[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.
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