Poor communication can lead to the loss of thousands or millions of dollars in the construction industry. If you fail to communicate effectively with your client, you may deal with rework, safety hazards and so on. Thus, it’s crucial to prioritize communication.
Here are three tips to help you improve contractor-client communication:
Choose a communication method
Your client needs to know the best way to contact you. Is it by phone, text or email? And the best time to contact you to avoid missing calls or delaying responses.
If you won’t be in direct contact with your client at all times, consider giving them a single point of contact. Let them know who the designated contact is and when/how they can get in touch with you.
Avoid jargon
When communicating with your client, use simple language as much as possible. And when you can’t avoid jargon, define terms. Consider writing down construction terms your client may not understand and possible questions they may ask to be prepared.
Using complicated words can come across as arrogance, especially when you do it excessively. Your client may believe you are doing it intentionally. Further, if your client is embarrassed to ask what a term means, you may experience misunderstandings in the future if you fail to meet their expectations.
You and your client should be on the same page after every discussion.
Keep your client updated
It’s crucial to keep your client updated instead of waiting until the project is complete to contact them. You can send them photos or invite them to the site. This lets them know you are moving along as discussed. Besides, they can have a chance to address any issue.
Effective communication can help you have better relationships with your clients. But if a dispute arises despite doing your best to communicate, you need to understand your options and rights.