The secrets of success from the best handymen
Recommendations are compiled based on the results of interviews with the most popular handymen of GetService.es.
“Hire-a-hubby” is a more familiar wording for the clients, but the men offering the services in this field prefer to call themselves a “handyman master” or a “handyman on call”. It is a kind of business, too!
Handymen aren’t born, they are made. How can you become a handyman? It turned out that to become popular with the clients you don’t need much. We offer a summary report on what the GetService experts working in the “Household repair” category consider important on the way to success.
Appearance matters!
Most customers, for the first time facing the handyman on call expect a visit of a gloomy, unshaven and carelessly clothed man. And they are surprised and delighted to see a neat and tidy handyman.
Appearance is the first thing you attract the client’s attention with, giving rise to liking or rejection. Clothes, shoes, tools should be clean. You should have protective glasses and use gloves at work. Entering the client’s house put on the shoe covers.
David, 56 years:
“I always have shoe covers in the bag with tools. They are useful, even when the work should be done not in the house itself, but outdoors or in the garden. I have a house myself, and I wouldn’t be pleased to leave dirty shoeprints on the clean floor or to stand on the chair in tatty socks to get to the chandelier.”
Victor, 29:
“We started working with GetService together with my friend. He is a good specialist. But he didn’t pay attention to his appearance, and got bad references from the clients, though he did his work quickly and well.”
Preliminary preparation
Forget about the simple scheme “received the order – completed it.” You should clarify the details with the client – it will help understand the complexity of expected manipulations, the amount of time the work will take, and the particular things required.
What are the ways of communication? – Messengers or e-mail. Make up a list of general questions. Ask to send a photo of a defect to be removed. As a result, you’ll come to the client up in arms – with all necessary things.
By the way, during communication, you are learning the individual specifics of the client’s character to opportunely refuse from work for the scary and odd person.
Alejandro, 31:
“I’ve escaped by a hair’s breadth. The Client asked “just to change the lamps”. If I hadn’t tried to clarify the reason of such necessity, I’d have come to her without the required tools: it turned out that the chandelier need repair.”
Miguel, 47:
“It is not convenient to carry all tools with you. It’s easier to learn the details and arrange the required set not to ask a hammer or a screwdriver from the client.”
Sergio, 52:
“For 30 years of experience as a handyman I’ve clearly got: you should communicate with the client remotely, and during work it’s better to refrain from asking spare questions, be silent and smile. Hardly anybody likes talkative people, and specific unfamiliar terms may confuse the customer, and it negatively affects the evaluation.”
Diego, 27:
“I’ve burnt fingers on the very first order, although tried to clarify all details in advance. Instead of the man I’ve communicated and found a common language with, there was his wife at home – a woman far from normal. I had to refuse from performing the task as she declared that I should do everything as she wanted rather than the common sense and installation manual required.”
Composure and readiness to any surprise
React to any non-standard or unexpected situation with a level head! Clients perceive surprise or, even worse, panic as incompetence, unreadiness to perform the forthcoming work with high quality.
Renato, 33:
“Two years ago I took up the order to open the accidentally shut door. It turned out that it is impossible to open the lock from the outside without damaging the door. The industrial alpinism skills proved useful, luckily, all harness was in the luggage boot. I descended from the roof, got inside through the window, and accurately dismantled the lock. Then the woman I helped out arranged a whole advertising campaign recommending me to her friends and acquaintances as a top-class expert.”
Pedro, 36:
“From the childhood I’m allergic to cats. In the proper sense of the word: as soon as a cat appears within a couple of meters, my eyes start running, breathing becomes difficult. Here I came to an old woman to fix the air conditioner, and there were more than a dozen of cats. On the one hand, I feel sorry for an old lady who suffers from heat, and on the other hand, I need to go. I held my breath and worked five times quicker than usual.”
Tiago, 44:
“Most women clients apologize for a mess in the house, even if it is sterile. I know what a mess looks like! Once I had to work in a flat that looked and smelt like a heap of old garbage. But as far as I took up the order, I should fulfil it in any conditions.”
Luis, 38:
“I fixed wiring, and the clients, a husband and a wife, started a real row. I had to finish in almost combat conditions, among the smashing dishes.”
Calmness and tranquility
Noone guarantees ideal working atmosphere to the handymen on call. There may be small children, inquisitive guests, pets interested in a new visitor in the client’s house. Do not lose focus and keep balance! Your task is to complete the task diligently.
