A customer calls and says she sees “stains” on her stone top, she thinks her top is granite, but is not sure.
From the perspective of a stone professional, sounds pretty straight forward right?
Well, there are a few factors that you should consider before offering your services.
This week’s blog is a sneak peek of our TISE 2016 class, Three Minute Diagnostics – Diagnose that Stone Restoration Problem in Just Three Minutes! on Tuesday, January 19, 10:20 a.m.
Going back to our customer with the stains: we have to determine first if she really does have granite, or maybe she has marble or limestone? Does her stone top have speckles or veins? What color is the stone? Sounds a little silly, but try using terminology that anyone could understand.
Next, does she really have a stain? I try to ask questions that help me denote what the customer is actually seeing. Does this “stain” have a darker appearance or a specific color? Or maybe this “stain” is not a stain at all. Does it look more like the finish of the stone has been removed? Is it rough to the touch? That would make it an acid etch mark, not a stain.
Half the battle of estimating is truly understanding the customer. The customer may not use the correct technical names. It is our job to determine what type of stone he or she has, what is the actual issue with the stone surface, and what the customer’s expectations are – and this is all from the first phone call!
Our class we will also discuss:
- What you as a company are capable of – how much you can accomplish in one shift or per square foot
- The right questions to ask the customer
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Tips on how to make the sale
We hope to see in you in Las Vegas at TISE 2016!
