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No matter how good you are at your work or how talented your team is, there are always going to be times in the when customers complain about your work – it is just a fact of business life that you cannot please all of the people all of the time.

It can be upsetting, frustrating, and annoying when you receive a complaint, especially if you do not believe that it is warranted, but it is important, when those complaints come in, that you stay calm and handle the issues in the right way. By doing this, you can keep your customers on side and minimize the potential damage to your company’s reputation.

Make it easy to complain

As a company owner, you probably don’t want to hear people complaining about the quality of the work or how much mess your contractors make, but it is going to happen eventually whether you like it or not, so it is a really good idea for you to make the complaints process as simple as possible.

Why should you do this? Because if a customer finds it almost impossible to find your constant information or actually get in touch with a complaint, they are always going to get more and more frustrated, so when they do finally get in touch with a representative of your company, they are going to be mad and much less likely to listen to reason or want to solve the problem amicably.

How do you make it easy to complain? Put your contact information front and center on your company’s website, and include a clear section on making complaints. Look at chatbot integrating into website services and make a live chat option available along with an AI chatbot so that customers can immediately find the information they need and get answers to some of the most common queries. Oh, and make sure you hire enough customer service staff to deal with complaints so that no one gets left hanging for too long.

Provide training

One of the things so many construction companies get wrong about customer service is that they do not think they need anyone trained in customer care to handle it. They let their secretaries or conservation staff answer the phones and deal with issues, and this is really not the optimum way to go about things.

Good customer service is much more complicated than you might think, It involves a delicate balance between actively listening to the customers, quickly coming up with solutions, and being able to negotiate in difficult situations. That means if you want to get the complaints process right, you need to hire and train good customer service staff and keep their training up to date as your business grows and changes.

Write it down

When a customer makes a complaint, you should try to create a written copy for both your records. This will help to ensure that you both understand the issue in detail so that the customer can not come back later and say you ignored X, Y, and Z or did not fix W when in fact they did not even bring that up as part of the complaint.

It is not unusual for customers to get confused about the nature of their complaints, so having a written record is a good way to protect yourself.

Of course, having a written record is also a good way to ensure you and your team know what issues you need to be looking into, and do not forget to act within an acceptable timeframe.

Don’t take it personally

One of the worst things you can do when someone complains about the quality of their build or the lateness of your employees is to take their complaint personally. You may be running your construction company as best you can, but that does not mean that things cannot go wrong from time to time or that you will not end up dealing with a customer who expects more than you can deliver.

If you get your back up and start getting offended by what they are telling you, it is very unlikely that you will be able to solve the issue amicably. 

Take a deep breath, listen to what the customer has to say, and then take another deep breath. Acknowledge what they have said and why it upsets them and then calmly put your side across. Ask them what they would like to do to resolve the issue and try to find a way to meet them in the middle. You may need to negotiate for a while, but if you keep your cool, chances are you will be able to come to a mutually acceptable resolution in the end.

Do not discuss things with out of control customers

Of course, if a customer calls you with a complaint and they are so angry that they are seeing red, it is not really a good idea to engage with them, it is much better to find a way of politely calming explaining to them that you are eager to hear their complaint but you/ your employees will not be shouted at or talked to in a derogatory manner. If they do not calm down immediately, give them the details of how they can contact you at a later date and tell them you are going to put the phone down. Nothing good will come of getting into a fight with your customers, so in his instance, it really is better to disengage for a little while, at least. 

Kill them with kindness

A good strategy for dealing with customer complaints is to simply kill them with kindness. Even the most defensive complaints will soon warm to your company if you offer them nothing but kindness and understanding and if you go out of your way to help them. So, be sure to thank them for their complaints and for bringing the issue to your attention. Let them know that you take complaints seriously and you want to get to the bottom of things. Basically, make them feel understood and listened to if you want to get them onside.

Think about what you can do

Once you have discussed the complaint, ask for a little time to think about the best course of action to put it right. Many customers will want an immediate response, but if you explain to them that taking as little time out will let you really think about the issues and how best to resolve them, most will be fine with that.

