3rd year as a small business owner. Residential contracting. 1.3M annual gross sales so big enough to need a lot of help, small enough to think I can wear all the hats. I was surprised by how quickly a client relationship can go south right under your nose. I did a smallish siding job a few years ago. The client was very pleased, we shared laughs and had a great rapport. She texted me saying that a piece of siding was kind of loose on her house. The warranty had run out and I wasn’t taking on that same kind of project any longer, but I gave her the number of one my carpenters and told her to send me his invoice and I would pay for it. I didn’t hear anything from her for two weeks so I assumed my carpenter had taken care of it and was just waiting for the invoice. I had fallen behind on production and unfortunately had three large scale remodeling projects running simultaneously. Additionally, my Mom had just literally died in my arms two months prior while I was remodeling my parents’ house in preparation for my Dad to return from a leg amputation and for me and my wife with our 2yr old and a 1yr old to move in and take care of my folks. At this time my dad was back home and I was getting him dressed, bathed and to the bathroom every morning and night which took about 3 hours a day everyday and I had emergency moved my wife and kids into my parent’s half finished basement. I was working 125 hours a week trying to keep all these plates spinning and this $18k project from two years ago just got tucked in the backseat I guess.

I get a text one already stressful Monday morning. Something along the lines of “I’m filing a complaint with the state and the BBB, and I’m suing you in small claims court, expect a letter from my lawyer!” The $18k client. I died right there. I thought something horrendous had happened. I asked her what was wrong and she told me my carpenter never called her back to come fix the piece of siding. In the midst of everything I just begged her not to file a complaint or sue me. I literally begged, I broke all the professional rules. I told her about my Mom, my Dad, and just begged. She lightened up and said she just felt like I was ignoring her. I kind of see her point, but also felt like she could’ve just called and said, “Hey your carpenter isn’t calling me back.” I would have scheduled someone else or gone out there myself. It was such a small repair and she showed no signs of worry or urgency about it in her original inquiry. We were “cool” I thought. She knew I would take care of it and I knew she knew that, right?

I sent my main team out and repaired the siding and repainted all the siding around the entire house at no expense to the homeowner. Regardless, I learned my lesson. Do not assume that your relationship with a client comes with any courtesies. No matter how fun and friendly you think you are, its always business whether it seems like it or not. And DO NOT EVER assume that a problem is taken care of. Follow up with the team member, follow up with the client. Make sure you hear from them directly in some way that they are satisfied with the callback. It can severely mess you up if you don’t.