By Martin Jurek, Campbell River Hearing Clinic
I’m baaaaack. Did you miss me?
It’s
been over two years since I’ve written an article and some of my
faithful followers were worried I’d abandoned writing altogether. Don’t
panic, dear reader – I haven’t hung up my keyboard or quit my day job at
the hearing clinic. Rather, I took on a new project that has consumed
much of my time – I built a new home!
I know, I know, you’re
thinking, “Why would he do that to himself?!” (You may also be thinking,
“What does this have to do with hearing aids?” Patience... )
When
Renata joined my wife Jana and me at Campbell River Hearing Clinic a
couple of years ago, the time seemed right to follow my dream of
building my own home. Since then I’ve been on an incredibly rewarding
and humbling experience – and not just because I realized I’m not as
irreplaceable at the clinic as I like to think I am!
Glutton for punishment or just naïve? You decide!
Jana
and I have lived in many imperfect houses over the years. From moody
heating systems to inconceivably awkward layouts, we’ve seen it all.
(Seriously, it’s like the people who designed our last home had never
cooked a meal or done laundry!) So we began making lists of everything
we liked and disliked in houses and started the design process. It was
all happening!
Slowly but surely, our house began
to grow out of the ground. From foundation up to the trusses, we did
much of the work ourselves. I managed to handle the electrical; my dad, a
retired plumber, dealt with the waterworks. I even roped my sons into
helping out! Painting and finishing, installing cabinets and flooring,
we completed a seemingly endless (at the time) number of jobs.
Of
course, there were challenges. And naturally, some of the work was more
than I was prepared or able to deal with, so I had to turn to others for
help. And this is where I started seeing the connection with hearing
clinics . . .
Is good help really so hard to find?
Some of
my greatest reservations arose when it came time to find good help. I’m
the kind of guy who likes things done well, and I wanted to make sure
the final product reflected our vision – this was our dream home after
all! I can’t emphasize enough just how much anxiety I felt when faced
with the daunting task of selecting contractors for the various jobs we
couldn’t handle on our own.
When I read advertisements for various
contractors I quickly learned that everyone was an “expert,” an
“industry leader” or, according to them, simply “the best.” But how
could I be sure I was working with the right person?
How
could I be sure that the person I hired would really listen to me, and
be easy to talk to if something needed to be fixed or done differently?
What would I say if they wanted me to pay for something that I felt had
been done poorly? Or, worse yet, what if they messed up and simply never
came back? Choosing the wrong person would simply add to the already
significant anxiety I already felt!
Around that time, one of our
hearing clients came in for some follow-up service on his hearing aid.
After he was all set he thanked me for what we’d done and said, “I
really appreciate what you do for me, and I tell everyone about you guys
– thank you.” That’s when the lights came on – I had to ask other
people about the contractors I needed!
After all, at Campbell
River Hearing Clinic, we strive to do the best job possible and let our
customers spread the word for us. Surely there must be contractors who
do the same, right? So I started asking around.
The strategy
worked. Our office landlord spoke highly about Price-Rite Roofing. And,
sure enough, Steve Price did a great job – he was there when he said he
would be, kept things tidy and organized and made sure the plywood
didn’t get wet before the roofing went on. Then a friend recommended
Noel Pike for drywall. They, too, did an excellent job – painting was a
breeze on those nice flat walls! Another friend suggested Ed Rosse for
my heating, and my fancy in-floor heating works like a dream. To my
relief, all our recommended tradespeople lived up to their billings.
Whether drywall or hearing aids, actions speak louder than words
Funny
thing is, most of the tradespeople we hired don’t advertise. Some
aren’t even in the Yellow Pages! They don't write about how fantastic
they are – it’s all word of mouth. The true pros do a great job and then
let their work and customers do the advertising for them.
I know
that finding the right help can be a challenge. And when it’s a big
investment – be it a heating system or a hearing aid – it can also be
pretty darned stressful. You need to know you’re in good hands. So ask
around.
Talk to others who have gone through the
process. Ask them where they went, what they liked and why. Do their
hearing aid providers always strive to make their hearing better, making
continual adjustments until they’re just right? Are the people
knowledgeable, friendly and a pleasure to deal with?
Like the pros
who did such great work on our home, we at Campbell River Hearing
Clinic put our efforts into making our clients happy – not into
advertising. I still plan on writing the occasional article to share my
rambling thoughts and educate people about their hearing health, but
that’s about it.
The fact is, when you need good help, it’s easy
to separate the true pros from the rest of the flock. All you have to do
is ask around. In the meantime, we promise to keep doing our best, and
we hope our customers will keep sharing our name with others.
If
you think it’s time to speak with someone about your hearing, call
250.914.3200 or visit us at 780-D 13th Avenue for a free hearing
assessment. (Warning: we may show you pictures of our new home!) Or
better yet, ask your friends for a recommendation!