Then, you need to actually think about what you can do to rectify the issue. So, if your builders have dragged mud through a customer’s home, you could offer to pay for a carpet cleaning service to solve the issue or if they have made an error when installing a wall. You could have them go back and redo it. Often, though, it is much easier to come to a financial settlement with your customers when they are complaining. 

Of course, you should always ask them what they expect to happen before you start thinking about what you can offer because this will give you a good idea of what they want and what kind of offer from you is most likely to be accepted and solve the problem as swiftly as possible with no hard feelings.

Don’t promise something you cannot deliver

Of course. When it comes to agreeing on a resolution, the worst thing you can do is to promise a solution that you simply cannot deliver on. If you do this, then you are only going to upset and infuriate your customer more and they will end up going on 

If you are able to keep calm. Listen to the customer and do everything you can to resolve their complaints in a fair and amicable way, your business will be so much stronger as a result, and you will have many more satisfied customers in the end too.

Fail to do so and chances are they will take to the internet to leave bad reviews about your construction company, which is particularly bad news because no one wants to hire a dishonest and unreliable contractor to work on their property.

So. although it might be tempting to say you’ll send someone round to correct their faulty window installation in the morning unless you know you will have staff available to do so, don’t promise that and stick to only ever offering things you can honor!

Say sorry

Oh, and one more thing, it is always a good idea to apologize to the person who is complaining about your construction company, even if you think their complaint is unfair or unwarranted. It will disarm them and show them that you are a caring company that is not going to fob them off.

Your aim when dealing with complaints is to leave the customer with the best possible impression of you possible and that starts with a simple apology. So suck it up and apologize.

We hope this helps you to handle complaints more effectively in the future.

Many building trade service businesses are age-old professions, and it’s quite easy to see why such businesses often fail to modernize them. For example, according to its history, plumbing originated from ancient civilizations and thanks to technology, new plumbing methods emerged. And this industry has a net value of $110 billion. There is every reason to modernize your business to gain its benefits, and here are some ways to do that.

Set up a ‘Google My Business’ account

It is easy to set up a Google My Business account. All it takes is the commitment to start and finish the process. Even better, you can set up this account without making any payments to the host, Google. The required details are the business’s name, address, contact information and other relevant information. When that is set up, the real work begins. Your Google My Business account is not complete without reviews. However, that is not for you to provide. It would be a total lack of credibility to provide reviews for your plumbing business.

Therefore, your past and existing clients are better sources of honest reviews. The exciting part about Google My Business (GMB) is that it allows your business to be seen on search engines. Even though that wanders into SEO territory, it boosts your digital presence. It also becomes easier for potential clients to locate you quicker and easier. The 21st-century business dwells heavily on a strong digital presence to generate leads.

Make maximum use of digital invoicing and receipts

Gone are the days when plumbing businesses would rip a sheet out of a receipt booklet to acknowledge payments. The same applies to invoices and other manual billing systems. If this is your business in the 21st century, it may be time to make a drastic change. Digital invoicing and receipts help your business enhance financial record keeping. With less paperwork, it becomes easier to retrieve past financial information without looking through volumes of paper. This is particularly important when it’s time for account reconciliation.

Businesses that have adopted digital invoicing attest to the reduced cost of regular printing. It also reduces the cost of manual processing and delivery of invoices to clients or suppliers. Digitization is the vehicle for 21st-century business. Therefore, your payment systems should reflect your plumbing business’s desire to modernize operations.

Invest in video marketing

Three decades ago, the traditional media held a monopoly over video marketing, and businesses had to pay huge sums to get their video content played on media platforms. Today, that monopoly is no longer existent, thanks to social media. Once you set up social media accounts for your plumbing business, you can upload your video marketing content. The other exciting part is that it’s free to do so. Apart from the fact that video marketing is free, it also allows you to reach your target market directly. There is no middleman (traditional media) here. Today, video marketing has become a staple for modern businesses. Moreover, consumers are more interested in such content, which often produces positive results.

Production processes are the lifeblood of any business. If your production processes are not running smoothly, then you will find yourself struggling to keep up with demand and falling behind your competitors. The following blog will discuss some ways to ensure that your production processes run smoothly and without any issues.

