HOW TO FIND REPUTABLE TRADESMEN

We've all seen the BBC's Rogue Trader and ITV's House of Hell programmes, and they can be truly horrifying, especially if you're on the cusp of having some work completed in your home - be it correcting a dripping tap, an electrical fault or even planning a kitchen installation.  It absolutely infuriates us how many Bodgit 'n' Scarper merchants there are out there, and how they get away with ripping people off for so long. 

Sadly scams and fraud are on the increase, so how can you find a reputable tradesperson, with high integrity and ability, to work respectfully in your home?  Well, we have come up with 6 key steps you can follow, which will help you find such a tradesperson - because they do exist - you just have to know how to look for them!

Word-of-Mouth: This is usually a very reliable means of finding a tradesman; if a friend or relative has had a good experience and are raving about the excellent sales and service they have received, then your search is, quite possibly, over.

Never underestimate how much time, hassle and money a word-of-mouth recommendation can save you.  There's even a website who champions the finest companies, venues and products in your area, why not give them a try?  Our local website can be found at www.thebestof.co.uk/kettering - give it a whirl - you'll be pleased you did!

Address & Contact Details: Does the business have a trading address, landline phone number and a website? Companies who trade only via a mobile phone number and/or without a stated trading address, might best be avoided, as it could prove difficult to track them down and contact them should things go awry. This may also signal that they don’t pay tax, VAT and/or public or employer liability insurances, which could have repercussions for you in the worst case scenario. Always double check and ask for their VAT registration number and have sight of their public liability insurance certificate if you’re in any doubt whatsoever. You may also consider visiting the stated trading premises to verify it’s actually there, and to also see what you think – does it represent the company well? Are you more or less favourable towards that company now?

Trade Associations: Does the business belong to any trade associations, such as The Federation of Small Businesses or The Guild of Master Craftsmen? Membership to these associations does not in itself guarantee that a company is reputable, but if you can verify the business does belong to a trade association, then you will have a means of redress should something go off course, as they will mediate and seek a satisfactory resolution to any complaints on your behalf; they may also expel the errant business from their association. You can contact the Federation of Small Businesses via 01253 336 000 or http://www.fsb.org.uk/. To verify a Guild of Master Craftsmen member, contact them via 01273 478449 or http://www.guildmc.com/. Membership to these associations requires consistently high levels of sales and service, so to belong to them is a very good indication of the company’s resolve and intent.

Testimonials: Does the company have any current customer testimonials available for you to read? Do they have very many? Any website the company may have is an ideal place to display customer testimonials – check it out. It might also be wise to ask to see the original copies too, just to be sure. An honest and legitimate business owner will have no problem supplying you with this information, if they’re truly confident of their past and their customer’s satisfaction.

Google: If you’re online, Google them and see what comes up, or ask a friend or relative to do it for you – you’d be surprised what may show itself during a search.

Instinct: Never underestimate yourself! If your instincts are telling you something isn’t right or doesn’t add up then trust and listen to those instincts. Your instincts are there to protect you, so don’t disregard them.

We have loads more money and hassle saving advice in our 20 THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE REFURBISHING YOUR KITCHEN guide, and what's more, it's entirely FREE to download! 

Follow this link for your free copy: http://bit.ly/FreeExpertAdvice and save yourself time, money and hassle.

NETWORKING A-GO-GO!

[Karan]:  Naturally, I'm quite a shy person.  That sound you just heard was of my friend's ribs pinging with merriment in response to that statement.  No, really, I am quite shy, and can find meeting new people a bit of a challenge - it certainly can take me out of my comfort zone.  But this is starting to change.

In a previous life I worked for a motorsport company and would regularly stand up in front of a room full of people and espouse the virtues of our sport, team and sponsors etc, but it was all so huge and corporate.  Ian had a theory that I became someone else whilst wearing the team kit; reverting back to my true self once home.  And he may have been right. 

Meeting new IKD Customers was initially much harder because it's the start of a much longer relationship and, oftentimes, even friendship.  Working in someone's home, and designing them a room they will live with for a very long time, is a big responsibility, and so we like to get to know our Customers as well as possible.  This involves a lot of time, discussion and listening, but it really bears fruit because the Customer always gets what they want, and we acquire another glowing testimonial.  But not only that....

As you are probably already aware, IKD have been trading since 1992, and we now have a very large Customer database, of which we are very proud.  What we have found in our (almost) eighteen years of business is that it can surprise you who knows who; it's a small world - and this is where networking comes into its own.  From a commercial sense, if you have one satisfied customer who recommends you to all of their friends, who recommend you to their friends etc, you have enough work to keep you busy and to grow a business.  This works in the negative sense just as well, where you can find yourself out of business in a hurry thanks to the ire of dissatisfied Customers.  Ian and I are always mindful of this trusim: a satisfied Customer will recommend you to five friends, but a dissatisfied ex-customer will disparage you to anyone within earshot.  You know it's true.

Nowadays, it's all networking a-go-go with other small business owners, but not necessarily to sell more kitchens, bedrooms or bathrooms (although we do, and that's great), but more for support, advice and development.  With Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin making connections with new people (you would never have met otherwise) so much easier, the pool of support and information is infinate.  The new connections I have made since Christmas have changed my thought processes, marketing strategy and general outlook on life, so I have therefore decided not to participate in shyness any longer.  From now on I will attend every networking event that'll have me, and strike up conversations all over the place because, one way or another, it's good for business!

