[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/week-23-my-first-bad-review-and-why-it-didnt-break-me\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/week-23-my-first-bad-review-and-why-it-didnt-break-me\/","headline":"Week 23 \u2013 My First Bad Review (and Why It Didn\u2019t Break Me)","name":"Week 23 \u2013 My First Bad Review (and Why It Didn\u2019t Break Me)","description":"Week 23 \u2013 My First Bad Review (and Why It Didn\u2019t Break Me) The week I learned that not all critics are created equal: This week, it happened: my first bad review. I won\u2019t sugarcoat it\u2014seeing those stars drop hurt. My gut reaction was defensive. Angry, even. But then I dug deeper, and what I found wasn\u2019t just a misunderstanding\u2014it was an opportunity to educate and lead. The issue? A post-inspection contractor told the buyer we \u201cmissed\u201d multiple major items. They left the appointment convinced we hadn\u2019t done a thorough job. The contractor talked about how things \u201caren\u2019t up to code\u201d and \u201cshould have been caught,\u201d all with a tone that implied our report was a failure. I was crushed. What actually happened\u2014and how we proved it: Here\u2019s the reality: the contractor didn\u2019t understand what a home inspection *is*. We don\u2019t do code compliance checks or upgrades to 2024 standards when the home was built in 1995. We evaluate current functionality, safety issues, and clearly observed defects\u2014using the standards of practice we\u2019re trained and certified for. And guess what? The Snapshot section of our report had it all. Photos. Functionality confirmation. Notes showing the system was operational the day of inspection. Thermal imaging, drone shots, the whole package. We hadn\u2019t missed anything\u2014we\u2019d just interpreted it correctly. Calmly. Professionally. Without scare tactics. What turned it around: We called the client. Listened first. Empathized. Walked them through what a home inspection covers\u2014and doesn\u2019t. We shared a third-party assessment that confirmed the issue wasn\u2019t a total system failure like the contractor claimed. Just an outdated part that could be fixed for a couple hundred bucks. The client\u2019s tone changed completely. The panic turned to understanding. They even updated their review to reflect that we took the time to explain, clarify, and care. It didn\u2019t erase the original comment\u2014but it reframed it. That, to me, was the real win. The systems that had my back: The Snapshot section. The photo and video evidence. The use of templated comments that avoid guesswork or exaggerated language. And most importantly, the mindset of documenting everything\u2014even when the system *seems* fine. Because that backup is what kept me from doubting myself or fumbling under pressure. The franchise coaching that made me pause before reacting: Curt told me early on: \u201cDon\u2019t defend. Explain. Don\u2019t panic. Prove.\u201d That advice played on repeat in my head. I didn\u2019t snap back at the contractor. I didn\u2019t go passive-aggressive. I stayed calm, showed what we saw, and focused on educating\u2014not arguing. And that\u2019s what earned the client\u2019s trust back. What I\u2019ll do every time from now on: Document the functional. Show the systems working. Use plain language, and never assume what someone \u201cshould know.\u201d Because when people come with emotion, I want to respond with facts, clarity, and empathy\u2014not ego. \u2192 Next: Week 24: Automation Tools I Now Rely On (and What I Gave Up On) \u2190 Want to see where I weighed my first hire? Week 22: Hiring Help: Admin, Marketing, or Another Inspector? Curious what it\u2019s like to build your own home inspection franchise from the ground up?","datePublished":"2025-06-29","dateModified":"2025-06-30","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/author\/curtis\/#Person","name":"Kloc Curtis","url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/author\/curtis\/","identifier":6,"description":"Curtis Kloc is a U.S. Navy veteran and seasoned entrepreneur with over two decades of experience in business development, inspections, and technical systems. He has built and sold multiple six- and seven-figure home inspection and environmental services companies, including HERO Inspections & Environmental and Elite Analysis. Curtis is the founder of Inspections Over Coffee, a nationally expanding franchise known for its white-glove service, inspector training systems, and streamlined operational workflows.