March 28, 2025 • 30 mins
Every service call is more than just a technical task—it's an opportunity to build or break customer trust. Successful service professionals understand that customers judge them from the moment they arrive until the final handshake, with countless small interactions determining whether they'll become loyal clients or one-time customers.
The difference between average and exceptional service often comes down to twenty fundamental practices that any technician can implement immediately. Arriving punctually (or communicating delays promptly) demonstrates respect for customers' time. Professional appearance—clean uniforms, proper identification, and well-maintained vehicles—creates confidence before you speak a word. Clear communication without confusing jargon ensures customers understand what's happening in their homes. Active listening validates customer concerns while often revealing crucial diagnostic information.
Respecting property through simple actions like wearing shoe covers and using drop cloths shows you value their most significant investment. Price transparency eliminates surprises and builds trust. A friendly demeanor diffuses tense situations, particularly during uncomfortable breakdowns. Follow-up communication demonstrates ongoing care beyond the transaction.
These aren't complex sales tactics or psychological manipulation—they're straightforward expressions of respect, communication, and professionalism. When consistently applied, they transform ordinary service calls into relationship-building opportunities that generate referrals and repeat business. The most successful technicians understand that technical competence gets you in the door, but these interpersonal skills keep you coming back.
Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting your career, mastering these twenty customer service fundamentals will differentiate you from competitors and create the loyal customer base every service business needs to thrive. Your technical skills may solve today's problem, but your approach to customer care determines whether they'll call you for tomorrow's.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Corey Berrier (00:03):
Welcome to the Successful Life Podcast.
I'm your host, Corey Berrier,and today, folks, we're going to
be talking about how thecustomer sees you as a service
technician, as an installer oras a comfort advisor or as a
(00:26):
comfort advisor, and I'm goingto give you some things today
that are going to help you fromthe customer standpoint, of why,
maybe, when you get to thehouse, they're upset or why they
welcome you with open arms.
So the very first thing on thelist is you've got to show up on
(00:46):
time, you've got to be there ontime.
If you look, customers valuetheir time, just like you and me
.
And even if you are late, fiveor 10 minutes without a heads up
, guess what?
You've already put thatcustomer on edge.
(01:07):
They're already irritated withyou before you ever show up.
And you might think, Corey,it's only five or 10 minutes,
dude, it's not that late, yeah,but you don't understand what
that customer has going on.
You don't know if they havesomewhere to be, you don't know
(01:27):
if they're waiting on a phonecall, and that five or 10
minutes could put them so farbehind that maybe they miss that
appointment, maybe they missthat phone call, and guess what?
You're setting yourself up foran irritated customer if that
happens.
I remember we had a 9 amappointment.
(01:49):
Showed up at 8 55 in fact, forme 8 55 is still a little bit
late, but out of beingrespectful for the customer, I
wouldn't show up at 15 minutesearly, or, if you do, sit in the
van Anyhow.
So we showed up at thecustomer's house at 855.
(02:11):
The customer was ecstaticbecause they were expecting a
no-show, right, right?
So look, that simple act gavethat service technician
credibility before they everpicked up a tool, before they
(02:32):
ever had to do anything.
You've already won thehomeowner over because the last
person didn't even show up.
And so, and look, if you're abusiness owner, use GPS tracking
to check or to make sure thatyour guys are showing up on time
.
There's software, dispatchsoftware and, not to mention,
(02:56):
you could use that same softwareto let the customer know what
your ETA is right.
So not only does it keep, asfor the business owner, it keeps
your guys accountable to whenthey're supposed to be there,
but it also gives that customera heads up, which in turn, gives
your customers a betterexperience, and that's what this
(03:19):
is all about.
So when you get to the house,you need to look professional.
Right, you're.
Look, people are letting youinto their homes, so they're
judging you on your appearancebefore you ever open your mouth
and you got to understand this.
People's homes are theirbiggest asset, that's their
(03:43):
biggest investment, is theirhome, and they're inviting you
into their sacred space, theirprivate area where they live and
it's look.
I don't like people being in myhome, but if they don't, if I
don't need somebody to come bymy house for a reason, I don't
(04:04):
want a random stranger, and youare a random stranger, whether
you want to admit that or not.
They don't want you in theirhouse.
If you don't have to be so, atleast show up looking
presentable.
We got to a house one time andthe tech before us had shown up
(04:33):
in ripped jeans and no badge andsmelling like smoke.
What in the world?
So the customer asked are youeven with the same company?
And this was a tech on the sameteam.
Can you imagine like that?
