The current process:
o When the customer and tradesperson engage they have to put their trust in each other from the outset and this is where it can, and does, go wrong. This trust is being abused by the dishonest customers and tradespeople and makes it difficult for people to know who’s genuine.
The concerns and frustrations for the consumer
Before a customer lets a tradesperson onto their property and into their home their concerns and frustrations are as follows.
o The customer doesn’t know anything about the tradesperson or are they even who they say they are?
o Are they capable of doing the work? And, if so, to what standard?
o What happens if the job goes wrong?
There is no peace of mind or reassurance for the customer before having to commit to them.
The concerns and frustrations for the tradespeople
For the tradespeople, before committing to the customer, the tradespeople’s concerns and frustrations are as follows.
o The tradespeople don’t know anything about the customer?
o Do they have the money to pay for the work?
o When will they pay and will it be in full?
One of the biggest problems for the tradespeople is that the customer doesn’t have to show any commitment to the tradesperson, yet they are expected to buy the materials and do the work all in the hope that they get paid.
As we all know, asking for upfront payments to buy the materials could result in losing the job as consumers have been educated that only a rogue trader would ask for upfront payments.
There is no peace of mind or reassurance for the tradespeople and we just have to take a chance and hope we get paid.
Whilst the majority of consumers and tradespeople are genuine, it is the few dishonest ones that spoil it for everybody else.
-GL