There’s a popular philosophical question that asks, “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” While the question has become somewhat of a cliché over the years, its message is still relevant and can apply to countless scenarios in the real world, especially in the business world. Think of the question this way: If a company does the best quality work in the shortest amount of time possible, but makes no effort to attract customers, will this company be successful?
The answer is obviously no, because we all know that after a certain level of technical competence is reached, success for a company is more dependent on customer service. Competition is fierce, and while you may stand by your work, failing to deliver top-notch customer service can be the difference between opening a second location and closing up shop. This blog post is the first in a series of three that will offer helpful insights into improving your sales by employing better customer services practices.
Defining Superior Customer Service
So, what does it mean to provide superior customer service? Companies that offer the best customer service understand that it’s all about exceeding customer expectations. To exceed expectations, business owners must know what customers want. To know what customers want, you must know who your customers are. Once you know who they are and what they want, business owners must employ the right personnel and have the best processes in place to exceed customer expectations.
Be the Business You’d Want to Call
When first approaching how to attract new customers, think about yourself for a moment. Would you enjoy doing business with your company? Would you refer your sister, brother or mother to your company? If the answer is yes, it’s probably because you’re employing practices such as kindness, respect and active listening. While it’s important for all businesses to be kind and respectful to customers, it’s especially so for drain cleaning and plumbing service professionals. These are often customers who are (sometimes literally) knee-deep in…well, you know. So, when a customer is experiencing a clogged drain or a leaking pipe, they need a company they can rely on who will put them at ease. Instead of talking over the customer or downplaying their problems, listen to them, offer reassurance, ask questions and give them guidance and easy-to-understand instructions to work them through their issues.
In addition to maintaining a positive attitude, there are several more easy ways to improve how you are perceived by the customer:
- Be on time. Showing up to a job when you say you’ll be there shows the customer that you value their time and establishes trust between you and the customer.
- Be clean. Make sure your uniform is presentable and wear items like protective boot covers so you don’t drag excess dirt onto the jobsite.
- Follow up. Within the first 24 hours of completing a job, call the customer to make sure everything is running smoothly and ask if they have any follow-up questions.
- Promise Only on What You Can Deliver. And always deliver what you promise. If you have a guarantee or warranty, make sure it is clear what you can and cannot provide for the customer. If you offer these things and an issue or problem occurs, be honest and prompt in fixing the mistake. Properly outlining what is and is not covered by a warranty or guarantee establishes transparency between you and the customer and doesn’t leave them feeling slighted or surprised when they get the bill.
- Populate Your Website with Helpful Information. This information can be anything from a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section about your business, instructional videos, testimonials and anything else that builds credibility and raises your business perception with the customer.
In the next blog post for this series, we will examine how to achieve superior customer service by getting the most out of your personnel through establishing values, displaying empathy and other key tactics.
Contact the Drain Brains® at General at 800-245-6200 or by email [email protected].
