When we read testimonials and customer reviews, there is always a reference to quality or a quality measure. But quality is largely subjective, and there is no universal standard of quality.
Or is there? Ever wondered what standard that quality rating is measured against?
Four measures of quality
Our research tells us that there are typically four quality measure quadrants:
Fitness for use.
Conformance to regulations, for example, the International Organisation for Standardisation (‘ISO’) benchmarks. The ISO is an international body for formulating standards.
Predictable degree of uniformity and dependability.
Degree of excellence.
There are firm rules around quadrants one to three; these are generally regulated—for example, a car must pass a WOF test to prove fitness of use. However, our perspective is that quadrant four is subjective. After all, our standards of excellence (which are likely to influence our significant buying decisions) must differ depending on a variety of factors, such as:
The breadth of products and services we have been exposed to, which enables us to compare.
Our inherent biases. Some of us equate excellence with price (“the more expensive it is the better”). Others measure excellence against their perception of workmanship, or fitness for purpose or service, or a myriad of other factors.
Apples with quality apples
At Wall Treats, we consider excellence to be the upper standard of something as measured against other things of a similar kind; the degree of something’s merit. In other words, something can only be considered excellent when it is compared against another comparable thing. For example, to measure quality we should compare two European vehicles rather than comparing a European car versus a Japanese one.
So, the next time we read a testimonial or customer review, consider whether this person is likely to be someone like you, with similar standards of quality. When they say something is excellent, are you also likely to consider the same thing excellent?
Do your due
The recent significant weather events in Auckland will result in many tradespeople being in high demand. Your preferred contractor may not be available to work on your project. It is abundantly important to carry out your due diligence before you engage anyone else to carry out work on your house.
We have been warned about the shoddy repairs that have been carried out on earthquake-damaged properties in Christchurch. So we need to be vigilant.
When carrying out your due diligence on trades professionals, it is important to ascertain which quality measure quadrant or quadrants best suit your needs. Most homeowners’ requirements straddle quadrants 1 and 2. They are likely to score tradespeople well on quadrant 3 if they turn up to the job consistently.
Comparison of reviews can be tricky and omit the whole picture. Often, reviewers are making their judgements based on a “one-off” experience (and they have varying definitions of quality), while many of our customers have used Wall Treats time and time again for various jobs in their homes. Their reviews speak to a consistent level of performance.
At Wall Treats, we know that when we receive outstanding reviews from our customers, the feedback is truly compelling. Why?
We have an explicit target market whose definition of quality includes all four quality measure quadrants. We have stayed focused on working with this target market since we started operating in 2003.
84% of the projects we carried out in 2021 and 2022 were for our target market. Of these, 95% were customers who had previously engaged us.
84% of the projects we carried out in 2021 and 2022 were in Auckland suburbs where the median price of real estate is between $1.79 and $3.21 million.
The average value of each project we carried out in 2021 and 2022 is $13,900. That is a hefty investment, considering the median weekly earnings from wages and salaries is $1,189 in the year to the June 2022 quarter (source: Statistics New Zealand, Weekly earnings rise as more in full-time employment | Stats NZ)
65% of quote opportunities we received in 2021 and 2022 came from existing clients. The global average referral rate is 2.3% (What's a Good Referral Rate? Referral Program Benchmarks (growsurf.com)) They wanted us to repaint their homes (again!) or those of their families and close friends.
Please let us know if we can be of service to either you or anyone you know who will value and benefit from our service.