So I was having one of those Mondays yesterday. You know, the kind where you wish it was just a dream. I woke up to find that my hard drive had crashed and I had failed to make a back-up in the last couple months. Frustrated is the polite word for my feelings. Anyhow, while researching the possibilities of recovering my lost data I receive a phone call... Not just any phone call, but a phone call I had been expecting to receive, but not how it transpired. It began with "This is 'Steve' the 'general supervisor' for xxxx homes...."
Oh boy! Not today, I think to myself. I don't need this call today. I sit down and prepare for battle...
A few weeks ago I performed a warranty inspection for some clients coming up on their 11th month warranty period of their brand new home. I was very familiar with this subdivision and the builder as I have had numerous inspections and a few conflicts with them in the past. This particular home was not much different than many of the others I had inspected in the area... Poor roofing practices and installation, inadequate and poorly blown insulation, negative grading, improperly install stair stringers at the deck, moisture intrusion at the entrance doors, baseboard trim waving hello as I walked in, bubbling vinyl flooring, poorly installed flex duct, poorly installed counter tops, and on and on...
My list and report were not kind and typical of these homes.
So the call continued...
"How may I help you?" I replied. Steve says "I just wanted to call and tell you how impressed I am with your report..."
OK... I think to my self. Here it comes....
"Your report has to be the most detailed and thorough I have ever seen. I can call the guys I need to take care of the issues without going out to the property to look for my self, although I will..." Steve continues.
OK... Now here it comes...
"You have explained the issues and also educated the homeowners in the process. Your pictures and the write-ups are amazing..." he continues.
"Are you being sarcastic" I ask? "Oh no" he assures me, "this is not one of those calls. Your report just struck me and I wanted to see if you could mail me some business cards so I can hand them to future clients!"
"OK..." I hesitantly exclaim. "Most calls I receive from builders means they are already on the defensive and want to blame me for the write-ups". Steve calmly states "No, not this time. Your report is amazing and you deserve to hear about it!"
Wow! I think to myself. I tore another one of their homes apart and again documented why I wouldn't let their roofers work on my dog house, but yet he is thanking me for a job well done!?!?!
The call ended as pleasantly as it began and we both wished each other a Merry Christmas.
My lesson... just like any home, phone call, person, etc, you can't judge a book by it's cover. A phone call you expect may not be quite the phone call you expect. Always remain professional, and listen to the person on the other end. The call could have gone quite awry had I remained defensive and become argumentative right off the bat. BE professional, DO a professional job, WRITE professionally, and CONVERSE professionally, and you will soon find that others TREAT YOU as a professional!
Thank you 'Steve' for the call that made my day 100's times better.
Merry Christmas again!
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