A contractor we’ve known for years shared a situation he encountered:
Recently a client mentioned that we had a meeting in her home. That was interesting because she was on vacation 2,500 miles away in another country.
Turns out that she listens to our workspace in her home using Alexa. I guess the device that displays photos and a calendar also doubles as a baby monitor. And she has several of these in the house and one at the front door used as a doorbell. We are careful with our voices and what we discuss on a job site. But we haven’t always been so discreet.
Working in residential construction, especially remodeling, specialty, or service work is different because you’re in someone’s home. That’s their private space, their castle. We’ve always known it creates unique issues during the sales process which is why I discuss many of those “opportunities” in Profitable Sales.
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Now it’s an issue during production as well. Clients can be listening even when you think you’re alone. Are you negotiating with a subcontractor? Correcting an employee? Sharing details about your family? If so, your clients can know far more about your business or your personal life than you might want them to know.
Think of all the discussions you have that you’d rather not have clients hear. Details on pricing. Concerns about an employee or subcontractor. Complaints about the client. It isn’t enough to just step outside; many outside cameras also pick up conversations.
The ability for homeowners to listen to or record conversations has been there for many years but it’s far more common today. Security cameras are everywhere and that includes inside homes. In my opinion, your clients have every right to have listening devices in their own home that record everything that’s said. That includes during the sales call.
We’ve known for years that our cell phones are eavesdropping, but that’s never concerned me. I figure whatever vague entity might be listening won’t care what I say.
But it’s different when it’s your client who’s listening. Consider yourself warned, and remind your employees and your subcontractors that the private conversation they think they’re having might not be so private.
The knowledge and experience Michael Stone gained in his 60+ years in construction has helped thousands of contractors improve their businesses and their lives. He is the author of the books Markup & Profit Revisited, Profitable Sales, and Estimating Construction Profitably, and is available for one-on-one consultations. More here.