Is The Best Free Marketing….Complaints?

I was a young construction manager, walking houses under construction with our Division President.  He stopped on the sidewalk in front of one of our homesites and said, “You know, you probably don’t realize it, but you’re in marketing.  Our product is on display 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, while you’re building it.  It’s already sold to someone, but while under construction it’s a 3000 square foot advertisement to anyone driving by of who we are.”

It's definitely true in homebuilding – but maybe even more so in home remodeling.  Every nail driven, wall opened, or cabinet installed is visible to the customer, who is often living in the middle of the process. That reality makes handling customer concerns more challenging, but also more critical to your business’ success. 

Yet many contractors spend tens of thousands of dollars on marketing to win new business, only to drop the ball when it comes to nurturing customers through the messy, unpredictable process of construction. That leads to negative reviews, public complaints, and lost referrals.  More than anything, it’s damage to the brand.

Drawing from Jay Baer’s Hug Your Haters, here’s how to rethink your approach to complaints and turn unhappy customers into your biggest advocates.

Just Accept It! Complaints Are Inevitable

Construction is disruptive.  I always used to prepare my customers that they were about to see how the sausage is made….and they might not like the look of it.  It’s more OMG, and less HGTV. There will be dust, noise, delays, and surprises hidden inside walls or under floors.  Sometimes it’s just normal construction debris…sometimes it’s a skeleton. Even if your team is highly skilled, your customers are experiencing inconvenience in their own living space, their proverbial shelter, which magnifies every frustration.

Instead of striving for a “no complaints” business, embrace the fact that complaints are a normal part of the process.  Cliché as it might be, you can’t please everyone.  This mindset shift helps you stop seeing them as threats, and start treating them as opportunities for trust-building.

Be Proactive in Setting Expectations

No matter who you ask, no matter what industry, they’ll tell you the same thing; Most negative reviews stem from a disconnect between what the customer expected and what the contractor delivers. You can avoid a lot of heartache by being radically transparent upfront:

• Explain the mess: Tell them where dust will spread, what spaces will be off-limits, and how long their routines will be disrupted.

• Talk about delays: Materials, inspections, and weather are common culprits. A client who knows delays are possible will be less angry when they occur.

• It’s not you, it’s them: Remember that you do this every single day.  What you know is a minor fix or run of the mill repair they may see as a major issue.  Reassure, don’t dismiss.

Proactive communication doesn’t just reduce complaints; it shows professionalism and care.

Silence Is Worse Than Anything

In Hug Your Haters, Baer emphasizes that answering every complaint is the new marketing. This is especially true when negative reviews are public on Google, Yelp, or Facebook.

• Speed matters. Respond within 24 hours. Silence feels like neglect, while a fast reply demonstrates attentiveness.

• Stay calm and professional. Never argue online. Thank them for bringing the issue to your attention, apologize for their experience, and invite them to continue the conversation offline.

• Show others you care.  Remember, your response isn’t just for the person complaining,  it’s for the hundreds of potential customers reading how you handle problems.

Complaints As Your New Marketing Fuel

Believe it or not, a complaint handled well can create more loyalty than a flawless job.  Because people remember how you treated them when things went wrong.  Most customers expect things to go wrong; and unfortunately, they expect most contractors to cut and run.

Just handling things right is only the first step.  Now it’s time to leverage that!

• Share the resolution story. With the customer’s permission, turn a fixed problem into a testimonial. “We had an issue with the shower door, but the team came back the next day and made it right.”

• Spot patterns. If multiple clients complain about dust cleanup or late communication, don’t just fix it for one customer, build a system to fix it for all.  And thank the customer (publicly) for helping make your business better.

• Celebrate your responsiveness. Highlight your “100% response rate” or “commitment to addressing issues within 24 hours” in your marketing.

Shift from Customer Acquisition to Customer Nurturing

Too many contractors obsess over the next lead while neglecting the customer right in front of them.  Every customer is a potential referral machine if treated right. Invest in nurturing relationships during the project like regular updates or small gestures of empathy.  Visible accountability reduces the need some customers feel to post negative reviews just to get the contractors attention.

Remember: Your advertising dollars earn attention, but your customer service earns trust.

In construction, complaints are inevitable. But if you follow Jay Baer’s principle to “hug your haters,” you can potentially flip the script. Instead of letting negative reviews damage your reputation, use them to showcase your responsiveness, your professionalism, and even more importantly, your humanity. 

When handled well, a frustrated homeowner can become your loudest cheerleader, telling everyone not just about the kitchen you remodeled, but about how you stood by your work, listened, and made it right.