If somebody showed up at myhouse reeking of cigarette smoke
, with no name badge, withripped jeans, I would think that
you're like a truck in a truck,because that's basically what
(04:56):
you're showing up as.
So show up with a clean uniform, have your shirt tucked in.
Have your shirt tucked in, haveyour whatever your ID is, or ID
badge, whatever that is andmake sure your truck is clean,
and I don't mean just from theoutside, also from the inside,
because it speaks volumes abouthow you are going to act inside
(05:20):
of that house.
Whether it's true or not,perception is reality and maybe
you think that they don't.
My company doesn't tell me totuck my shirt in.
You don't have to show up.
Nobody, no company is going totell you can't tuck your shirt
in.
So take it a step further,unlike the guy before us who had
(05:42):
ripped jeans and no badge andsmelled like smoke.
Go the extra mile and just dothese few things and I promise
you you're going to give thatcustomer a better experience and
they're going to like you wayquicker and way better.
They're going to be morewelcoming for you being in their
home and then, guess what,they're going to buy more stuff
from you.
I guarantee it.
(06:03):
I'm not guarantee, I guaranteeit.
Clear communication.
I can't harp on this enough.
Your customers don't need tohear about superheat or sub
cooling or Delta T.
They need to understand the whyand the what.
Now, why are you there and whatdo they need to do to fix the
(06:27):
problem?
But don't go into that jargon,about the technical jargon that
you really want to talk about,because you may feel smarter.
You 100% may feel smarter, butwhat I can tell you is you don't
sound smarter because you'veleft that customer confused
about what it is you're tryingto do.
(06:47):
Here's a great example.
So, instead of saying yourcondenser fan motor is pulling
high amperage, say the motor'sworking too hard and if it fails
, the whole unit shuts down.
We can replace it today toavoid that.
Do you see how simple that was?
It's the same message, butanybody, whether they're in the
(07:09):
industry or not, will understandthe motor's working too hard
and if it fails, the whole unitshuts down.
We can replace it today toavoid that Simple, right?
You can use and I encourage youto use visual aids, right?
Not everybody is an auditorylistener, meaning.
(07:31):
So there's three types ofpeople.
There's kinesthetic, whichmeans that you need to touch it,
hear it and feel it.
There's auditory I need to hearit.
And then there's visual I needto see it.
So you're talking to them.
Bring something visual photos,videos, a damaged part that
could explain what it is you'retrying to explain to the
(07:53):
customer.
And then, if it is a part, likeone of my guys used to take in
insulation, and he would takenot insulation, what am I
thinking?
And he would take notinsulation, what am I thinking?
He brought in a section of theducting that he was trying to
get them to understand.
Anyway, the point is, if youbring those things in, if you're
(08:20):
talking about it, they can seeit, hear it, feel it, touch it,
all of the things that you knowfor sure.
You've hit on one of thosethree ways people one of those
three ways people learn.
So the next one's activelistening.
Let the customer explain what'sgoing on, even if it sounds
(08:40):
ridiculous what they're saying.
Let them finish.
It builds trust that thecustomer is able to get out
whatever it is they're talkingabout, even if it sounds
ridiculous, even if it's offbase, even if it doesn't matter.
They're just trying to vent andlots of times they don't know
what they're talking about.
(09:00):
But that's okay.
Here's an example.
We had a customer say it'smaking a rearing sound at night,
but it's only when the windblows Turns out a loose outdoor
unit panel is vibrating in thewind.
Well, I wouldn't have knownthat if I hadn't have listened
carefully.
(09:20):
You just want to make sure thatyou're actively listening, not
only to your customer, but toyour wife, your girlfriend, your
boyfriend, whoever it is yourkids Actively listen.
It takes patience, it takespractice, but I can tell you
right now, lots of times peoplewill tell you so much
information that it saves youthree or four questions that you
(09:43):
were planning to ask that nowyou don't have to ask.
So the next one is respect.
Respect for their property.
Again, it goes back to thesecond example of this is their
home.
It's their biggest investment.
You want to respect that, theirbiggest investment.
(10:08):
You want to inspect, you wantto respect their home.
And I'm not talking about solook, here is what I'm talking
about Simple actions likeremoving your shoes or using
drop cloths or asking permissionbefore you go moving things
right, it goes such a long way.
(10:28):
Carry shoe covers with you.
This seems to be like commonsense shit to me, but you would
not believe how many people justdon't put on shoe covers.
Or the customer says, no, hey,john, it's okay, you don't have
to put on shoe covers, and yousay, yeah, perfect, and then you
track stuff all over theirfloor and then guess what
(10:51):
happens.
