Keep Business Running and Customers Happy During COVID-19

By Carol Katarsky, CertainTeed.

As the economy begins to reopen, manage your client relationships with these tips.

While some restrictions on construction and other economic activity are being lifted by state and local governments, it’s going to take a while until everyone is back to business as usual.  While that happens, you still have a business to run and customers to appease.  Below are some actions you can put in motion to maintain your client relationships, while also reducing the chances of any lost sales or project cancellations.

Communicate early and often

It’s more important than ever to keep lines of communication open with clients, vendors, workers, subcontractors, and any other involved party. Not only does COVID-19 come with a lot of uncertainty, the nature of the situation means information is changing often. 

First, if you haven’t already done so, make sure you have alternate contact information and secondary contacts for anyone you might need to reach quickly. With so many people working remotely, the contact information you have may no longer be the best way to reach them.

How and how often you communicate will depend on the circumstances in your area. Factors to consider include:

• Are customers going to need reassurance that their project is still progressing? 

• Do you need to ensure suppliers are ready to send materials? 

• Is your workforce (and your subcontractors’ workforce) ready to start working when you get the ‘all clear’?

No matter when you’re reaching out, or which platform you use to do it, transparency is key. Customers will appreciate clear communication about where things stand – and if you don’t have solid answers to some questions, it’s fine to say so. The last thing you want to do is make promises you can’t keep.

Know your rights and responsibilities 

The economy and supply chain have seen a lot of upheaval. As suppliers, subcontractors, and customers pivot to deal with their own economic pressures, the fallout can impact your ability to complete projects. 

Take time now to review your contracts and ensure you know exactly what your rights are if a customer wants or needs to delay or terminate a project. You’ll also want to review any risks or liabilities you might face if a supplier or subcontractor pulls out of a project or can’t meet their obligations. It’s a good idea to involve your lawyer, as there may be potential repercussions he or she is in a better place to foresee.

Start strategizing now about how you’ll deal with any of these complications if they crop up. Advanced gameplanning could save you time, stress and money later. If you have certain projects that seem particularly vulnerable to cancellation, consider contacting those customers first. If you can proactively address their concerns and get up-to-date information about where they stand, you may be able to find a solution shy of cancellation that works well for both parties. 

How to handle pending projects

For any projects that were about to be finalized, pursue them if you can – but be sure to give yourself some extra protection. The economic impacts of COVID-19 will be with us for a while, and no one is sure what they might become. Any contracts you enter now should include language that specifically addresses additional COVID-19 impacts. Contact your lawyer for specific help in determining what possibilities this language should cover in your future contracts. 

COVID-19 has created a challenging business environment for every building professional. Taking steps now to protect your company and reassure customers can make it easier to navigate these turbulent times.

Learn more about CertainTeed on their RCS directory.

Original article source: CertainTeed

About CertainTeed

Through the responsible development of innovative and sustainable building products, CertainTeed, headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania, has helped shape the building products industry for more than 110 years. Founded in 1904 as General Roofing Manufacturing Company, the firm's slogan "Quality Made Certain, Satisfaction Guaranteed," inspired the name CertainTeed. Today, CertainTeed is a leading North American brand of exterior and interior building products, including roofing, siding, solar, fence, decking, railing, trim, insulation, drywall and ceilings.

A subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, one of the world’s largest and oldest building products companies, CertainTeed has more than 6,900 employees and more than 60 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada. The group had total sales of approximately $3.9 billion in 2018. www.certainteed.com.