Email is a fantastic option when contacting a contractor! Most contractors are very busy throughout the day and many do not hire full time administrative staff for their offices. For this reason email works really well, especially in the following situations:
24/7 Response Time
Receiving a response at midnight from a contractor is not unusual, and using email allows this to happen. Emailing allows for a much quicker response time; usually no more than 24 hours from initial contact(weekdays only!). If a phone conversation is necessary, it can be scheduled over email to ensure that both parties are available at the same time.
Paper-Trail
Emails work as written recordings of conversations. They prove who was involved in the conversation and what each individual said, which is a great thing to have when dealing with business matters. Also since our brains can only absorb so much information, an email allows us to recount what we spoke about and ensure that important facts are not forgotten.
Organized Thoughts
Most of us write down what we want to address during an important phone conversation but very rarely do we get all of our questions answered. Between distractions and calls cut short, sometimes one or two important issues are left out. With email you can clearly write your thoughts out in an organized manner and ensure that all important issues are addressed.
3 Important Notes about Email Communication
1. Everyone needs a day off! Please do not expect to contact a contractor on a Friday afternoon or evening and then expect a response by Saturday afternoon. Although some may respond, you should expect that most will contact you by Monday afternoon.
2. Please give detailed information. The more information the better. It is best to know right off the bat if the contractor is interested in your project, and if they can complete it within your desired timeline. Some contractors prefer small projects while others will only do large scale projects.
3. Include all contact information. This includes the information of everyone that will be involved in the planning and decision making process of the project (i.e.spouse). Email addresses & telephone numbers for each individual can be extremely helpful.
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