They're cool, you leave,everything's good, they're happy
, non-confrontational.
What do they do?
They call your boss or theycall back to the company and
they say John tracked mud all onmy carpet.
Somebody needs to come out hereand clean it.
And John's.
This is bullshit, because thecustomer told me not to wear
(11:12):
shoe covers.
Who's going to win that battle?
Not you, not John.
I can promise you that, becauseyou're not going to call the
customer back and say, oh no,you told him not to wear shoe
covers because, guess what?
There's a chance that John maynot be telling the truth and the
last thing you want to do islose a customer over John not
wearing shoe covers.
(11:35):
Transparency in pricing Explainthe costs up front and talk
through the bill and explainwhat it is you're charging them
for before you ask them forpayment.
Here's another example.
So we quoted a $200 repair.
Midway through we found outthat the capacitor that they
(11:56):
would need is going to raise thebill to $260.
What did we do?
The technician stopped,explained the extra cost, got
the green light and the customerwas so grateful that we
communicated with them about theextra 60 bucks.
Nobody wants surprises.
(12:18):
Even if it's only 60 bucks, itmakes that customer feel like
you've lied to them and nobodywants to feel like they've been
(12:38):
lied to.
Even if you didn't, if itwasn't intentional, it doesn't
really matter.
The perception is reality.
So have a friendly demeanor.
A little courtesy goes a longway, especially when it's hot
outside, the AC is down, tempersare flaring.
A simple hey, how's it going?
It's not going great, youalready know that.
(12:58):
But a simple hey, how's itgoing going.
It'll calm down thatfrustration in that homeowner
right.
It'll turn a tense situationinto a friendly one.
And look, smile, just smile.
It's the cheapest way to boostcustomer satisfaction.
(13:18):
It's really hard to when yousee somebody smiling.
Naturally I don't know if youknow this or not, but
subconsciously makes you want tosmile, so it's really important
.
So follow-up communication manon man, whether it's a call, a
(13:39):
text message, an email,following up with the customer
is so important and it tells thecustomer that you still care.
And I'm not talking aboutfollowing up to get the sale,
I'm talking about following upwith the customer after the
invoice is paid.
Hey, john, I just wanted.
(14:01):
I know it's been a few dayssince we installed that mini
split.
I just wanted to make sure youdidn't have any questions about
the equipment we installed andquestions about the remote.
Just want to give you a quickshout and make sure that you're
all taken care of.
It'll take you five minutes.
Now.
The biggest fear here is that,oh, you're going to call that
(14:24):
customer and they're going tosay, yeah, f something up.
You already know if you Fsomething up.
You already know if you took ashortcut.
You already know if thatcustomer is going to be
irritated.
So let me just tell you, if youdo this and you call that
customer, everything's cool.
They're probably going to leaveyou a great review.
(14:47):
I would almost be willing toguarantee, if you nudge them at
that point, to leave you areview.
Don't lead with that, by theway, because then it sounds like
that's the only reason you'recalling.
Get all their situation, chatwith them for a minute.
Build that little bit ofrapport.
Make reason you're calling.
Get all their situation, chatwith them for a minute.
Build that little bit ofrapport.
Make sure you're just checkingup on them.
By the way, john, if you couldfeel free to leave a review, if
(15:12):
you were happy with the serviceNow, knowing you, you've already
gotten the review, so youwouldn't need to say that.
But if you haven't, and maybeyou forgot or whatever the case
may be, this is a great way tomake that customer feel good, a
great way to make the customerfeel like you care about them.
(15:32):
Therefore, they're going tocare about you.
So update the customer in atimely fashion.
So, so if you're running latewhich is inevitable sometimes,
but it's all about how youhandle that customer.
It's all about how you handlethat situation will depend on
(15:58):
how that customer sees you.
It matters, right?
It makes such a huge difference.
I remember we had our jobrunning long.
I texted the customer Ms Davis,hey, I'm finishing up with the
customer.
I'm running about 30 minutesbehind.
I appreciate your patience.
What do you think the customerdid?
(16:19):
They replied and said thanksfor the update, corey, I really
appreciate that.
So it's the little things, guys,that'll make that customer's
experience unlike anybody else,because most people don't do
these things.
They just don't All right.
So when you're finishing up ajob and you're going into
ServiceTitan or Housecall Prowhatever you're using you got to
(16:44):
have detailed work summaries.
Make sure you take the time toput in what the customers want
to know, in case they call inthey have a problem.
That way your boss can look atit and he can verify what you
said.
But customers want to know whatthey paid for, right?
So there's a summary on theinvoice, but there's also a
(17:07):
summary that you need to leavefor the service manager or sales
manager, whatever it is.
