Clients Versus The Building Industry Part 1
I met a lady at a function years ago who started talking about Builders and how much she hates them, “ they are all crooks!”, according to her inner world. I was waiting for my chance to tell her I was one of those so-called crooks, as she had angrily expressed.
I don’t understand why Builders are classified the same as Used Car Salesmen. If a Doctor prescribes a drug to make the pain go away, they say “Good Drug! Good Drug”
Even though that drug might be liver toxic, and the Doctor gets a kick back for selling that drug. There are thousands of deaths per year by Doctors, yet they are classified as having the biggest respect in the community.
Why are Builders then down in the list? I really don’t understand the logic. 18 years ago I built a home in Toorak ( Melbourne Australia ) that ended up winning the best finishes of the year award 1999. The house took nearly 2 years to build. The Client didn’t like the fact that I was in my 30’s, he wanted someone much older. His perception was that an older Site Supervisor would do a better job than the young guy.
This client treated me badly for the first half of the job. He would ask my opinion on changes to the design, and how it would be best constructed. He would then ring around to see what others thought. He found after a while that whatever I recommended was what others were recommending or better. He then figured out that I knew what I was talking about.
Our relationship grew into respect, he now rings me from time to time for that advice, and it is always good to hear from him and talk about how the kids are growing up. I took some clients to see his house a while back, his praise and respect was quite profound. Unfortunately his filter at the start of the project was one of “This guy is too young to build my House!”
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What do you mean about filters?
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If I gave you a pair of green glasses and you put them on. Everything around you will look green. Say you forget to take these glasses off and I told you to look at a white sheet of paper, you would sit there and argue with me that the paper was green; we could then have a huge argument on who was right and who was wrong. We would be both right because of the different coloured glasses that we wear. Wars have started over things like this.
So that lady who hates Builders and thinks they are crooks! Her glasses unfortunately give her this evidence, doesn’t matter what you say and what you do, it will never change her opinion. Unless she takes off the glasses and sees things differently.
MY TIP OF THE WEEK
I challenge everyone to see what glasses you have on this week. Not just about Builders, but on people in general, do you hate taxi drivers because years ago you had a bad experience? Is it hereditary? Or just something that people have expressed and you have made a judgement? The list will be huge.
Why are Builders low on the list?
One theory I have is that people have to trust someone to build the biggest asset in their entire lives. It takes a lot, to get people to trust you with Building their houses.
Have a great week
Michael
