Reliability and trust in a service provider is a lot like the wheels of a car: without them you're not going to get anywhere. Be it air conditioning, plumbing, or landscaping, there are dozens of companies (some good, many bad) who are out there right now hoping that they can convince you that they have what you need. You should consider you choice of maintenance provider the same way you would consider your choice of a new car with respect to its coat of paint: while the coat of paint is nice to look at it typically does not say a whole lot about the engine underneath. It's this "pages, not the cover" approach to choosing a service provider that will have you ready to read their attitude like a book.
Service Through the Internet: One of your best tools in the fight to win good service is the World Wide Web. There are currently dozens of websites that evaluate and keep stock of various maintenance providers and hundreds of blogs and message boards that will give you "straight from the horse's mouth" takes on the different companies in your area. While it would be tempting to say that the posts that you read on online blogs and on different sounding boards are full of insightful and objective information, much of the time the people who post on these websites are simply looking for an excuse to sound clever through aggressive and cynical comments. Don't be sold by just one or two negative comments that completely trash the company. If it appears that a particular user has had an especially bad experience with an air conditioning service provider or a plumber, for instance, consider sending them an e-mail to get more information about how the service affected them. If they are unwilling to answer your response, it may be a good sign that they weren't all together too serious about helping their neighbors to begin with.
(Respectable) Word of Mouth: The advice of trusted friends and family is invaluable when considering a new service supplier. These people are the type of resource that you can really mine without worrying about what they think of you. Because your close friends and family have already formed opinions about you to begin with you can feel free to ask them the silly, naïve questions that you would have otherwise kept to yourself. There is no question that is too dumb to ask.
Phone Interviews: Once you have established a short list of suppliers that you may consider patronizing, give their offices a preliminary phone call to create a relationship outside of your specific situation. Talk to their manager about a broad range of topics, from the price of individual services, to the company's history, to the type of attitude he takes to his job. So long as you keep this interview within five to eight minutes (which you absolutely should do out of respect to their time) they should be more than happy to indulge any questions you have about their products. Again, if they are reluctant to provide answers, this information may be the most valuable of all as it is a sign that this particular maintenance provider is not interested in your satisfaction.
While it may not seem like a terribly important topic to consider, having a good labor provider (and acknowledging the steps it takes to get one) can be an invaluable resource to have at your disposal. Many people cite a lack of trust with their provider as a significant impetus to their ability to fix the problems in their home. Ensure the foundations for real trust by establishing relationships with service providers with whom you feel at home.
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