on clients, customers and how to meet with clients.

You can have the most skills in your local area, but if you cannot relate to customers,
you will not be able to build a successful
business. Working as a handyperson is not a type of job where you will cold call or reach out to people. Instead,
potential customers will be coming to you. They might do this via telephone, SMS, or even email from your website.

One of the things you will learn as you begin working with customers
is that you will not want to target every homeowner that contacts you. One of the reasons for this is that some people are simply comparison shopping
and looking for quotes. If you do not give them the lowest quote, they will not choose you, no matter what.

 2.2    Handling Enquiries

Since you likely do not have a lot of sales experience, you might need some pointers
on dealing with client enquiries.

Where possible, it is best to handle all client enquiries
via telephone and email.

The key to any sale is coherent and clear information. The more clearly you can describe your services and fees to potential customers,
the more comfortable people will be when working with you.

Free Quotes and Free Estimates

One of the first things you should make a decision on as you work towards offering services to your customers is if you will offer free quotes or free estimates. You have surely seen marketing
materials that offer “free quotes”,
but is that how you want to run your business?

This might sound like a great idea, but you will definitely
see a large influx of customer enquiries and this will lead to spending more time giving quotes than actually working.

Remember - most people will start the process of finding a handyperson by comparison shopping for the lowest rates. Thus, offering
free quotes is not the best, or most profitable, way to spend your time.

As an alternative to offering a “free quote”, you might instead use wording like “free estimate
upon request”, or similar.

Some handypersons will create a minimum service
charge and stick to that, for all potential customers.

A minimum service charge is the fee that customers
will pay to have you physically come to their home.

If you choose to charge a fee for your in-person quote, you might also want to consider
subtracting the cost of that quote if the client hires you for the job. This way, the quote is included in the final price.

Considering Email

Gone are the days where people will focus specifically on telephone communication. In fact, most people now much prefer email and SMS to the telephone.
In the case of supplying
quotes, email is best.

There are a number of reasons for this, including
the main reason - you can send photos back and forth. These photos will help you to make a better judgment
call about whether or not you want to do the job and can also give a customer
a much better estimate.

Fact

Source: Which.co.uk

2.3    Should You Take a Job? Or Not?

As enquiries start coming in, you will find that there are some you cannot do and some that you simply do not want to do.

Depending on how your bookings are, you also might have to take some undesirable jobs.

Remember, this is free, so you do not want to put too much time into it, especially
if you are not confident
about your skills in that area. The more you can get out of your customer
about the issue they are having or the service they require,
the better you can provide an estimate
and/or quote to them.

 2.4    Meeting With a Customer for the First Time

Once you have given a customer an estimate on the job they have, they often will want an exact quote.

This is when you will schedule a meeting with them for the first time. The best-case scenario
is that you will be meeting clients who are ready to do business - and in most situations, this will happen.

If you are following the advice in this course, you will have already spoken to or emailed the potential
client a few times and will have given them a free estimate. Now, it is time to meet them for a formal quote and you should bring the following
with you:-

Your Vehicle and Tools

You should always bring your work vehicle and your tools when you meet a customer
for a quote. There are a couple of reasons for this.

First, it helps you to look legitimate to your customers.
This is very important when you are first starting
out.

The second reason to do this is that you might be able to do the job right there and then. If so, you have your tools easily accessible.

Statement of Works

You should also have a statement of works, or SOWs, for the customers

A Statement
of Works (SOW) will serve as your contract and will describe
the job specifications.

You do not require legal counsel in
this case - all you need is an agreement between yourself and your customer. Many handypersons will have
pre-printed SOWs, which will allow you to fill in the blanks.

 Here is what you should put on it:

*Contact and business details

*Client's name and address

*Job description - this should include costs, including labour and materials.

*Total price

*Payment method
- i.e. cash, cheque,
credit, deposit, etc.

*Proposal period of validity
- Keep in mind that not all clients will accept a proposal when they get it. They might want to think about it, or use the proposal
to compare to other offers. To ensure that your customers can't come back in months, or even years, with the same proposal, you should put a period of validity
on the POWs. The average is around seven days from the date of the agreement.

*Standard clause - You should also include a standard clause.

An example is to say that all work will be done in a professional manner and that any additional work will incur additional
fees. You should also state that you are
insured (you have to be) and that any disputes
will be settled by arbitration or court of law.

*Space for the client's
signature

*Space for your signature

*Date

A Sales Brochure

When you first start your career as a handyperson, you might not have a sales brochure,
but as soon as you can get one, you should start using it when you see a client for the first time.

Sales brochures are helpful because most of the clients you have will use your services
again - and this brochure will be a good reference for them.

You might perhaps
fix their squeaky
floorboards the first time you visit, but next month, they might have leaky guttering. They can simply look in your sales brochure, see that you offer this service and guess who they will likely contact?
You.

Hardware Store Catalogue

You also want to bring a hardware store catalogue
with you. This might seem strange, but often, you will have to replace parts and there may be several options. So, when this occurs, you can give your customer the catalogue, they can choose the part and you will make them happy.

You can also give clients the opportunity to buy the parts themselves. If you purchase
the parts for them, consider
adding a minimum
mark-up charge of 10%. This helps to cover your efforts to get the part for the customer and adds a bit of cash into your pocket.

Fact

The average mark-up
for a handyperson in the UK when purchasing parts ranges from about 10% to 50%, depending on the product.

Source: Ultimatehandyperson.co.uk

A Good Appearance

When you become a handyperson, you also want to make sure you make a good first impression when meeting a client for the first time. Not only should you look presentable, but so should your vehicle.

