In the past, many consumers would use the same contractors (HVAC contractors, electrical contractors, landscapers, painters, etc.) because they were familiar with their work and had established a relationship with them. However, recent economic pressures have increased the competition as consumers and larger contractors begin to shop around for the lowest-priced services instead of staying loyal to companies they have worked with in the past. In order to keep customers loyal in this competitive market and differentiate themselves from the competition, service providers need to provide stellar customer service that will keep people coming back. The right technology can provide contractors with the information they need to offer the best service -from having a customer history within easy reach to ordering the right parts for a repair - and can also help optimize service operations.
Communication Best Practices
An integral element of customer service is treating customers with respect and making clients feel confident in the service provider’s skills. Listening is essential. All service providers should be trained to listen to customers’ concerns and respond with an honest assessment of the problem. A company can encourage good communication skills by hanging a set of core values or principles on the wall that features the organization’s customer service ideals. Employee customer service training should be intensive, and can include on-the-job demonstrations and written materials. Gone are the days when a company could afford to have service providers who were skilled at their jobs, but had a bad attitude and treated customers poorly (2). Additionally, companies can create a list of phrases that are acceptable and others that are not (for example, the phrase “I’d be happy to” can be listed as a better option than “Sure”) (4).
Knowledge of the customer is also important, and using technology to store information on customer history will ensure that service of the account is well-informed. Sophisticated business management software can provide phone operators with a customer’s history and job information quickly so they have everything they need to successfully handle any questions or complaints.
Furthermore, it is important to be honest with the customer. Companies that don’t put customer service first may promise that a job will be done sooner than is feasible in order to land the job or they may estimate the cost of a project as higher than necessary. Even though the economy is tough, this is not the time to cut corners. Eventually the customer will realize the project is not completed on time or that the price was higher than it should have been, and they will go elsewhere in the future. The company may have made a little extra profit on one project, but it has lost the opportunity to gain a new regular customer (3). To help avoid this type of situation, technology can be used to manage project changes, track project schedules and track budgets vs. actual costs.
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