What it means
You can sense that someone writing this phrase was really hoping to leave an all-thumbs-up review. But that “but” means trust took a hit somewhere along the line, and things ended with a three- or four-star review.
Every customer review is a clue. Most of them point to something fixable.
In our workshop, Feedback 101: How to use last year’s reviews to book more work this spring, we asked contractors to do something simple: pull up your last 10-20 reviews and look at what language keeps showing up?
We took on that same assignment, but on a much larger scale, combing through almost 63,000 BBB reviews from the last 12 months. We found 10 phrases – clues – that reveal what to look for, what it means, and how to make any necessary adjustments.
1. “Great work, but…”
What to fix
Whatever follows the “but” will underline the issue, but focusing on clear communication, dependable timelines, transparent pricing and end-of-job walkthroughs could cut down the mentions of, “great work, but…”
2. “The estimate/quote didn’t match the final bill”
What it means
Language like “overcharged,” or mentions of “estimates” or “invoices” are clues that pricing expectations weren’t met.
What to fix
Audit your quote templates, especially language around the scope of work, changes, and pre-approval for any overages. Check your numbers more often if you’re experiencing cost changes due to inflation, supply chain issues or vendor changes.
3. “They damaged…” / “left a mess”
What it means
No one wants to clean up after someone else. When workers leave a customer’s home in disarray, though, it feels personal.
What to fix
First off, protect your clients’ property like it’s the product. Teach that to your team, and add “site protection, cleanup, and final walk-through” to the final checklist.
4. “Leaking” / “had to redo”
What it means
If they’re paying, they’re expecting good work. When the problem/remodel/fix creates new problems/remodels/fixes … that’s always a trust-breaker.
What to fix
Add QA checks, photo documentation, and a plan to address workmanship issues. Take care when crafting your contractor guarantees or warranties and stay aware of product warranties that may help address issues that come up.
5. “Would not honor the warranty/guarantee…”
What it means
Following the above workmanship issues, customers who believe they bought peace of mind feel stuck when warranties/guarantees aren’t protecting them.
What to fix
You can never promise the world. But you can be intentional and realistic in writing your warranty/guarantee terms in plain language, with a hard service level agreement (SLA) for warranty callbacks and inspections.
6. “Unprofessional” / “rude” / “lied” / “avoid”
What it means
This is not even about the work. It’s about how the customer was treated, and how they’re taking steps to warn others by writing a review.
What to fix
This is all about how you and your team show up. Make the high behavior standards you expect an emphasis in training for everyone – from sales to field operators.
7. “Refund” / “deposit” / “money back”
What it means
Money will always be a sensitive subject. When these phrases pop up, customers are expressing that what they paid for (services/products/deposits) doesn’t match what they received or were promised.
What to fix
In addition to honoring the promises of your contract, make sure your refund/deposit policies include documented milestones plus clear language around what triggers a refund.
8. “Delayed” / “took longer than expected”
What it means
If this language pops up without the “why,” customers are saying you’re unreliable for not meeting expectations. Even good work gets re-rated when timelines drift without clear updates.
What to fix
Some circumstances cause timelines to change, so when it happens, be as transparent as possible. Communicate early, and walk them through what changed and why.
9. “Never called back” / “unresponsive”
What it means
The customer feels abandoned because no one is paying attention to them.
What to fix
Smaller teams might be spread thin, but there always needs to be a point person for responses. Set clear response-time standards and identify who’s accountable for following up with clients.
10. “No-show” / “missed appointment” / “no updates”
What it means
When a promise (like showing up) is broken, we feel disrespected. When it comes to our time, this will push anyone to be extremely frustrated.
What to fix
If you’ve gotten this far down the list, you know what’s coming: Communicate, communicate, communicate. Send confirmations and updates to your customers. And make a genuine effort to apologize or provide credit back to the customer when these misses happen on your end.
BBB Great West + Pacific
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