\r\n\r\nWith deep roots in nuclear engineering from his time as a Machinist Mate and Engineering Laboratory Technician aboard two U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, Curtis brings unmatched precision and discipline to every business he runs. He is certified and licensed in home inspection, mold assessment, asbestos inspection, and environmental testing, and is a member of NACHI since 2006. Curtis now leads AI automation initiatives through Nexation.ai, helping businesses eliminate busywork and refocus on what matters most\u2014client relationships, growth, and results.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1630069397452.webp","url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1630069397452.webp","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Person","name":"Curtis Kloc","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/site-logo.png","url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/site-logo.png","width":512,"height":512}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/week-23-home-inspection-franchisee-journey.png","url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/week-23-home-inspection-franchisee-journey.png","height":736,"width":1312},"url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/week-23-my-first-bad-review-and-why-it-didnt-break-me\/","about":["Uncategorized"],"wordCount":542,"articleBody":"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWeek 23 \u2013 My First Bad Review (and Why It Didn\u2019t Break Me)The week I learned that not all critics are created equal:This week, it happened: my first bad review. I won\u2019t sugarcoat it\u2014seeing those stars drop hurt. My gut reaction was defensive. Angry, even. But then I dug deeper, and what I found wasn\u2019t just a misunderstanding\u2014it was an opportunity to educate and lead.The issue? A post-inspection contractor told the buyer we \u201cmissed\u201d multiple major items. They left the appointment convinced we hadn\u2019t done a thorough job. The contractor talked about how things \u201caren\u2019t up to code\u201d and \u201cshould have been caught,\u201d all with a tone that implied our report was a failure. I was crushed.What actually happened\u2014and how we proved it:Here\u2019s the reality: the contractor didn\u2019t understand what a home inspection *is*. We don\u2019t do code compliance checks or upgrades to 2024 standards when the home was built in 1995. We evaluate current functionality, safety issues, and clearly observed defects\u2014using the standards of practice we\u2019re trained and certified for.And guess what? The Snapshot section of our report had it all. Photos. Functionality confirmation. Notes showing the system was operational the day of inspection. Thermal imaging, drone shots, the whole package. We hadn\u2019t missed anything\u2014we\u2019d just interpreted it correctly. Calmly. Professionally. Without scare tactics.What turned it around:We called the client. Listened first. Empathized. Walked them through what a home inspection covers\u2014and doesn\u2019t. We shared a third-party assessment that confirmed the issue wasn\u2019t a total system failure like the contractor claimed. Just an outdated part that could be fixed for a couple hundred bucks.The client\u2019s tone changed completely. The panic turned to understanding. They even updated their review to reflect that we took the time to explain, clarify, and care. It didn\u2019t erase the original comment\u2014but it reframed it. That, to me, was the real win.The systems that had my back:The Snapshot section. The photo and video evidence. The use of templated comments that avoid guesswork or exaggerated language. And most importantly, the mindset of documenting everything\u2014even when the system *seems* fine. Because that backup is what kept me from doubting myself or fumbling under pressure.The franchise coaching that made me pause before reacting:Curt told me early on: \u201cDon\u2019t defend. Explain. Don\u2019t panic. Prove.\u201d That advice played on repeat in my head. I didn\u2019t snap back at the contractor. I didn\u2019t go passive-aggressive. I stayed calm, showed what we saw, and focused on educating\u2014not arguing. And that\u2019s what earned the client\u2019s trust back.What I\u2019ll do every time from now on:Document the functional. Show the systems working. Use plain language, and never assume what someone \u201cshould know.\u201d Because when people come with emotion, I want to respond with facts, clarity, and empathy\u2014not ego.\u2192 Next: Week 24: Automation Tools I Now Rely On (and What I Gave Up On)\u2190 Want to see where I weighed my first hire? Week 22: Hiring Help: Admin, Marketing, or Another Inspector?Curious what it\u2019s like to build your own home inspection franchise from the ground up?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Week 23 \u2013 My First Bad Review (and Why It Didn\u2019t Break Me)","item":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/week-23-my-first-bad-review-and-why-it-didnt-break-me\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]