New research reveals the most important factors when selecting and hiring a tradesperson or business to complete a job.
The survey, which was commissioned by job management software provider BigChange, highlights the importance of customer service, with word of mouth recommendations and positive online reviews coming out as the top two considerations for customers.
Interestingly, when asked which platforms they use to find online reviews, Google and TrustPilot (42%) are considered more reliable than trade specific sites, such as TrustATrader and Check-A-Trade (28%). However, all of these mentioned platforms secured a spot in the top five considerations when hiring for a job.
Despite the current economic climate, cost is less of a consideration than recommendations and reviews, suggesting that customers are willing to pay more for a positive experience.
The top five reasons for hiring and selecting a tradesperson or business:
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Recommended to me by friends, family or a colleague (54%)
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Great online reviews on platforms such as Google or TrustPilot (42%)
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Cost (34%)
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Five-star rating on Google or Trustpilot (29%)
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Great online reviews on trade sites like Check-a-Trade or Rated People (28%)
When it comes to female vs. male customers, women are more likely to turn to trade platforms such as Check-a-Trade and Rated People (43%) for reviews, whereas men are more likely to use Google and TrustPilot (41%).
Respondents aged 18-44 all agreed that Google and TrustPilot reviews are the most important consideration whereas older respondents (55+) are more concerned with recommendations from friends, family and colleagues.
The research also delved into which resources customers use to find a potential tradesperson or business, to which Check-a-Trade (46%) and a network of friends and colleagues (42%) came out on top.
The top five resources Brits use to find and select a tradesperson or business:
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Check-a-trade (46%)
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Friends/colleagues network (42%)
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Family network (36%)
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TrustATrader (29%)
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Google (22%)
When looking at the age breakdown, younger generations (18-54) are more likely to utilise industry sites such as Check-a-trade and TrustATrader as their first port of call, whereas those aged 55 and above selected their friends and colleague network above all else.
Ian Burgess, Chief Customer Officer at BigChange comments on the findings: “It’s really interesting and positive for the industry to see that despite the economic climate, customers are willing to pay more for a positive experience. However, this means that creating a customer experience worthy of an online review or positive recommendations is more essential than ever.
“There are plenty of things tradespeople can do to tackle this, from a friendly exchange to providing honest and helpful advice, but it really starts with job management and providing an efficient and effective service. Keeping an organised business system and ensuring that all the elements of it, from booking the job in, sending your job sheets automatically and creating your invoice promptly once the job is complete means your team is always in the know, and your customer is informed of arrival times or potential delays in real time.
“There’s nothing more frustrating for a customer who has taken the time off work to be home for a job, than sitting around waiting with no information being fed to them. Nail this with your job tracking and you’re already on your way to securing a positive review or recommendation.”
Interested in learning more about how job management software can support your business? Book a free demo today.
