Who are we?
After working as a maintenance person for a large property management firm on a low wage, with minimum hours, I decided to turn my part time repairman work into a small business.
I placed an advertisement in the local paper, hoping for a few extra jobs. It went nuts. I was booking people up to two months ahead because I couldn't fit them all in!
The day came when I told my employer I just couldn't afford to work for them any more. A shame because they were great people.
Covid came along and there was no slowing down. People stuck at home, spent their money doing home improvements. I had become an essential service to many people during the pandemic.
If I count my time in Melbourne as well, I have been in this trade now for 14 years. You don't stay in this game for that long if you're not good. The fact that over 75% of my work comes from referrals says it all.
A different business model
We have been caught up in the profit spiral, where it's not enough for your business to just make a profit. You have to make a bigger profit than last year, every year.
To do that businesses are trimming staff, importing cheaper products from third world countries, installing electronic checkouts, closing down branches and reducing customer contact to FAQ web pages and artificial intelligence online help chatbots designed to emulate human behaviour.
That's a flawed model and not the way we run this business!
People ARE our business, so you meet a skilled, trained and experienced human who takes the time to get to the cause of YOUR problem and discuss your options.
We have trade accounts with our suppliers. When we purchase materials to do your job, we pass the trade discounted prices directly to you. You get to see the receipts as proof.
We don't charge extras, like call out fees and penalty rates you only pay for the time worked.
It's about the people
Why did my business do so well when so many others failed?
I started asking my customers this question. Several reasons became obvious:
Personal touch - they felt they could talk to me. I listened, asked clarifying questions and made suggestions that provided alternatives.
Honesty - I passed on trade discounts without marking up the price. If I didn't know, I said so.
Reliable - often I wasn't the first person they called but I was the one who showed up. If I was running late, I'd call and let them know.
Price - oddly this wasn't the most frequent answer. I wasn't always cheapest but they felt more confident dealing with me.