How do you pick the right home services company, and be nice afterwards?

Perform a Google search. Find a home services provider. Review their website. Go to third party sites and read their reviews. Pick a provider. Provider comes to your home. They perform the job. You pay. Everyone leaves happy.

Pretty simple, right? No. Especially in the middle of the summer.

If you’ve been following my blogs, you know that I primarily write about health and fitness. Well, I’ve got another part of my life as a digital marketing manager for a home services company. I’ve seen first-hand some of the operations of a heating, cooling, plumbing and electrical company. I know the demands that contractors go through, but I also know what it’s like on the consumer side.

Consumer Viewpoint

As a mom and homeowner, I’ve had to wait for my share of contractors – including a plumber. When I lived in Peoria, Illinois. We bought a house that had a toilet that continually clogged. I did my research and called a plumber. The customer service representative I talked to got me scheduled 5 days out with a 4-hour window. She also let me know that there was a fee for the plumber to come out to my house. Why do I have to pay a fee? Shouldn’t I only have to pay for actual services performed? Well, I needed a plumber, and I scheduled him to come out. The plumber that showed up was very professional and informative as he performed the service of unclogging my drain. The cost ended up being over $100, very expensive for the work done in my mind.

My Viewpoint Now

Now that I am on the “inside,” I know some of the workings of a home services company.

Summer time is one of the busiest times for home services. Think about it, many people are trying to buy a home or sell their home because their kids are out of school. It’s warm enough outside to start doing renovation projects around the house. All that demand means contractors, AC repair/replacement companies, plumbers, electricians, lawn maintenance, and more are slammed with calls. My clogged toilet happened in the summer, so now I understand why I had to wait 5 days.

We also live in a world of instant gratification and convenience. You want to eat something? Well, there is a fast food place right around the corner. You want to buy something? You can do it at the tip of your fingers with your mobile device.

Plus, there is a shortage in the number of qualified technicians out there. Not many people want to work the long hours plumbers and electricians work. Many people are taught to go to college and get a degree instead of going into a trade like plumbing. Supply and demand tell you that qualified contractors will be expensive.

So what does that mean to you as a home owner? Please have some patience with the home service providers you have out to your house. They are in demand during the dead of summer. Because of their demand and the lack of workforce, highly rated home service providers can charge a bit more for services. They also have to pay for the gas to get to your house, so I now understand the fee to drive out. Again, have some patience when you have issues with your home.