Ensure You Have A Plan For Your Production Process

When you have a clear plan for your production process, you will be able to more easily identify areas where there is room for improvement. Having a well-designed production process will also help to ensure that your team is aware of their roles and responsibilities.

An excellent way to create a clear and concise plan for your production process is to use flow charts or diagrams. These tools can help you visualize your production process and identify any potential bottlenecks.

Make Use Of Technology

Technology can be a great asset for streamlining your production process. Several different software programs can help you manage your production process more effectively.

For example, using a project management software program can help you keep track of your production schedule and ensure that deadlines are met. Additionally, there are many other software programs available that can help with tasks such as inventory management and quality control.

Using technology will help make your production process more efficient and less prone to errors.

Schedule Regular Equipment Maintenance

If you want your production process to run smoothly, it is essential that you schedule regular maintenance for your equipment. Things like mechanical solutions will help to ensure that your equipment is always in good working condition and minimize the likelihood of unexpected downtime.

Be sure to create a maintenance schedule that is tailored to the specific needs of your equipment. Depending on the type of equipment you are using, the frequency of maintenance may vary.

Implement Quality Control Measures

It is also essential to implement quality control measures into your production process. This will help to ensure that the products or services you are producing meet the required standards. There are several different ways to implement quality control measures, so be sure to choose a method that makes sense for your business.

One way to ensure quality control is to perform regular inspections throughout the production process. This can be done by having someone on your team specifically responsible for checking for defects or errors. You could also consider investing in some type of automated inspection system.

Another way to improve the quality of your products or services is to provide training for your employees on proper procedures and techniques. By ensuring that your team is trained correctly, you can minimize human error.

In conclusion, there are several different ways to ensure that your production process runs smoothly. By having a clear plan, making use of technology, and scheduling regular maintenance, you can help to minimize the likelihood of issues. Additionally, implementing quality control measures will help to ensure that the products or services you produce meet the required standards.

For an industry that is the path bearer for all other industries and forthrightly the engine for a nation, the power generation industry is vital. There are different types of power plants built for generating power from energy sources like coal, nuclear, solar, wind, tidal, or natural gas, a power generation plant can not compromise on the aspect of machinery and automation, since their performance is directly proportional to efficiency and productivity, which again are the focal points in this industry. In that pursuit, the CNC machine becomes a vital piece of machinery for the power generation industry. 

Decoding CNC

A Computer Numerical Control Machine (CNC) is a pre-programmed computer software controlling the movement of factory tools and machinery. It controls a range of complex machinery and is proactively used in several industries, from manufacturing to E&P to power generation. It supersedes the limitations posed by manual intervention, where live operators prompt. It guides the commands of machining tools with levers, buttons, and wheels, curtailing inefficiency and the possibility of mishandling or flaws. A CNC system might very well resemble any regular set of computer components to an onlooker. Still, the software programs and consoles of CNC machining make it different from all other forms of computation and are proactively instrumental in the pursuit of power generation.

Role of CNC in power generation 

CNC plays varied roles in various power generation industries. For example, it is instrumental in fabricating hydropower turbines and generator components. As we know, hydropower turbines and generators are complicated pieces of equipment and they have thousands of components in different sizes ranging from a piece smaller than our index finger to as big as a car. However, one common underlying fact is that all of these pieces of equipment are machines accurately with great precision to guarantee seamless assembly. CNC machine is then able to satisfy these requirements. For instance, Canyon Hydro, which is one of the leading manufacturers of Francis hydroelectric turbines uses a 7-axis CNC machine to fabricate the majority of the parts constituting their 36 Ft long and 25-ton hydroelectric system. Similarly in the conventional power industry, CNC machining is able to fabricate difficult-to-machine materials too. Unlike the renewable energy industry, traditional generator components are subjected to radically high temperatures of up to 2300℉  since these turbines and generators depend on burning fossil fuels to generate power. The problem that arises is not about finding a metal with high thermal resistance but finding a suitable method for manufacturing those metals since even metals like titanium and its alloys have high strength tend to chatter during metal cutting because of poor machinability. This problem is solved by CNC machining since it is compatible with a broad range of materials. For example, CNC machine titanium which has a cutting speed of 59 m/min for roughing and around 180 m/min for finishing operations is used for machining titanium and its alloys. It is also becoming a part of research in solar and wind power systems as scientists are devising ways to replace conventional energy systems with renewable ones by assessing the energy efficiency and performance of novel wind turbine blade designs and solar panels.  

