COVID-19 news and updates change quickly and frequently. Some of the information in this article may soon be out of date. We will do our best to keep details updated during this challenging time. The article below reflects information as of August 4, 2020.
The novel COVID-19 virus continues to impact industries around the world on a global, national, and local level. Contractors continue to explore new ways to operate “as normal,” while keeping important safety measures in place.
It’s important to understand that homeowners are extremely wary during this pandemic. They want to keep themselves, their family, and their home as safe as possible. Many homeowners may have objections to beginning their home improvement projects during this difficult time.
It is important to reassure homeowners of your updated safety procedures and create strategies for overcoming these objections. Leading each call with safety in mind can help put the customer’s mind at ease— and close the deal on the project.
Common objections you may face during COVID-19 include:
- I’ll call you in a few weeks/months when everything settles down
- We need some time to think about it
- It’s not a good time right now
- I need to talk to my spouse
In most cases, these generic objections mask an underlying concern. If you can identify that concern, you can put the homeowner’s mind at ease.
Here are a few things to consider so you can address your customer’s needs, and support your business:
Share Your Safety and Health Precautions for COVID
It is paramount to continue to follow COVID-19 guidelines issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the World Health Organization (WHO) to keep yourself —and those around you— safe as possible.
Continue to follow recommendations on a federal, state, and local level. Stay informed of changes and adapt as needed.
Homeowners will likely have concerns about the health implications of inviting a work crew into the home.
In addition to official guidelines that dictate social distancing measures and cleaning hands/surfaces, it’s important to have a safety plan in place. Our recent blog shares important recommended processes for contractors.
Continue to explore ways that you can maintain communication while reducing the number of in-person touchpoints. Encourage the homeowner to reach out virtually as often as they’d like if questions come up during the project.
Encourage a normal timeline for project renovations
The current pandemic might lead some homeowners to believe that it is not an ideal time to move forward on home renovations. Some homeowners don’t have the pressure of a timeline, but you can still encourage them to be proactive with these home projects.
Highlighting your local offering is key. As homeowners look to improve their homes, they also want to support their community. Small, local businesses are struggling during this difficult time, and homeowners are compassionate to these challenges. It is important to highlight your impact within your local community.
This is also a time to promote any discounts or offerings that you may be able to offer.
Additionally, it may be important to share your financing partners. There are multiple benefits to offering financing to homeowners. Contractors typically see an increase in close rate and job size. Homeowners have a better ability to upgrade to better quality energy-efficient solutions— which creates a happier customer overall. Through our Modernize homeowner surveys, we know 80 percent of homeowners would like to finance part (if not all) of their home improvement projects. Now is the time to proactively provide finance solutions for all of your customers. We share our preferred partners here.
Conflicting priorities with family obligations
Daily schedules shifted earlier this year as we adjusted to socially-distant life. Many families now juggle working at home, while also supporting their children’s needs and schedules. Homeowners may be reluctant to begin a project as they may not have the bandwidth to add another project to their to-do list.
As a contractor, you can help relieve the homeowner’s stress and concerns. Listen and reassure your homeowner. Explain how your crew is responsible for the heavy lifting— helping to alleviate the stress or responsibility the homeowner will carry through the construction project.
Train your sales team to navigate customer concerns
Every business owner needs to proactively train their sales teams to be aware of COVID-19 concerns. Empathy is key to ensure that every client feels heard and understood. Your team can help reassure and encourage homeowners that this is still the perfect time to execute a project by being mindful of communication and care.
