About a year ago, at my last agency, I pitched (unsuccessfully) for Royal Mail communications planning. The big idea that we had (thanks to Simon and Graeme) was for RM to transform their SME database into an active and living online community where other people (businesses or consumers) could rate and review SMEs. Rather than a static listing with just the address and web page, SMEs would be humanised.
(...the people behind the numbers, you might say!!!).
We called it 'Trade on Trust'.
It was a big idea, and perhaps too much of a stretch for Royal Mail at the time. But given recent experience with builders, trust is so important in choosing your hired help.
We needed some builders. We went on the East Dulwich Forum. There were quite a few recommendations, but 'Tom & Jay', stood out a mile for their glowing reports. We phoned them, got them in and got a quote. They were about 30% more expensive, and of course, we had to wait 8 weeks more to get them in. The rational brain said that they couldn't possibly be that much better. But then the emotion kicked in. This is the house we want to stay in for years, we really want it to be perfect.
And of course, the emotions won, and we're now living in a tip as Tom and Jay (& Dirk) are at work. As with any building project, the costs already seem to be spiralling.... 'No, that wasn't quoted for.' ... 'actually this would look a lot better with a new wood flooring...'. Hmmm.
And yet, even though I rationally know that we might be being overpriced, the thought of getting another builder / carpenter etc. in for these additional jobs, seems like a bit too much effort. (Which I'm sure is what Tom & Jerry, sorry Jay, are expecting.) But if this was a scam, surely the East Dulwich Forum would have some luke-warm reviews?
I've always suspected that the only reviews written are those that are either really positive or those that are really negative. And who wants to say on a review that they think they might have been ripped off? Particularly when they look at their finished masterpiece and they're filled with emotional pride. (And I have to admit that T&J are doing an excellent job).
Perhaps we have artifically inflated reviews akin to the Hawthorne Effect?
So how can people like me get a 'real' sense of who to trust for projects like this?
Can businesses really 'trade on trust'?
I am sure that there is still an opportunity waiting to be grabbed by a business that has both national scale and local relevance. (Royal Mail / Post Office, Yell, Thomson, Trinity Mirror, BBC, ITV, Job Centre Plus....) But to make it a success, this online resource /portal would need to have a pretty complex recommendation algorithm. Not just an 'average'. An algorithm that measures recency, importance, semantics, context, validity & volatility.
So maybe we'll have to leave it to Google then.
1 comment:
I think the key is to find a recommended builder/tradesman who has done something similar to your requirements. I was let down by three different tradesmen who were just giving a quote. I ended up using Jay and Tom and yes the price crept up but you have to say no if they're being unreasonable. Clearing of rubbish, extra painting because of the wrong surface etc etc should be part of the final cost, a good builder will point out typical extra costs at the beginning. And if you're flexible with them i.e. you don't mind if they have a couple of days off here and there they expect them to be flexible with you too.
Please make sure you post you experience on the East Dulwich Forum so that others know.
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