My wife was looking for a roofing company for a homeowner’s association to redo about 60 roofs all at once. The job is likely in the $500,000+ range. She was given a recommendation by her dad who has been in construction for decades. The roofing company owner is an older guy with a lot of money and a few different businesses. My wife called several times to get budgets over a month or two timespan. She never received a return call.
Eventually, a secretary for the roofing company called my wife, and told her, “He didn’t want to return your call because your dad hasn’t been talking to him lately.”
Could you imagine this being a professional reason? Is he not in the business of making money? Is $500,000 such a small amount that you can ignore it for that reason?
This guy has been in the roofing business for decades. I have a hunch that if he was just getting started in the business and he was younger, he was less financial stable, he was looking for a big gig to make a name for himself on and a reference, my wife would have had that budget in hand pretty quick.
This isn’t to say that if you’re more established, you care less automatically. It’s a reminder that accountability to customers should be refreshed routinely. If not, you’ll find your reputation shifting in a bad way.
None of this is Right 