Want Happier Customers? Try the “Orange Dot” System

Want more satisfied customers? This cheap, low-tech system lets homeowners flag concerns, ensuring you address their priorities. Simple, effective trust-builder!

KickStart: When homeowners feel like you care, they’re way more likely to trust you, recommend you, and use you again. It just takes a little intentional effort.

Let me walk you through a system to use that nails this idea. It’s low-cost, easy to implement, and sends a loud message: We’re paying attention to what matters to the residential customer.

To illustrate let’s be a security systems company. 🕵🏻

Step 1: Get Ahead of the Concerns

Before we ever set foot on the system job site, send out two things with our confirmation message:

• A small sheet of bright orange stickers (think garage-sale dots)

• A quick note:
  “If there’s anything around the residence you’re concerned about—maybe a weak spot in the perimeter, high priority areas, or a camera angle that matters to you—just stick an orange dot there.”

That’s it. Easy for the customer. And now, when we show up, we already know what’s on their mind.

Step 2: Do Your Own Mark-Up Too

When our inspector arrives, he does a full walkthrough and adds his own orange dots wherever he sees issues or areas that might need a second look. Maybe a mount is tricky, or there’s damage on the surface we’ll be working near. These markers aren’t just for the customer—they help the whole service team stay focused.

Step 3: Build It Into the Work Plan

Now we bring the two previous steps together for synergy:
Before the work starts, our system designer addresses each and every marked area in their plan—the customer’s and the inspector’s. They figure out what needs to be adjusted, fixed, or accounted for, and then include those solutions in the final plan.

We physically move the orange dots from the walls and surfaces onto the final Work Order (or binder) and add comments next to each one explaining what we did to address that concern.

Step 4: Show and Tell

When the job is done, we review the Work Order with the customer, walking them through each space and point out applicable stickers and the action we took. This isn’t just a checklist—it’s a moment of truth. They see that we paid attention, made changes, and followed through.

Why This Works (and How You Can Use It)

This whole process may sound a little extra—but here’s why it’s powerful:

✅ Customers feel involved.

They may not understand your technical work, but they do understand their concerns. Letting them point out what they care about makes them feel heard and respected. Even better, it gives them an Illusion of Control—which is a huge trust-builder, especially when working in someone else’s home.

✅ Your team stays aligned.

How often does something get missed between the walkthrough, the work, and the follow-up? This process keeps everyone—installer, inspector, and designer—on the same page.

✅ You look like a pro.

You didn’t just “do the job”—you addressed specific concerns and showed proof of it. That kind of attention to detail gets remembered.

You Don’t Need Stickers to Steal the Idea

Now, I get it—not every home service business mails out orange dots or has a system designer. That’s okay. The real takeaway is this:

👉 Find a simple way to let customers flag their concerns upfront—especially if they won’t be home during the job.

Maybe it’s a checklist they fill out online. Maybe it’s a pre-visit phone call. Maybe you bring sticky notes with you on arrival. However you do it, give them a voice—and then show them you took action.

Bonus Win: Better Team Communication

We all win: this system doesn't just help the customer—it helps us. When you start using it, you will not internal miscommunication drops. Less “Wait, who said what?” and more “Got it, already handled.”

Every home service pro knows this: communication is the biggest challenge in business. This kind of process—simple, visible, trackable—makes everything run smoother.

Final Thought: Care Isn’t a Feature—It’s a Strategy

In a world full of half-done work and ghosted customers, showing care is a competitive edge. It turns one-time jobs into long-term referrals. And it doesn’t have to be complicated—just consistent.

So whether you’re installing security systems, fixing HVAC units, or wiring up smart lights—build little moments like this into your process.

Make the Customer Cheerleader and everything else takes care of itself.