Machining dynamic and diverse forms of large and complex parts in a power generating facility often leads to several challenges, including repairs, maintenance issues, and finding the right human resource capable of running such a diverse assortment of machines. A CNC machine solves this problem and is easy to operate by operators for handling all motion controls. To a substantial extent, CNC also helps in the predictive treatment of pieces of equipment. In the most elemental form, CNC machines are electro-mechanical devices, i.e a computer numerically controlled to manipulate tools. These machines are instructed by a computer program (G-code) which is able to assess the precision of the output and therefore determine when it is not performing up to the mark.

CNC repair service in the parlance of power generation

It is well understood that the power industry is the engine of any economy since it runs all other industrial units, and CNC is undoubtedly a vital element of a power generation facility. Therefore, when the CNC system is down, the power plant is crippled, losing thousands of dollars and time. It is noteworthy that a CNC breakdown includes obstacles in all CNC machining processes like CNC milling, turning, five-axis machining, and several other jobs done by CNC automation. Thus, one must know the following dynamics of CNC repair service inducted in the power generation industry. 

• A CNC machine consists of mechanical, electrical, and electronics components and generally encounters fault due to low-quality components, neglecting cutting parameters (for example, the cutting limit of a particular CNC machine is 500 rpm. and it is being operated more than that limit), and overloading.
• Common problems in the mechanical component of a CNC machine are, misalignment of bed, failure of the spindle, problem in gear shift mechanism, and problem in automatic tool changer which are results of overloading and overheating. 
• Failure of moving parts such as screws, slideways, bearing, etc, can be repaired by reducing friction with proper lubrication and using a low friction coating. 
• Failure in the relay, solenoids of the motor, failure in servo drive of the motor, problem in spindle drive electrical supply, short-circuiting, low voltage problems, etc. are some of the common problems of electrical components of CNC. 
• Some of the most common problems in pneumatic components are the deformation of the inside wall of cylinders which is used in actuators, deformation in piston or piston rings which will lead to leakage and the equator will not be able to function. 
• Electronic Components of a CNC machine comprise PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards), electronic casings and enclosures, heat sinks, connectors and sockets, semiconductors, etc. Therefore it can encounter failure in hardware components of computer systems, faults in the program (syntax error), operating faults, faults during program testing, and problem search operations.  
• Routine CNC maintenance is essential, including scheduled inspection, predictive analysis, and a well-divested physical check-up of the equipment, control panel, and other parts. Complete maintenance service includes checking for any abnormal noise, replacement of hydraulic oil, checking spindle belt tension, cleaning the inlet filter, checking turret alignment, and dismantling and cleaning the chuck. 
• It would be best to remember that there are various types of CNC machines such as drills, lathes, and milling machines. Therefore it is vital to always adhere to the maintenance guidelines specific to their CNC machine.  
• The machine’s average run time and materials used are factors influencing how often it needs servicing. However, it is advised to have CNC machine checks at least once a month.
• A CNC Machine electrical maintenance must be carried out including spindle drive replacement, hydraulic pressure switch setting repairment, electrical circuit maintenance, etc. 
• For CNC repairing, spare parts must always be handy as repairing the damage takes time. Hence, to eliminate the loss incurred during the downtime, one can purchase replacement parts in advance so that time which is of the essence in this industry, is not wasted waiting for the newly ordered ones to arrive in case of urgency. 
• One thing that goes unaddressed by many sectors in the paradigm of CNC is keeping accurate records of the maintenance and repair services. It helps one in tracking the machine usage history over time and calculating how frequently various components need servicing. 

Following a diligent practice of routine maintenance for CNC machines reduces downtime, improves tool life, maintains your significant financial investment, and improves productivity.