The long-held belief that tradespeople will “put in extra effort” if you give them a warm welcome has been confirmed in new research from Ford Pro.
Its poll reveals 50% of tradespeople admit to working harder in the homes of friendlier hosts and are more likely to return.
The study of 500 tradespeople and 1,000 homeowners in the UK also uncovers the most important gestures for making visiting workers feel comfortable. According to UK tradespeople, while customers are keeping up the tradition of offering a hot drink when they have work done in their home (70%), nearly 40% of tradespeople say they don’t have a friendly chat.
In addition, 56% of ‘tradeys’ don’t get offered the use of the toilet, and three-quarters say homeowners haven’t arranged a parking space or permit for their Transit before arriving at a job.
The survey also revealed the things that annoy homeowners and tradespeople about each other. For tradeys, feeling rushed to finish quickly (60%) is the biggest source of tension, followed by unfriendliness (53%) and hovering (49%).
On the homeowners’ side meanwhile, their biggest annoyances are tradeys turning up late (70%) and not cleaning up properly (62%), and a third say they become frustrated when they feel their tradeys are rushing in and out of jobs and not taking enough care.
Ford Pro’s ‘Dream Job’ campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of the relationship between tradespeople and homeowners.
With more than one million new skilled workers needed over the next decade just to meet the rising demand for services across the construction and trades industries, the brand behind the UK’s best-selling Transit van says making your tradeys feel at home can make all the difference in retaining the support homeowners need to keep their homes running.
The campaign is being fronted by businessman and television personality Tom Skinner – who is also spotlighting the importance of honing strong relationships between tradespeople and homeowners.
Skinner said: “Great Britain is full of lovely people, and we should all be looking out for each other and treating people with respect. I love having tradespeople in my home, and when you find one that’s the absolute guv’nor, you must be good to them. Give them your best biscuits, keep them out of trouble with traffic wardens and don’t hover over them for goodness’ sake, BOSH!”