For a handyperson, even denim jeans, as long as they are clean, along with a polo-style shirt is fine, too. Dressing well also has an added effect when considering your business - it will give you more confidence.

Activity
1

Estimated time: 15 minutes

In order to get you on the right track with your handyperson business,
it is good to have the forms you need before getting
started. So, you should start by making your own Statement of Works.

This will be a simple form, for now, but it is a good activity to get you used to the business
side of a handyperson business.
The list of items that you should include on this form is listed above and all you will need is a computer or other device with a word processing or notes programme.

If you do not have one of these programmes, there are free apps that you can download.

2.5   
Establishing Your Scope of Work and Getting a Contract  Signed

 As soon as you are welcomed
into the property, your job as a handyperson begins.

Depending on the type of job you are doing, you might have to gain access to certain areas of a client's
home. Ask permission
to move things around, if things are cluttered, such as under the sink - and be gentle with the client's belongings. If the client's
home is messy and you have  difficulty
accessing the area where you will work, make sure to add this into your estimate.
Alternatively, you should ask the client to clean the area before your work begins.

Some handypersons establish
fixed prices for certain jobs.

For instance

You might charge a certain amount for all door fittings,
or have an amount that you charge per square footage
for painting.

If you do this for your most common jobs, it will make creating
quotes much easier. Keep in mind that there will be charges added to these fixed prices, but these will vary, based on customer
needs.

Creating Your Quote

As you start to examine what needs to be done, you should have a notepad at hand. Once you have the details of what is necessary, you will take one of your SOWs and fill it out. Mention every small detail that you can think of, including
things such as clean up, but do not insert a monetary amount just yet. Once you have filled out the SOW, sit with the client and explain
what is included in your proposal.

As you explain,
allow your client to ask questions and ensure that they understand that this is a professional job. Once they understand this, you will see that they become much more comfortable with paying a professional.

It is important that you put everything in writing when discussing a quote with your clients.

For instance

If you discuss something specific that a client wants, such as a particular paint colour, but do not put it in writing, it is null and void

This might not sound like an issue when talking about something
simple, but if a legal case comes against you for some reason, you will surely want to ensure that you have every detail of your conversation down on record.

Once you and the client have discussed
everything, ask them to sign the SOW. This signature
does not mean that they are obligated
to hire you, it means that they acknowledge that you have discussed the situation with them and given them the quote. They can always back out.

Using Your Smart Phone

Another thing that you should consider during your first visit to a client's
home is to keep your smartphone nearby. Alternatively, you can use a tablet, such as an iPad.

You should use your device to take photos of the home and area you are working in.

By recording the conditions that you are working in when you first arrive, you can rely on those later to create your quote.

Alternatively, you can use the photos you take for your website or your brochure, as “before and after” photos.
Finally, if there is ever a dispute,
you can rely on these photos to either prove or disprove
a point.

Estimates Must Be Accurate

Before closing out this module, we want to share one more point about creating estimates.
When you are providing any type of estimate, it is important
that you give an accurate
estimate

This estimate will have a direct impact on your profits and could make or break the relationships with your clients.
Remember, if you have not taken everything into account before you and your client sign an agreement, it is too late

Take time to check all estimates at least twice before handing
them to a customer. You must be aware of all related
costs of the job, account
for your time and make sure to add all of that into your final quote. Remember, if things are missing from the original
quote and you require them later, they will come out of your pocket.

For instance

If a client hires you for a painting job, but you forget to add the cost of primer, when you need that primer,
you must pay for it on your own.

Activity 2

Estimated time 15 - 20 minutes

It is common for handypersons to have
fixed prices for their most common services and it is never too early to begin your list of prices.
So, make a list of some of the most common services that you plan on providing.
Many of these services were listed in Module 1 if you need a reference.

Once you have your list, start doing some research
online in your local area. Many handyperson services list base prices on their website
and you can use that to get an idea of what you might charge for your own services.

Remember, several factors will go into
this price, including location and experience. So, try to find local handyperson companies
to compare prices to.

2.6    Understanding Customer Expectations

Finally, you
must understand what the expectations of your customers are.

As mentioned, your first client meeting will set the tone for your relationship with them. You must know what a customer expects from a handyperson, or you will not likely exceed them.

You might have heard, or even used, the term “exceed client expectations”. This is often thrown around in the business world, but too many people do not take the time to really understand what customers want.

It is also good to listen for clues about what your client wants.

For example

Imagine that you are sitting in a meeting with them about a possible
job. You notice that they apologise for the lack of lighting
in the home. Consider providing
a better bulb to brighten
things up, free of charge. Yes, it might cost you £5, but the impression you make could bring a lot of profit.

Though this is a small thing, be smart about it. If you see something such as a crack in the siding whilst at a customer's house, this is not something
that you should fix for free. A light bulb is a small, but meaningful gesture,
which will not make or break you. Getting into the  habit 
of  giving  free services is not going to make your business profitable.

This, of course, will not make up for doing a poor job, but it will certainly help to tip the scale your way. Remember - and this is worth repeating - it is imperative that you lay out everything that you are going to do for a client and make sure that you clearly explain your intentions. This includes what you will do, when you will do it and how much it will cost.

The main thing the customer will expect from you is to do what they are paying you for.

 Assignment

Meeting Clients/Establishing Job Requirements

 Time: 30+ minutes

 Hopefully, you took in as much of the information in this module as possible.
To find out how well you have done, complete the following
worksheet.

Module Summary