Carlos, 37:
“If children in the client’s house are curious about my work, I always try to invent some “responsible missions” for them. They distract less, and the work goes on faster.”
Afonso, 59:
“Once I had to cut the hedge with a dog actually clinging on my leg. I don’t know the breed name, but it turned out to be a nuisance – she didn’t want to leave me, in spite of her master’s commands, she barked, attacked, and then got teeth into the overall pant. So we worked together: me – as a gardener, and she – as a vigilant guard.”
First – work, and then – personal life
Stereotypes used in films for adults are just stereotypes, a trick of scriptwriters. But in real life, too, the she-client having called the handyman may feel sympathy or even an irresistible desire for intimacy with him. Remain the professional: do your work and only then, if you want, get to arranging personal relationship.
Sebastian, 51:
“I haven’t been in such situations myself, but often heard from my colleagues that the clients bluntly offered sex. I treat such stories skeptically: they may make up, as well.”
Philippe, 36:
“Young girls are scornful to our work. I’ve dated with one for almost 3 years, but didn’t say what I work as. She thought I was engaged in a profitable family business. And then met at a client’s house by chance: I was called to fix the wiring, and she came to see their daughter. She pretended she didn’t know me. We haven’t ever called each other or met.”
Arturo, 25:
“I date a girl I had fixed the sofa. I came, did my work, and went away – everything as usual. Well, unless I liked the girl client – very beautiful. On my way home, I got a message from her with an invitation to dinner. We’ve been together since.”
Nuno, 37:
“I came as Hire-a-hubby and left for a lifetime. I’ve got at once that she liked me – by the eyes. I liked her, as well. We were exchanging glances, while I was fiddling. And before the departure, I plucked up courage and asked her out on a date. In half a year we got married.”
Helpful tips and recommendations
The customer does not see the picture as you see it, and won’t notice potential problems. If you’ve seen something to be corrected, say it to the client, with sincere concern rather than intrusion of your services or an attempt to earn more. Sincerity and care shall be duly appreciated anyway, as far as you’ve noticed the problem, you will be able to fix it.
Victor, 58:
“There is an unspoken rule – never scold the work done by others. However if you’ve seen something done badly, tell the client in what way it can be improved, exactly – improved rather than corrected or redone.”
Pedro, 28:
“I’ve worked as a handyman on call for a couple of years, but it was enough to make sure: when you give sound advice to the client, he/she starts considering you a professional with a capital “P”. And you get more orders.”
A satisfied client is a perfect reputation
Always remember that you work for reputation, and the more positive it will be, the higher the fees will rise.
Tidiness is an essential plus to your professionalism. Keep your work place tidy, leave no traces, remove the waste resulting from your actions. If necessary, ask the clients to give you a vacuum cleaner.
Juan, 35:
“If the handyman success formula is generated, it will look approximately as follows: 20 % — personal professionalism, 20 % — good tools and 60 % — diligent attitude to work and tidiness.”
Adrian, 40:
“I’ve started going on calls by my own car with a luggage boot packed with different tools – I’ve got more clients. If it turns out the customer needs assistance in something else, you’ll get a new order if you have the required tool with you.”
Jose, 42:
“Bonuses helped me earn good reputation with clients. You’ve fixed some small thing free after completion of the main work – the clients feel grateful and will address again for sure. It is the best advertisement!”
Miguel, 31:
“All clients want to pay less. Don’t reduce the price, if you see that the work will be long and hard. It will only spoil your reputation. Hold your ground, explain, why the work cannot be performed well and cheap, and that it’s better to pay the normal price once, than pay a reduced price for reworks thrice.”
Let’s sum it up
The instruction below will help you earn more and be popular with the clients:
– Maintain neat and tidy appearance.
– Prepare to accomplish the order in advance.
– Don’t react to unexpected occurrences.
– Work calmly and passionlessly.
– Don’t be distracted to personal life during work.
– Give helpful tips to the client.
– Constantly raise the bar of your reputation.
And don’t forget the main thing: the handyman should be professional in all spheres – an expert in his business, an excellent judge of character, a shrewd economist, only then he will be able to earn. Do you want to give an advertisement to work as a handyman? No problem, use GetService, here they’ll tell you what to begin your work with! You can sign up for the service free of charge.
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