Whoever your boss is right.
After a repair I noticed on theinvoice replaced failed
contactor System, not energizing, checked refrigerant pressure
and tested cooling performance.
(17:27):
All readings normal, clear,professional and complete.
Look, it makes all thedifference in the world if there
ever is a problem, if thereever is a problem and you just
want to make sure that you'redoing everything that you can do
to make everybody's life easier, including your own.
(17:49):
So educate the customer, givinga little bit of knowledge.
It empowers them and itpositions you as an expert.
I don't mean talking down tothe customer.
I don't mean making them feelstupid.
By no means do I mean that.
What I'm saying is and do thisin a way they can understand
(18:12):
what you're saying, but givingthem just a little bit of
knowledge about what you'redoing, how long it's going to be
the process.
You don't have to go throughall of it.
But my point is like customersreally appreciate that and it
positions you as the expert.
I remember showing a customerhow to program their thermostat.
(18:32):
They had a unit for a year andno one had ever explained to
them how to program a thermostat.
And so do you think they werehappy?
Yeah, because nobody wants togo turn in their heat or air up
and down every single day, notto mention it costs you more
money, costs them more money.
It's a pain in the butt whenyou're offering options, whether
(18:58):
it's a repair or replacewhatever it is, don't just
present one solution.
You want to give choices whenyou can, because people like
choices right.
It's not.
This is common sense here thatthe good, better, best option
works because they're going togo in the middle almost every
single time Gives them thehighest price when they're
(19:21):
usually not going to go for thatthey're probably, and they're
not going to go for that they'reprobably, and they're not going
to go for the cheapest onebecause they don't want to be
cheap.
So they land right in themiddle.
This is psychology, but it'salso common sense.
Think about the last time youhad to choose between three
different things a good, better,best option, for whatever it
was you were buying.
You landed right in the middlebecause you know the price is
(19:42):
reasonable, no-transcript.
And so I remember a techniciantold a homeowner we can patch
and recharge, which might lastone season, or we can replace
the coil and solve it long term.
You know, we won't have to beback out here Now.
(20:04):
We'll probably be back out herenext season, at best maybe even
this season, if we patch it,which is like a bandaid option,
which I don't recommend.
Or we can just replace the coiland solve this problem and I've
got one on the truck or I canhave someone bring it out,
whatever the case may be, andyou've saved that customer from
(20:27):
having to call you back.
Let you know this thing isn'tworking that you suggested that
they've already paid for.
They want a refund on the thingthat you suggested that they've
already paid for.
They want a refund on the thingthat you patched, even though
you explained it just cut outthe garbage dude, like just cut
out all that noise.
And you'll be grateful that youdid, I promise you.
(20:49):
So be prepared if you can fix iton the first visit.
You just made a greatimpression Because most people
feel like if you've got to comeback for the second time, one,
it's an inconvenience for themand two, it costs the company
twice as much to send you outthere twice.
Now, sometimes you can't helpthis, sometimes it's just not
(21:11):
possible to fix it there on thefirst visit.
But if you can, by all means doeverything that you can to make
that happen, right, I had not.
I didn't have, but thetechnician had a universal
blower motor on the truck.
Customer had ac, had ac againin in under an hour because they
(21:33):
thought I'd be out.
They thought I'm going to beout of air for days.
But because you came in asSuperman, fix the problem.
Because you had it on the truck, you made a great impression
and they're going to call youback because you were efficient
with their time and respectful.
The next one is use respectfullanguage, speak like a
(21:56):
professional and by all meansavoid any sort of sarcasm or
talking down to that customer,because they don't appreciate
that.
You know, and it's just ajackass thing to do to be
sarcastic to a customer or totalk down to a customer.
They're not stupid people and,especially with the Internet the
(22:18):
way it is now, they can findout anything that they need to
know before you ever get to thehouse.
So don't underestimate the factthat the customer probably
knows more than you think.
More than you think Ifsomething's under warranty.
(22:40):
We ran across this at the lastcompany I was at.
They didn't realize that thepart was under warranty it was
like $1,200 until they got backto the office.
They called back to the office.
The office did some digging Idon't know why it took so long,
but it took some time and so thecustomer was ready to pay that
$1,200.
But we called them back and letthem know that we verified that
(23:02):
the part was under warranty.
And guess what?
They were shocked that wecalled back to say, hey, we
don't want your money.
It's covered and granted.
That doesn't help your pocketin the short term, but in the
long term that customer is goingto stay with you because they
can trust you, they can believeyou, they know that you're not a
(23:23):
shyster and most people thinkcontractors are not very ethical
people.
