Title: Satisfying the Decorative Concrete Customer

Author(s): Chris Singletree

Publication: Concrete International

Volume: 26

Issue: 6

Appears on pages(s): 65-67

Keywords: Bidding, patio, customers, integral color, chemical stains

DOI:

Date: 6/1/2004

Abstract:
Most people who are considering building a decorative concrete project don’t know much about concrete, so one of our goals in an initial visit with a potential client is getting them to feel secure with the product. If they live in a subdivision with low-bid, low-quality concrete driveways and sidewalks, owners need to be assured that there’s a difference between that concrete and the product we produce. This is the first step in matching the owner’s expectations with results we know we can deliver. We’re selling want, not need, so it’s important to involve the client in the project’s design by offering them a variety of choices that can include stamped, textured, or stained concrete; exposed aggregate; or thin decorative overlays. In this article, I’ll concentrate on homeowners, but most of the advice applies to commercial projects as well.