‘Electrician near me’: Common Google Mistakes That Are Costing You Money and Happiness
When electrical disaster strikes and you need help from an electrician near you, could desperation and frustration be costing you far more money and stress in the long run?
You’re watching TV when suddenly you’re plunged into darkness. Disaster! The neighbor’s lights are on, so why aren’t yours? The street lights are on, so why aren’t yours?
Frustration building, you reach for your cell phone as you clatter around trying to find the batteries for the flashlights or the candles you bought on a whim three years ago when you went on that emergency preparedness kick. “Alexa! Google! Siri! Find an electrician near me!”, and you’re off, down a rabbit hole of assumptions into whatever the first result that pops up is.
Flash forward five hours. The only thing lighter is your checkbook as the ‘electrician near me’ Alexa/Google/Siri found for you hands you a $1400 bill and tells you he’ll call you tomorrow to discuss the $8500 estimate he just gave you. You stand there nonplussed, utterly unsure how you dropped off the edge of this very steep financial cliff. You question your entire interaction without realizing that the only mistake that really mattered was the very first one you made when you clicked the first ‘electrician near me’ link you found without following these very simple steps:
Check Their Reviews
Any service company worth their salt will go to great lengths to protect their review ratings on Google. That means keeping their customers happy by going above and beyond in the service they provide. Choose a company that has a high star rating and a larger number of reviews. Companies with 100 good reviews or more have demonstrated their commitment to customer satisfaction.
Check Their Website
A good company will always invest well in its website. Is it modern? Does it look well maintained, relevant, and does it present useful information about the kind of services that you require? Does it have a blog offering useful articles on the services they provide and helpful DIY articles?
Are They A Local Electrician?
They’ve got good reviews and lots of them. Their website looks nice and it talked specifically about your electrical problem. Now, are they local? Remember, you asked for an ‘electrician near me’. The importance of supporting local businesses aside, chain organizations are notorious for providing mediocre and slapdash quality of service. Local businesses respect local people and a good local businessman understands that his name and his reputation in the community depend entirely on the quality that he and his team delivers.
Do They Offer Upfront Pricing?
‘The very best service companies offer completely transparent pricing’
Where did your huge bill come from at the beginning of this article? We could all but guarantee it would be the result of ‘unexpected labor costs’ or ‘rare parts’. The very best service companies offer completely transparent pricing. Not only do you deserve transparent pricing from your service provider, but you should expect that pricing. Service companies committed to their customers have no hourly rate, no hidden fees and won’t touch a thing without first offering a comprehensive, to the penny quote on exactly what it will take to get your system up and running. Does that mean a diagnostic fee? Absolutely, but transparent pricing will save you having to choose between rent and a repair because you’ve been slapped with a bill full of hidden fees.
Do They Offer Maintenance Service Agreements?
This one’s a biggie. Are these electricians looking for customers or are they looking for money? An easy indicator is whether or not they offer service plans. These are maintenance agreements which provide a certain number of free services through the year to support the operation of your system. They may also offer discounts on regular work, waived service fees, priority support and priority service as perks to membership. This demonstrates that they aren’t looking for a quick buck, but a long term relationship. They’ll work harder for your business, provide the highest quality of service and drive to ensure that you remain happy.
Every Little Helps
You’re never going to avoid disaster striking. It’s a statistical reality. What you can do is make sure that when those disasters do strike, you have the kind of support that you need without feeling like you’re being fleeced, because a little extra time on Google will pay off when choosing a service company that wants to build a relationship with you and protect both you and your family.
If you’re local and looking for that full-service company offering you high quality, with customer-focused upfront pricing, give Service Detectives a call. Family Owned. Local. Reliable. Trustworthy. Serving Southern Illinois since 1968. Call now at 618-993-HELP or book online at ServiceDetectives.com.
