Over the past few months, I have written about how The Lifestyle Group incorporates the acronym P.L.A.N. in our process, our interactions and our day-to-day life.
Each letter has a specific meaning and I broke down each letter, such as the “P”, which represents how we “Prepare” and help clients prepare to live through a remodel. Then, the “L”, which centers around the word “LEAD” and how we lead clients through a remodel (and how we want them to lead us at times), as well as the letter “A”, which stands for “ADAPTING” when things come at us during a remodel. If you haven’t read any of these blogs, or listened to their respective podcast episodes, I would highly encourage you do so!
Well, we’ve finally reached the end of the alphabet journey with the final letter. The “N” focuses on the most important reason a client would choose to work with The Lifestyle Group — “NO SURPRISES!”
This is a culture setting concept engrained in every one of our employees. Our employees know I don’t like surprises (except at Christmas and on my birthday), so if there is bad news to be shared, I want to know right away. And, in reality, bad news comes in all forms every single day.
This item arrived damaged.
The electrician is coming Tuesday now instead of Monday.
Joe is sick and will be out today, so we aren’t going to accomplish exactly what I thought we were, which changes when we go to the next project now.
It’s raining… why is it raining… the forecast said it wasn’t supposed to rain?
You get the idea! Every day these things arise. Can you imagine the position I would be in if my people were afraid to tell me bad news? Can you then imagine how that eventually impacts your project?
If I reacted negatively to every bit of bad news, I’d be among the most miserable people you’d meet and I would be curled up in the fetal position regularly. Fortunately, I am not. I persevere and know that sometimes things just happen. Given that, I just want to know all the bad news right away. Then, we can communicate it effectively to the clients and find the solution.
Because this is instilled in our people, it becomes the primary reason why you can trust us when you work with us. You will hear the good and the bad. And, because we know the good and the bad, you get the benefit of having a partner that adapts quickly, prepares alternative options when necessary and leads you through the challenge that presents itself. Those principles pop up in everything we do!
Mistakes are okay. Accidents happen. I begin with the premise that I know I have outstanding people who care. So, if that’s the baseline… “no surprises” quickly gets us to resolution and removes the focus from the problem itself.
When problems do occur, it doesn’t make the problems right. Nobody wants to make mistakes. I can promise you I don’t want to reorder a damaged product. And, more than that, we don’t want to tell you about an unpleasant obstacle we face on your project. But we do tell you about the challenge because we aren’t building just a new kitchen or a fancy bathroom. We are building trust and lasting relationships where you call us back for anything you need because you do trust us implicitly. In the home improvement industry, I don’t have to tell you that this is uncommon to find in a partner.
I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you that everyone has a role in this process with “no surprises” including you as the client. Anything you can tell us to help us get to know you and what is important to you gives us an understanding of the types of things that make you happy and allows us to be a better partner. Also, if you know something about the house or the project area and you don’t tell us, that’s a problem because we can’t plan for it until we find it. Don’t get me wrong, we eventually will find it on our own, but there might have been a more efficient way to plan and deal with something you know is hidden behind the walls or beneath the floors.
We recently had a client ask us what makes a good client. It was the first time in 22 years anyone had ever asked that. My answer is this: if you are nice and we can be successful with the project you want to complete, we will consider doing the project with you, regardless of the size of the project. However, if I am looking for one quality in a potential client outside of general kindness and understanding, it is the concept of “no surprises” that sits at the top of my list. I love the client that tells me everything they are thinking because I have a much better chance of adapting and making them happy than if I am guessing what it is they want and expect.
“No surprises” plays a key role in any successful relationship. We live by it at The Lifestyle Group, and we will give you a list of clients a mile long that will testify that it is central to why people love to work with us and use us repeatedly. Oh, and by the way, we have incredibly talented people that can build cool stuff as well!
No matter where you are in your decision process, we hope you would be comfortable asking for our help to get more information about your home’s remodeling project. Sometimes, just an initial phone call to talk through a potential project allows us to give you a “no surprises” range of project cost that you can plan for. The Lifestyle Group always looks forward to answering your questions in order to determine what makes the most sense for you and your home.
Reach out today and let’s get started transforming your space — with no surprises!