When hiring a kitchen fitter, customers weigh up several factors before making their decision. Understanding what matters most to clients can help you stand out in a competitive market.

If you’re a self-employed kitchen fitter, you may already know how clients find you and what they are looking for. This may be apparent by the questions they ask before they request a quote.

Budget is obviously a huge factor when customers are shopping around for a service. Technical skills too. And availability is more and more important, particularly if they’ve got a tight timeframe in mind, as trades continue to be in high demand.

If you’re new to the industry or considering making kitchen fitting your career move, it’s worth embarking on this new endeavour armed with as much information as possible about what customers are looking for.  If you can tick the boxes, you could have a much better chance of standing out and securing work.

How to stand out as a kitchen fitter

We’ve put together a list of different factors that potential customers could consider and weigh up when they contact you for a kitchen fitting quote.

1.    Communication

Clear communication is incredibly important, and it starts even before they’ve contacted you for the first time.

Stand out by communicating professionally throughout. From emails and phone calls, to quotes and invoices, a customer shouldn’t be left second-guessing what’s going on.

2.    Availability

Having availability means you can fit them in but being busy signals that you’re good at what you do.

Stand out by being open about your availability and managing expectations. We all know that priorities and projects change, communicating well will help keep gaps in your schedule to a minimum and your customers happy.

3.    Price

Obviously, the price of the service is a hugely influential factor. Customers are likely to be aware of a kitchen fitter’s going rate and will be calling around to get a few quotes for their project.

Stand out by providing a clear quote that includes a breakdown not just of your time estimate but of any materials and additional expenses.

4.    Qualification and experience

Formal qualifications aren’t essential to be a kitchen fitter, but it is possible that customers could look for them, especially if you’ve not had the chance to build up much experience yet.

Stand out by doing a kitchen fitting course. The Able Skills 5 Day Kitchen Fitting Course (accredited by City & Guilds) is a perfect introduction to the trade and a way to certify your skills.

5.    Reputation

Reviews, recommendations and registrations and more contribute to your professional reputation as a kitchen fitter. It should be easy for potential customers to find you and they should feel assured by what they see.

Stand out with online reviews on platforms like Google or Trustpilot and make use of a tradesperson’s platforms like Checkatrade or MyBuilder. Don’t overlook your own website and social media profiles – continue to stand out by showcasing your skills as a kitchen fitter by adding photos of your work.

Customer considerations when hiring a kitchen fitter and how to stand out

Factor Customer Considerations How to Stand Out 
Budget/Price Price of the service, going rate, clear quote, breakdown of time, materials, expenses Provide a clear quote with breakdown of time, materials, additional expenses 
Technical Skills Technical skills, qualifications, experience Technical skills, qualifications, and experience 
Availability Ability to fit customer in, manage expectations, high demand for trades Be open about availability, communicate well, manage schedule gaps 
Communication Clear and professional communication, no second-guessing Communicate professionally in emails, calls, quotes, invoices 
Reputation Reviews, recommendations, registrations, online presence Showcase online reviews (Google, Trustpilot), use Checkatrade, MyBuilder, own website, social media, add work photos 
Professional Service Turning up on time, doing a good job, positive interactions Be professional, tidy, friendly, easy to deal with, prompt from enquiry to final invoice 

Providing a professional service as a kitchen fitter

Providing a professional service isn’t only turning up on time with your tools and doing a good job. That’s obviously incredibly important. But it starts with the first interaction, to the last, with the initial enquiry right through to submitting your final invoice.

If you do a good job, your customers will be happy with their new kitchen. If you do a great job and you’re also easy to deal with, professional, tidy and friendly, your customers might be happy to leave you a good review or recommend you to their friends.

By focusing on these essential areas, kitchen fitters can not only meet but exceed customer expectations, leading to increased recommendations and long-term success in the industry.