It's always amazing to me that so many fabricators DO NOT invest much time up front educating their customers on how to live with and maintain their stone countertops.
Maybe it's just a human thing that we take for granted, kind of like, "I already know this stuff, and so should you." We as Fabricators already know that you should NOT put acidic solutions on Absolute Black, so therefore, so shouldn't our customers. The problem is, we don't communicate telepathically and the "osmosis process" has not been perfected yet. Hence the need to really spend some time educating our customers on the important areas of "how to take care of your new slab countertops."
My good friend Maurizio Bertolli used to say, "Education before the sale," and this is a legacy that he has left for us in the industry. I try to use Maurizio's slogan every day, and it has worked for me.
Probably the biggest area we fail in as an industry is the "care and maintenance after the job is done" department. We are so focused on just getting the work done and moving on to the next job, that we forget to educate our client population on the fine points of what not to put on their countertops or how to take care of the countertops for a great looking application.
One situation that I heard about just last week involves a client who had Black Galaxy installed in their home and had accidentally spilled "something" on the stone that proceeded to etch the finish.
They called their Fabricator, who was not sure how to handle the inquiry, and the Fabricator suggested that his client call Braxton-Bragg for an answer.
Do you see what I am talking about here? We as an industry need to take the time to educate our customers on what stones will react with various substances that could have a negative effect on the countertop material.
The old Absolute Black and Vinegar situation comes to mind really quickly: Did you know that Absolute Black "granite" is really a basalt and NOT a granite? Many Absolute Blacks will etch when exposed to simple substances that have acids in them - like lemon, lime, orange, and grapefruit juices, or vinegar and other things that would otherwise never effect a countertop product. Azul Bahia also has been known to react this same way.
The things that I have used, and that have worked for me, are to talk about these natural qualities with my customers before they even cut a deposit check or sign a contract. I want to make sure that they know what they're getting - and getting into - before they get it!
Baltic Brown Granite is another stone that I have a standard "spiel" for; it has pits. God made them, but we have to deal with them. Until the day comes that someone develops and sells "Pits-B-Gone" or "Pit-Away" (or any other amazing miracle product that you could simply wipe on and wipe off - and POOF - the pits are completely filled),
Remember that if your customer does not know any better, they will find a way to screw up their countertops, and certainly lay the blame at your feet. Don't be the guy that assumes his customer knows better than to pour lemon juice on Absolute Black, or spill olive oil on their Juparana Fantastico. Take the time to "educate before the sale," - you'll sleep way better at night and so will your customers.
As Fabricators we will have to take the time to educate our customers about the pits in Baltic Brown.
Many Fabricators are using multiple means of getting this job done. My good friend John Cogswell of Cogswell Stone in Palmyra, Virgina, uses a running looped video that plays over and over again in his showroom that tells customers how to take care of their countertops after his crew has completed the project.
This has been a great tool for John, and I'm sure that there are many other guys that use this same technique with great success. I think the way you can tell if what you're doing is working, is to look at the number of call backs and inquiries that you get related to care and maintenance issues. If you are not getting many of these calls, you are probably doing something right!
Remember that customers do not always read the disclaimers that we attach to our contract paperwork, nor do they always listen to you when you are telling them why they should always clean up right after they spill olive oil on the granite countertops.
But they will look at your web site's care and maintenance page and watch the video that you have posted on your page too, and the real beauty of this is that your customers can access this information on the internet 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, when you are busy in the shop, out on the jobsite, at your kid's wrestling meets on Saturdays, at Church on Sundays, and even while you are asleep!
If you aren't doing anything now in regards to customer education and care and maintenance, you're "planting landmines" for yourself to step on in the near future. If this is you, I'd tell you to "get with the 21st century, dude" and start some kind of customer education program for your clients. You can start with a handout that you print up and give to each new customer, regardless of whether they've had stone before or not. If you have a web site, add a "Care and Maintenance" page.
Those talks about what to and not to do when it comes to living with the countertops that your customer has paid good money for, in the long run, will be payed back to you in spades! Remember that if your customer does not know any better, they will find a way to screw up their countertops, and certainly lay the blame at your feet. Don't be the guy that assumes his customer knows better than to pour lemon juice on Absolute Black, or spill olive oil on their Juparana Fantastico. If you take the time to "educate before the sale," you'll sleep way better at night, and so will your customers.
Until next month...
Best Regards & Happy Fabricating!
Customer Education VS Sleep Deprivation is a subject taught every month by AZ School of Rock. For more information, contact Kevin M. Padden at www.azschoolofrock.com, by phone at 480-309-9422 or via e-mail at info@azschoolofrock.com
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