Most people automatically think about full scale replacement of windows when glazing is mentioned, but a good glazing company can offer many other smaller and less expensive services for homeowners. Some of the things which a glazing company would be able to do is replacing panels in glass doors, cutting glass for a table top or a mirror and repairing broken glass in windows and doors. When inviting tradespeople into your home for whatever reason, it is important to be sure that the company is reputable and trustworthy.
Recommendation from friends and family
The best way of finding a company which can be trusted is to ask around friends or family for recommendations. People who have had glazing work done recently will be happy to share their experiences and offer genuine feedback about the company they employed. It is also worth mentioning companies which you are considering and asking people whether they have heard anything positive or negative about them. Companies with a good reputation for delivering a good service and quality product should be asked to quote for the job, but companies which have poor feedback should be disregarded. A company which has extensive experience and a portfolio of previous work to display is preferable to a newly established business which has no track record on which to base any feedback.
Internet versus Yellow Pages
A few years ago, Yellow Pages was the default method of finding a tradesperson. The drawback of the Yellow Pages is that the small space available for advertising is small, and therefore the company can only give a tiny amount of information about their company. The internet is a far better resource as the company can give out far more information on their company home page and give a prospective customer a much better impression of what the company is about. There are also many review sites on the internet where customers can leave reviews about companies and typing the name of the company into a search engine should reveal whether or not any of these sorts of reviews exist. Reviews are a useful tool but should be treated with caution as generally only very happy or very angry customers take the time to leave a review on a website.
Availability and Contact
A good, professional company always returns calls and makes it easy for customers to get in touch by phone, email or post. A company which operates from a mobile phone only or only has a PO Box number to send correspondence to should be treated with caution. Reputable companies are happy to speak to customers and will always return calls and pick up messagesd left on answer machines. Many now are also happy to communicate by email and text message. Staff members should be professional and give a good impression to prospective customers, and should be confident in answering questions about the products and services which they offer.
The Glazing Guide 