Choosing the best, most trustworthy company for any home repairs could seem stressful but these signs below can help you choose the best residential garage door company in your area. A garage can protect your home and valuables from intruders, so relying on the right company is crucial.
Phone Manners Matter
Your first impression of a company means everything, and trustworthy companies take that into consideration. A well-trained customer service representative should answer your call and answer your questions to the best of their ability. They should then help you set up an appointment or consultation.
Local “New” Companies
The garage door industry, like the locksmith industry, is notorious for scam artists. You have to be extremely careful when selecting a garage door company because many that pop up in a quick Google search are actually illegitimate. These scam artists change the name of their “garage door company” every few months so they don’t get caught. They will often use stolen messaging or images to market themselves. Most of the scamming companies will use generic names like “Garage Door Repairs” and not make an effort to make their brand sound unique in case they get caught in the act. If a garage door company looks questionable, or if you see an ad or other branded material with misspelled words and vague information, stay away from them.
Years in Business
Be careful not to confuse “experience” with years in business. Some companies may say they have 25 years of “experience” but have only been in business for a few months. Companies open and close every day so be sure you choose a company you know has been in business for a long time because it usually shows dependability and a dedication to customer service. Hollywood-Crawford has been in continuous business serving the San Antonio area since 1947.
Non-existent Address
Most of the scamming companies do not work out of a physical location, which is a major indicator of their lack of experience or illegitimacy. An office building for a garage door company shows their reliability and dedication to their work and client base. In the garage door business, most trustworthy companies have a showroom connected to their main office which allows clients to see all of their options in person before committing to anything. A scam company will avoid all questions about a showroom or simply state they only have a P.O. Box available in the area which probably means their entire operation is run out of a van or someone’s bedroom.
Prices Everybody Should Resist
The average fee for a service call or estimate in the garage door industry is typically in the $100 range, but many scammers start low and then go high. If a company charges anywhere from $30 – $50 for initial service calls then they will make it seem like the rest of the work will be discounted when they are actually just trying to overcharge you after the repairs are finished. Also, discounts for garage door companies are set for clients who qualify and definitely not a “one day only” deal. If a deal seems a little too good to be true then you might want to do some more research about the company.
Free Estimates
One of the best ways to help you choose the right company is to request a free estimate before any work is done. Hollywood-Crawford offers free, no-obligation estimates on both repairs and new installations in their service area. However, don’t just go for the lowest price because we’ve all gone with the lowest price at some time in our lives and regretted our decision. Use all the factors listed in this article when choosing the right company to repair or replace your garage door or garage door opener. Also, be careful to make sure the entire estimate is “free”. Some companies have been known to offer “free” estimates but then unexpectedly charge a travel or service charge.
Dress to Impress
A trustworthy company will have a service truck or van with their company logo, number, slogan, or address displayed. They will also be wearing company uniforms or merchandise that shows they are a proud employee of their company. If a technician shows up in a random van or truck with plain clothes on, then they could be scamming you. The appearance of a trustworthy company means everything to them in order to have a good reputation in their area, so be prepared to turn technicians away simply for their attire if necessary. Hollywood-Crawford vehicles are all wrapped in our branding, and our technicians all have company shirts or uniforms.
Reviews and Online Reputation
One of the most important ways to find out if a service company is legitimate is to look at their online presence. When you are searching for a garage door company, ask yourself these questions:
- Is the website well maintained with lots of content (including information on services, products, blog posts and contact information)?
- Does the company have a lot of Google reviews? Is the star rating over 4.5?
- Does the company have a Google Guaranteed status? These guarantees can be located within their Google Local Service Ad profile, which should populate at the top of the Google Search Engine Results Page.
- Do branded materials look professional? Are there a lot of typos or spelling errors?
There are many online indicators for a scam, but you just have to be on the lookout for it.
If you feel like you cannot trust anybody anymore after reading this article, then give Hollywood-Crawford Door Company a quick Google search and test out your detective skills. We promise you will find all trustworthy signs of a company that is ready to help you and not take all of your money in the process. Leave your garage door repairs and installations to Hollywood-Crawford Door Co. the only IDEA Accredited Garage Door Dealer in San Antonio. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment!
