There are certain universal truths about communicating with your client, no matter what category you task in. What Taskers underline and bold the most is how important clear communication is within the chat thread! Keeping conversation about the task to the chat thread also enables Taskrabbit support to assist with any issues—which can certainly come in, ahem, handy on Home Improvements tasks. 🥁
Here are some best practices from Taskers about communicating with their clients on Home Improvements tasks:
Scoping:
- Ask your client for photos
- Ask your client for measurements
- Tasker Anthony F. recommends clarifying: if there’s a hole to repair in a wall, what size is it–A pinhole? A fist?
- Ask your client if they own or rent their home to determine if your approach needs to be adjusted accordingly
- Ask how old the home is, particularly if dealing with plumbing or electrical; age of home often also portends wall types. For example, older homes often have plaster walls, and newer homes use sheetrock
- If you don’t have the tools for the task, ask the client if they do. This is particularly true of tall ladders!
- Pro tip: Did you know you can rent or borrow tools?
- Ask the client if they already have all of the materials needed
- Clarify task descriptions so you know which room needs work. Fixtures can differ in different rooms (for example, kitchen faucets versus bathroom faucets, versus external garden faucets).
- For less specific task descriptions, like “My door is broken,” ask: “Is it the hinges? Does it close? Does it lock?” You can start to determine whether the issue could involve paint, the frame, the handle, etc.
General Advice For Home Improvements Tasks
- Do not accept the task invitation if it is beyond the scope or skill level of what you can do. If you know another Tasker who can do the work, refer them by sending the client their profile URL.
- Look up a picture of the property once the task is confirmed so you don’t waste time looking for the front door on the day-of. This is especially important if you’re in an urban area where clients tend to live in big apartment complexes.
- If it’s not clear from the address, make sure to ask if the location is an apartment or business suite, so you’re not scrambling at the last minute to find your client!
- If the scope sounds big, ask your client if the task will require more than one Tasker; confirm if their budget and schedule will accommodate your availability and ability to complete the task.
One benefit of Home Improvements tasks? They often lead to another task! Read the post on 6 Ways to Market Yourself & Build Your Tasker Brand for tried and true methods to generate more business.
