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A homeowner in Tacoma told me my camera inspection was useless because I didn't explain what they were seeing. | Chimney Sweeps - Vivisector

the_emma•5mo ago

A homeowner in Tacoma told me my camera inspection was useless because I didn't explain what they were seeing.

I was showing them the video feed on my tablet, pointing out some minor creosote, and they just looked confused. They said, 'I have no idea what I'm looking at. Is that bad? Is that normal?' I realized I was just going through the motions. Now I narrate the whole thing like a sports commentator. 'Okay, see that shiny black stuff? That's creosote. We want to get that out. Now we're passing the damper, look how it moves...' Takes an extra two minutes, but they feel way more informed. Anyone else had a client call them out on their communication?

4 comments

4 Comments

morganmartinez2mo ago

Wait, someone actually thought a grainy pipe video was a ghost?

jason_stone595mo ago

Totally get that. I used to just point at the screen and say "there's a problem" without explaining what the problem actually was. A lady once asked if the fuzzy black and white image was a ghost in her pipes. Now I describe everything, like "this dark spot here is where water is getting in, and this clear section means the seal is still good." It makes all the difference.

ryan_black5mo ago

I had a customer in Seattle stop me mid-inspection last year to ask if the camera was showing a lava lamp. I was just silently scrolling past a totally normal, gloopy section of pipe. It was a real wake-up call that my expert view and their confused view were two different things. Now I talk through every single foot like I'm giving a tour to a very curious alien. It feels silly at first, but it turns a confusing video into a simple story about their chimney. That extra talking is the difference between them trusting the work and thinking you're just running up the bill.

linda_reed5mo ago

Exactly! I started doing that after a client thought a patch of normal moss on their roof was a major leak. Now I point out the "good stuff" too, like saying "See how this brick is still solid? That's what we want to keep!" It builds way more trust when they hear what's right, not just what's wrong.