As owner of a Mr. Handyman franchise in Los Angeles, T.L. Tenenbaum has rigid guidelines for the best approach to difficult drywall and plumbing problems. He also has ground rules for other home hazards his workers might encounter — say a misplaced pair of racy underwear or, as once happened, a butcher knife found under a bed.“Avert your eyes and pretend it doesn’t exist,” Mr. Tenenbaum instructs his techs on day one. “Pretend everything you see is perfectly normal.”
Trade professionals have long faced unique challenges when conducting business in the privacy of their customers’ homes, but how they handled them was generally up to the individual. Now, a fast-growing industry of branded, home-maintenance franchises with such names as House Doctors and Mr. Handyman are trying to hone protocols for prickly on-the-job scenarios from scantily clad customers to overeager kids who want to play with tools.
Tee on January 3rd, 2006 at 5:30 pm
How does a handyman assess what licensing and insurance is needed and necessary? Where does one go to get the proper licensing needed? I’m enquiring specifically about the NY/NJ area.
Thanks so much for your time!