Customer Color Confusion a Loss of Time and Money for the Contractor

by Dan Rowe
(www.rowespaintingandcarpentry.com)

Completed Interior by Rowe's Painting

A customer with COLOR CONFUSION can be a roadblock to the painting contractor from securing the job, let alone completing it. Some people have no idea of selecting colors and this can be an aggravation to the contractor. Especially when a customer finally decides on the color choices. The contractor drives to the store to put in his or her order for the custom colors, which I might add are NON-RETURNABLE.

At last the contractor finally applies the color to the walls, ceiling, etc. only to the dismay of the customer who "thought the color would look different". The contractor has just wasted valuable time and materials by not communicating effectively with the customer prior to the colors application.

The contractor could have avoided this awkward situation in several ways. First if the contractor for sees Color Confusion on the behalf of his or her customer it is up to him to paint only a sample wall or ceiling, let it dry and let the customer "sleep on it". This saves time for the contractor from not painting the entire room to the dissatisfaction of the customer.

It also saves money in that the contractor only purchased a quart of non-returnable paint as opposed to 5-10 gallons which will probably never be used.

Secondly the contractor can cover him or herself by stipulating in the contract prior to the commencement of work, that any changes in color after the customers selection will be an addition to the total price. With this being said, when a contractor has a customer with Color Confusion paint only a sample large enough to give a general impression. State that the color will dry a shade darker, and look different as natural light gives it different casts during the day. Let the customer "sleep on it" because the next day they might have changed their mind again!


Article by Rowe's Painting and Carpentry
Rowe's Painting and Carpentry is a New Jersey based home improvement and remodeling contractor/painter serving all aspects of interior and exterior renovation services.

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