A few minutes before I started writing this column,  I witnessed one of the best examples of exceptional service from a tech that you could wish for.  I confess that my example is a plumber and not an HVAC tech, but the lesson applies to any service business.

Joe Fennimore, the owner of Pipes Plumbing,  came to my house to fix an icemaking problem. No ice. Many of you have the same refrigerator. Large, expensive and has enough space to feed a platoon. What we thought would be a quick fix turned up several problems that he diagnosed and then repaired. I actually thought, given the time and effort (he swapped out the plastic water line for copper and a new valve), that the price we paid was a bit modest. 

After finishing the repair and sitting in the dining room creating an invoice, I asked Joe if he wanted any referrals. I subscribe to a local neighborhood-type chat group and often read a post like, “I need a plumber who is good and reasonable.” “He quickly said, “No, I’m not interested.”

Then, my wife asked if he would be interested in friends of ours who live a few doors away and with whom we socialize. Joe asked, “Are they nice?” My wife said they are nice but can be very picky, especially the husband. I said, “He’ll probably hover over you as you work.” (There’s nothing that I hated more than when I worked in a newsroom and an editor hovered over me.) Joe replied, “No thanks.” Joe is a solo operator and can be picky because his calendar is booked.

We made an appointment for future work, and Joe said he’d be on time, if not earlier, for the future appointment. “On time,” I said, “many contractors don’t run on time.” He admitted that when he started out, he was always late, both professionally and personally. “My goal is to get to my clients 15 minutes early, ” Joe said. “I felt I had to improve.”

This should be the end of the story and the conclusion of this implied lesson about service that is prompt, successful and adds that personal touch. It wasn’t.

The next day, at 6:47 p.m., Joe called, and the message rolled into voicemail. We were watching The Wire, and at 8:36 p.m., I called him back. Why did Joe, the Plumber, call back? He simply wanted to know if the icemaker was working as it should. He didn’t call because he was trying to reel us in as a regular customer (we already were), nor was the ticket so expensive that he feared we might have second thoughts. (It was about $370.) When I called him back, I put the phone on speaker so that my wife could hear the conversation.

The essence of that call is that he wanted to ensure that his customers were satisfied with his work. This stunned me because who would make a follow-up phone call for this modest job? Yet he was willing to spend seven minutes finding out if all was well. 

We hear about soft skills ad nauseum and think, “Yeah, yeah,” but I can tell you after we hung up, my wife said, “I love that guy.” Heck, I love the guy.

I’ve been writing about contractors, directly or indirectly, for decades. Leaving aside the need for technical skills, I can’t imagine a greater talent, instinct, style or approach than what Joe the Plumber offered that evening.  He was a master of soft skills and did so seemingly without effort because he made us feel that we were special.

I know that some contractors call back customers, at least sporadically. But I would suggest that you do it as frequently as time permits. Customers typically know the drill: When the contractor is done, they’re done with you.

 That follow-up call establishes you as being different, a face behind the marketing slogan. We have endlessly urged contractors to stand out from the pack. We suggest that you create and demonstrate your own personality and that you’re different from other contractors. That follow-up to check in is what makes you strikingly different.

Joe’s call back simply floored me and my wife. If you’re thinking I was overly impressed, you could be right. But I knew it was notable for several reasons. Joe did it, and many contractors never do, including some whom we’ve paid considerably more money.

You see, it isn’t only that he wants you to appreciate his work and pay for it. He wants to show you that he appreciates you. And who doesn’t like that feeling, even on our dullest days?

This should be the end of my little story with Joe the Plumber, but it isn’t. My wife promised to send Joe a photo of a bin filled with fresh ice.  She delivered on the promise.

You don’t have to make a phone call to check back on completed work, but if you do, your customers will never forget you. We won’t forget Joe Fennimore.