MR F's PEACE OF MIND

[Karan]: How valuable is peace of mind to you?  Very valuable is my guess, because it's true for almost all of us.  But it's so hard to come by these days, isn't it? 

I have been on the phone with Mr F. this morning, who is very impressed and keen to accept our quotation to design and refurbish his kitchen, but is worried once he's paid his deposit that we're going to go bankrupt or run off with his money.  I am happy to confirm that we are not going to go bankrupt, or run off with his money, but looking at it entirely from his perspective; I would say that wouldn't I? 

IKD has been highly recommended to Mr F., but as he has no prior knowledge or experience of us, how can he be sure that we are as honest, reliable and hard working as we claim to be? 

Mr F. is not the first, nor will he be the last potential customer to worry about being ripped off, and quite rightly too.  There are too many untrained, unregistered and uninsured Bodgit 'n' Scarper merchants working out of the back of their vans, completing inferior work (if at all) and charging the earth for bugger all, if I'm honest.  So we have to separate ourselves, to differentiate ourselves from Bodgit 'n' Scarper Co.  How have we persuaded Mr F. and others like him, that we are strong, established and have integrity and ability in equal measure?  By letting our work, integrity and ability speak for themselves via customer testimonials.

Have you noticed the current trend online?  People want reviews, and lots of them, before they will buy online, because it's the only means they have of minimising their risk.  Websites with their pages of text and pretty pictures (including ours) are no longer adequate by themselves to persuade customers to buy; they need verification that all will be well once they commit to a purchase - and I'm as cautious as anyone else when I buy online.  You'd be a fool otherwise.

So the answer for IKD was simple: customer testimonials.  We are very lucky that many of our customers feel compelled to put pen to paper - or more likely digit to keyboard - to thank us for the wonderful job we have done in adding value to their home, in a timely manner.  It then gives me enormous pleasure to add these testimonials to our website for all to see, hoping to persuade Mr F. that it's entirely safe to go ahead with his IKD kitchen refurbishment.  But we can offer more than that!

We need to address Mr F's main concern about losing his money, so we will walk a mile in his shoes to do that.  However competitively priced IKD are - and we are - the cost of a new kitchen, bedroom or bathroom etc is still a very large purchase for anyone - it's right up there with buying a car, or a holiday.  In such circumstances, Mr F. would be required to pay for the car or holiday outright before he could drive it away or jet off for drinks by the pool. 

We're aware that the huge national chain stores offer 0% interest finance, but we're too small an enterprise for that just yet, so we concede that point.  But what Mr F. will get from IKD in lieu of 0% finance, is 100% interest in how well we refurbish his kitchen, and a 100% commitment to customer satisfaction and after sales care - he need only read what all of those before him have said about us.  And on top of that, we belong to The Federation of Small Businesses and The Guild of Master Craftsmen to give Mr F. two separate means of redress should his nightmare scenario actualise, and we run off with his money for drinks by the pool.  But can I make another point?

Ian and I began this business in 1992 and it has been our life's work.  We love this business passionately and have nurtured it from it's infancy, into becoming the benchmark by which our competitors are judged.  We have a kitchen showroom (soon) and workshop premises, so we're not going anywhere.  We are insured to the teeth, as verified by our Liability Insurance Certificate displayed in the showroom.  There are two means of redress, in the unlikely event Mr F's nightmares become a reality, and we have pages of customer testimonials for him to review. 

And finally, we have a three-part payment plan designed as a compromise for all of our major refurbishment work, which covers our costs throughout the job, whilst still affording Mr F. security and leverage by way of a 25% final payment, payable upon the satisfactory completion of his work.  Now how can we say fairer than that?!

If you're reading this Mr F., please rest assured that you will receive only the best attention from IKD at all times and that we're eager to exceed your wildest expectations, just like we've done hundreds of times before for our legions of delighted, satisfied - and very loyal - customers.

Please click this link to view our Customer Testimonials : http://bit.ly/IKDtestimonials

Please click this link to read our Customer Care Policy : http://bit.ly/IKDcare

Please click this link to verify our membership to The Guild of Master Craftsmen : http://www.findacraftsman.com/

OFFICIAL : IKD CUSTOMERS ARE THE BEST!

[Ian]: It never ceases to amaze me how lovely some of our Customers are, considering the upheaval we put them through while we work. We always try to be as considerate as we can be, with dust sheets and clearing up at the end of the day etc; but you'd think we'd moved mountains with the gratitude and thanks we get! We love it - it makes it all so worthwhile and very rewarding. We also love the cups of tea and Hob Nob biscuits, but that's another story...

[Karan]: It's true, IKD really do have the best Customers in the world, and I know this to be true because I've completed a global poll* and have just finished counting. Please don't anyone dare demand a recount!

The testimonials we receive are enormously heartening, and we're very grateful and proud of them. During the recent 14 Days of Love poll conducted by The Best of Kettering website, IKD finished joint fourth - out of 250+ Kettering businesses - which we were understandably delighted about: thank you again to everyone who voted for us, we love you too!

To all our potential and prospective Customers: the endless cups of tea - and especially the Hob Nob biscuits - are entirely optional, and are in no way expected. Honestly, they're spoilt and will only get used to it!

* For the avoidance of doubt, I didn't really conduct a global poll, but still believe our Customers to be the best in the world