How do you Choose a Reliable Contractor?
Most of us are not handy at repairing things in and around the home. We may just simply lack the expertise to accomplish a given task or perhaps not physically capable. More complex projects require specialized equipment delivered by large trucks that need professional operators to accomplish their specific task. So from refrigerator repair to home additions to landscape renovations, how do you choose from a virtual who’s-who of available contractors? Do you just choose a local company in your neighborhood? Do you read ’unreliable’ online reviews that could be posted by anyone? Do you take a leap of faith and select the most popular listing or choose somone who advertises frequently? Hiring a trustworthy, fair and reliable contractor is more difficult today than ever. What can you do?
One of the very best places to begin for a business or contractor referral is with family, friends or neighbors for solid recommendations. These are people that you know and trust in giving you an honest opinion of their experiences. Most every business will tell you that their best advertising is by word-of-mouth. Hopefully it is all good because just one disgruntled customer can tell multiple people about their bad experience. For some reason bad word-of-mouth experiences can become more viral than good word-of-mouth experiences. This human behavior falls under the same heading as people being quicker to complain than to praise. Be sure to ask for and to check references.
What if you can find no one that can give you a reliable business referral? As the famous line goes, ‘Who you gonna call?’ One place to begin is with professional trade organizations. Although no one at a trade organization can recommend one company over another, they can tell you if the company in question is a member in good standing. Most reliable companies will be members of one or more trade or industry related organizations. An online search should give you a good listing of trade organizations for any specific industry. This can be on a local level, state level and even national level trade organizations.
Businesses that want to be recognized within certain municipalities will be members of their local area chamber of commerce. Ask your potential business\contractor if they are a member of at least one chamber of commerce. A phone call to their member chamber of commerce could also provide information on whether or not this entity is in good standing. Don’t expect a referral but only names of participating member businesses within the chamber.
Possibly the absolute best, unbiased and fact based information that you can unearth on any given business is the Better Business Bureau. Unlike popular web based “lists” that can be convoluted with unvalidated comments, a contractor does not have to pay to be listed or to be evaluated, whether good or bad, within the BBB. You are reported on unbiased facts only. Basically the Better Business Bureau exists to ensure integrity, performance and trust of businesses in how they relate to us, the consumer. Visit the BBB website and discover for yourself their mission statement and their values in their commitment to a better and ethical marketplace. http://www.bbb.org/us/BBB-Mission/ Best wishes in finding your best and most reliable choice for your business\contractor needs!
Buck & Sons Landscape Service, Inc. is an A+ Accredited Business with the Better Business Bureau of Ohio. http://www.bbb.org/centralohio/business-reviews/landscape-contractors/buck-and-sons-landscape-service-in-hilliard-oh-437
