Set the standard: provide warranty repair guidelines

Custom Home, Jan-Feb, 2003 by Carol Smith

With the best of intentions, builders often advise company personnel and trade contractors to provide "good" warranty service to homeowners. Unfortunately, unless "good" is defined, the message can be lost in the translation. Assuming that a warranty repair person will have the exact attitudes and habits you think are appropriate endangers your reputation.

Eliminate this risk quickly and easily by setting behavioral standards for in-house or trade repair personnel, reviewing the information with them, and revising the list as new items arise. For starters, consider these standards, adapted from my book Warranty Service for Home Builders, which is available from BuilderBooks.com.

Preliminaries

* Check the work order to see if you have any questions. If so, contact the warranty administrator for help.

* If the work order includes a work date, note it on your calendar.

* Confirm that you have all necessary tools and materials. Order required items.

* Estimate the amount of time the work will take and arrange your schedule to complete the repair in one trip as often as possible.

* If no work date appears on the work order, contact the homeowner to schedule a repair appointment.

* Give yourself a 30-minute range to allow for traffic and other unexpected events:

** Commit to at least a morning or afternoon time frame.

** If you will be late, call the homeowner as soon as you know, apologize, and offer the choice of waiting or rescheduling for another day.

Upon Arrival

* Park in the street.

* Refrain from smoking on the homeowner's property.

* Take the work order and a business card with you to the door.

* If you have not met the homeowner before, introduce yourself and give him or her a business card.

* Avoid using first names until the homeowner invites you to do so.

* Remove or cover your shoes before entering the home.

* Review the repair item(s) and their location(s) with the homeowner if necessary.

* If the homeowner changes or misses the repair appointment, note this on the service order and inform the warranty administrator.

* If the homeowner is not home when you arrive:

** Wait a minimum of 10 minutes and then leave a door hanger.

** Notify the warranty administrator.

** Contact the homeowner to reschedule.

* While an appointment may not be necessary, contact the homeowner prior to performing any exterior work. Leave a door hanger after completing exterior work so the homeowner knows you were there.

Repair Work

* Check the work area. If any cosmetic damage exists, note it on the work order, clearly describing the size, location, and type of damage. Ask the homeowner to initial your note.

* Be aware of your surroundings to ensure that children, pets, and the homeowner's belongings will not be harmed.

* Protect counters, floors, and other surfaces from tools, toolboxes, drips, and dust with a drop cloth or other material.

* Ask the homeowner to remove personal items or furniture from the work area.

* If conditions are inappropriate for the work you need to do, leave and reschedule the repair appointment.

* If you need to use the homeowner's electricity or water to perform the repair, ask permission first. Avoid using the homeowner's phone or bathroom unless he or she volunteers that you are welcome to do so.

* Perform the needed repair(s) efficiently and within your company's standards.

* If you are uncertain about how something should be done, contact the warranty manager or builder.

* If a follow-up visit is necessary to complete the work, schedule it immediately and inform the warranty administrator.

* Refrain from making any negative comments to the homeowner about the work of others, personnel, the company, or the community.

* If you notice a serious problem, report it to the warranty office immediately.

* Use the 10-minute rule to screen new items: If you can do the work in 10 minutes, do so and note it on the work order so the warranty file is complete.

* Immediately report any damage caused by toolboxes, dirty shoes, mistakes, or accidents so appropriate corrections can be arranged.

Conclusion

* Clean up the work area: Remove all tools, materials, dust, and debris.

* Make brief notes of what you did to repair the item(s).

* Inform the homeowner you are finished.

* Request the homeowner's signature on the work order. If the homeowner is unavailable or prefers not to sign the work order, make a note of that.

* Sign and date the work order and turn it in to the warranty office.

Today's home buyers expect a level of service that is effective, polished, and pleasant. To accomplish this, planning and training are essential.

With the inevitable turnover among trade contractor personnel, you may find keeping everyone informed about your expectations a real challenge. Consider printing these guidelines on the back of your work order forms to create an ever-present reminder. While not every service technician will read and abide by them, those who do will contribute to your company's reputation for excellence.

Carol Smith offers customer service assessment, consulting, and training programs for home builders. She can be reached at csmithhomeaddress@att.net.