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A Missing Piece of The Puzzle

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What Ever Happened to Contractor Etiquette?

Last week I wrote about etiquette after a friend had a plumber spit tobacco juice in her sink while they were talking. The lack of professional conduct (especially in the building industry) baffles me. As I have been considering this topic it’s become apparent to me that this piece of the professional puzzle is missing and needs to be found.

Where has this important piece of the business relationship puzzle gone?

It’s easy to find, but hard to put in place. This puzzle piece is right here in each of us. The problem is the unawareness that it’s even missing. We’ve become so busy in this fast paced, need to get things done life, that we’ve become self-centered. Not necessarily in an intentional knocking people out of my way selfishness. Its more production focused rather than people focused. As I think back on situations that I’ve witness or heard of, it is apparent that this problem needs attention. Whether it’s –

  • Standing in a customer’s upholstered chair using it for a ladder
  • Leaving an electric circuit turned off over a weekend which had a customer’s freezer plugged in to it
  • Laying down after lunch and taking a nap on a customer’s couch
  • Throwing food trash in the void behind a stone veneer and leaving it or
  • Spitting tobacco juice in a sink

As professionals it is up to us to do something about this.

So, what are we going to do?

The first thing is to be aware of the problem. If we ignore it, it won’t go away, it will continue to get worse. This means that we need to hold each other accountable for our actions. As professionals, if we see something unacceptable being done, we need to call each other out with respect and in private. This isn’t about public humiliation. It’s about raising the bar. The difficult thing is my acceptable behavior and yours may be different. That’s why we need to find a reasonable standard.

Here’s a good place to start –

GOLDEN RULES FOR CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS

  1. If you open it, close it.
  2. If you turn it on, turn it off.
  3. If you unlock it, lock it up.
  4. If you break it, admit it.
  5. If you can’t fix it, call in someone who can.
  6. If you borrow it, return it.
  7. If you value it, take care of it.
  8. If you make a mess clean it up.
  9. If you move it, put it back.
  10. If it belongs to someone else and you want to use it, get permission.
  11. If you don’t know how to operate it, leave it alone.
  12. If it’s none of your business, stay out of it.
  13. If it will brighten someone’s day, say it.
  14. If it will tarnish someone’s reputation, keep it to yourself.

Okay…so these are the same as the Golden Rules for Living in last week’s post. If they make sense for life, they make sense for business.

In my research I came across a Construction Etiquette blog post by Stefaney Rants. She points out some specific etiquette for the contractor to the customer.

  • Return calls, send contracts in advance, sign papers in a timely manner.
  • Be on time!  If you are going to be late, call the home owner.
  • Keep the job site “clean”.  Have the crew pick up their lunch trash and water bottles.  Ask the home owner for recycling bins.  Dust will be expected, but use a plastic tarp if possible to contain the dust and/or clean some areas if it gets out of hand, like on the home owners grill for example.
  • Be aware of landscaping.  Don’t park on flower beds or other plants.
  • If something breaks, let the home owner know!  You want to keep a good reputation and the home owner will definitely tell their friends about your work.

She also lists some etiquette for the customer to the contractor. Next week we will approach this missing puzzle piece from that perspective.

Contractors – start working on your business relationships – the BAR IS BEING RAISED.

What in The World Does Etiquette Mean Anyway?

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It Means Treating Others the Way We Want to Be Treated

Or at least the way we SHOULD want to be treated. I had a conversation with a friend recently about an experience they had with a plumber. While they were standing in the kitchen talking about the project, the plumber spit tobacco juice in her kitchen sink. Not just once mind you, but 3-4 times! He at least had the courtesy to turn the water on and rinse out the sink.

I wonder if his wife let’s him spit in the sink at home?

While I was talking with this friend, I thought out loud, what has happened to contractor etiquette? The more I’ve thought about it since then, the more examples of this kind of ‘bad behavior’ have come to mind.

I think we may be reverting to barbarians.

The word etiquette often brings to mind high-society, pinky out, knowing which fork to use, thoughts. Things that the ‘common man’ knows little about and may intentionally try to avoid. However, etiquette is about much more than a snooty, better than others attitude.

Definition of etiquette:

  1. Conventional requirements as to social behavior; proprieties of conduct as established in any class or community or for any occasion.
  2. The code of ethical behavior regarding professional practice or action among the members of a profession in their dealings with each other:

So, what exactly is etiquette in real life, everyday terms? In an article by Robin Bickerstaff, “Etiquette includes having a strong moral code of conduct. The basics include allowing personal space, following the Golden Rule (treat others as you wish to be treated), obeying the 10 Commandments, and respect for elders.” This sounds simple enough.

We are aware of the Golden Rule. The principle of “Do to others what you would want them to do to you.”, taught by Jesus. Most of us were taught this simple principle as kids…what happened?

I think much of the problem is a self-centered, socially disconnected, lack of human respect. We tend to put our own wants ahead of others. Either we have never had or have forgotten any code of moral conduct.

During a recent children’s message at church I was reminded of the Golden Rules for Living. These are things that I was taught as a kid. When thinking through the list I realized that I still strive to use these as rules as a way to live. There are a variety of variations of these rules, but if we would live by even a few, there would be less spitting of tobacco juice in customer’s sinks.

Golden Rules for Living

  1. If you open it, close it.
  2. If you turn it on, turn it off.
  3. If you unlock it, lock it up.
  4. If you break it, admit it.
  5. If you can’t fix it, call in someone who can.
  6. If you borrow it, return it.
  7. If you value it, take care of it.
  8. If you make a mess clean it up.
  9. If you move it, put it back.
  10. If it belongs to someone else and you want to use it, get permission.
  11. If you don’t know how to operate it, leave it alone.
  12. If it’s none of your business, stay out of it.
  13. If it will brighten someone’s day, say it.
  14. If it will tarnish someone’s reputation, keep it to yourself.

Not everybody’s moral code is going to be identically the same. We are all different which means our ethical behaviors will be different. Being different is good. The problem is most professionals, (especially in the building industry) have learned their trade, but not how to operate a business. The business portion includes the human interaction of proper business etiquette.

I’m going to compile a list of contractor’s rules for etiquette. So, if you have any examples of bad contractor behavior, please share them in the comments below.

Here are some additional examples of what contractor etiquette should look like: