17 Feb Revealed: the traits that UK customers most value in tradespeople
New research has revealed the qualities that customers most value in UK tradespeople, with professionalism topping the list.
ElectricalDirect, the specialist retailer of electrical products, partnered with My Local Toolbox to analyse over 10,000 online trade reviews and identify the most commonly referenced positive attributes.
Professionalism is praised the most often, with more than two in five (42%) customer comments complimenting tradespeople for this trait.
Quality of work (34%) is second, ahead of punctuality (13%).
However, when it comes to electricians in particular, customers really appreciate workers arriving on time, and punctuality is talked about even more than the quality of work.
Across all trades, customers rank electricians as number one for perceived value, third best at returning messages and in the top five for arriving on time.
The traits that Brits most value in electricians are:
Professional
Arrive on time
Great work
Friendly
Efficient
Helpful
Tidy
Reliable
Clean
Reasonably priced
To help tradespeople who are looking to increase their online presence, ElectricalDirect also spoke to the PR and marketing experts at Jaywing, to share their top marketing tips.
1) Register for local listings services
“Sites like Google My Business, Bing Places, and Apple Maps are hugely influential, so it’s important to have an account that features your up-to-date company information. Create a business profile and then add your working hours, address, service area, and contact details. If people search for trade services in your area, your business will then be more likely to appear.”
2) Collect and promote case studies
“Customers are heavily influenced by image-led content, so remember to photograph your best jobs to visually display your services. Before and after images are good for showing the impact you can have, and these can be used both on your website and social media channels to spread awareness.”
3) Actively seek reviews
“One in nine tradespeople say that they are heavily reliant on review websites for their business, and the importance of positive feedback cannot be overstated. Trust is critical in the industry, with customers wanting to know they can feel safe with tradespeople in their homes, and be confident that the job will be done well.
“Ensure you continuously ask clients to leave comments on sites such as Google My Business, to create positive associations for your company, and draw people to your services.”
4) Be visible in your local community
“If possible, you need to be visible both off and online, and that involves getting your name out in your local community. Offline marketing can take many forms, from putting up posters in supermarkets or on noticeboards, to dropping leaflets in people’s letterboxes. It’s also worth investing in a vehicle wrap, and buying a sign that you can leave outside properties where you’re working.”
