Don't Pressure Me!
I recently met with a client who had a frustrating experience. She invited a company into her home to get an estimate for a master bath remodel. After a short meeting, the company rep said they could do it for $40,000. She wanted to get another estimate, but the rep refused to leave. His price kept going down for 30 minutes until she was given an ultimatum: $13,000, but she had to sign a contract on the spot.
Hello, red flags! So many things are wrong here. First, it’s so hard to give an accurate estimate on the spot. There are just too many details to consider - from tile to shower glass to fixtures and finishes. And that’s just the work you can SEE. Who knows what lies behind the walls and underneath that 60 year old bathroom floor, and what needs to be brought up to code first?
Second, something crazy just happened to the value of their work. The price was slashed by more than 65% with no explanation. So was the value EVER $40,000? If she had agreed to the original price, how would she feel to know that the same company might do the same work for her neighbor for so much less?
Third, why the hard sell? What’s most important here - getting the job (and the down payment) or gaining a client for life? It seems like this person’s goal is simply to sign customers, regardless of whether or not they’ll have a good working relationship with each other.
Choosing the right company is the first decision you’ll make, and one of the most important. You want someone who will get to know you (and your family), how you want to do life together, and what your goals are.
We don’t have a “sales pitch”. There’s no script that we follow. That approach doesn’t resonate with the clients we want to attract. We aren’t salespeople. Maybe it sounds corny, but we like to think that we become a larger family every time we gain a new client.
The “hard sell” isn’t our thing. Your project’s cost is based on what you actually envision, and not from an inflated generic price list. It’ll be presented in a way that makes sense, with details and material choices tailored to your requests. You’ll have time to mull it over and ask us questions. And we’ll be there to help you (OK, that definitely sounds corny. I’m not sorry.)