I don't know if everybodythinks that I said everybody.
The point is you're overcomingthat crap experience that they
just had with the lastcontractor that ripped them off.
So you're already startingbehind the eight ball.
(23:44):
If you offer emergency, you needto be available.
Customers remember whensomebody answers the phone and
when they don't.
And if you answer an emergencycall from a customer and you get
out there in a reasonableamount of time, they're not
going to forget that.
I remember getting a call.
It was about 8.30 pm.
There was a baby in the house.
(24:05):
The heat was out, so we talkedthem through resetting the
breaker, the heat kicked on andthey were thrilled to death
because all they cared about wasthat baby and rightfully they
should have been cared.
They should have cared.
You don't want to takeadvantage of people because they
don't know what they're talkingabout or what you're doing or
whatever the case may be.
(24:27):
So next is customized service.
You want to customize yourservice because little things
like here's an example littlethings like remembering people's
names or previous work thatmade you stand out, is a
customized service.
I remember a customer's attichatch was.
(24:48):
It was tricky, so I brought astepladder.
The next time she said youremembered and you remembered.
Right, yeah, she rememberedthat, we remembered.
She's got a tricky hatch and,dude, that makes that customer
feel like they're the onlycustomer on the planet which, if
you're in their house, that'swhat they should feel like if
(25:19):
you're not using some sort offield service software or some
sort of digital way forpaperwork and for them to pay.
You're making it.
You're creating frictionbetween you and that customer.
So you want to get up to dateright, use digital communication
every way that you possibly can.
If you can send an invoice byemail, offer an online payment
portal and get your bookingsthrough, let them book through
(25:44):
text message.
It was you know.
Look, it's the way of the world.
This is not rocket science.
To use these sort of digitalcommunication to interact with
your customers and, lastly, showappreciation.
(26:07):
You always want to thank themfor choosing you because they
had other options.
You're not the only option intown and so always make sure
that you thank them for callingyou.
Tell them you appreciate theirbusiness, because they remember
that and it leaves a lastingimpression, because so many
(26:30):
times guys will go out and theyjust think I just go out and fix
the thing and leave.
It doesn't help your case whenyou're trying to build trust in
the organization or with thatcustomer.
So make sure you thank them,tell them you're grateful for
the business and be grateful,because without them, you don't
(26:50):
have food on the table.
Without them, you don't havefood on the table.
Without them, you don't have apaycheck, and even if they're a
pain in the ass, tell them thankyou, tell them how much you
appreciate them, tell them howmuch you're grateful for them.
And so there it is.
There's 20 real-world ways tomake your comfort, your customer
(27:13):
, feel valued.
These are not fancy tricks orsome slimy sales jargon.
It's just respect, right.
It's respect, communication andprofessionalism.
That's what builds loyalty,earns you referrals and keeps
the daggone schedule full, whichultimately keeps everybody
(27:38):
happy.
So I appreciate you guys tuningin and we'll see you next
Friday.
Welcome to the Successful Life Podcast.
I'm your host, Corey Berrier,and today, folks, we're going to
be talking about how thecustomer sees you as a service
technician, as an installer oras a comfort advisor or as a
(00:26):
comfort advisor, and I'm goingto give you some things today
that are going to help you fromthe customer standpoint, of why,
maybe, when you get to thehouse, they're upset or why they
welcome you with open arms.
So the very first thing on thelist is you've got to show up on
(00:46):
time, you've got to be there ontime.
If you look, customers valuetheir time, just like you and me
.
And even if you are late, fiveor 10 minutes without a heads up
, guess what?
You've already put thatcustomer on edge.
(01:07):
They're already irritated withyou before you ever show up.
And you might think, Corey,it's only five or 10 minutes,
dude, it's not that late, yeah,but you don't understand what
that customer has going on.
You don't know if they havesomewhere to be, you don't know
(01:27):
if they're waiting on a phonecall, and that five or 10
minutes could put them so farbehind that maybe they miss that
appointment, maybe they missthat phone call, and guess what?
You're setting yourself up foran irritated customer if that
happens.
I remember we had a 9 amappointment.
(01:49):
Showed up at 8 55 in fact, forme 8 55 is still a little bit
late, but out of beingrespectful for the customer, I
wouldn't show up at 15 minutesearly, or, if you do, sit in the
van Anyhow.
So we showed up at thecustomer's house at 855.
(02:11):
The customer was ecstaticbecause they were expecting a
no-show, right, right?
So look, that simple act gavethat service technician
credibility before they everpicked up a tool, before they
(02:32):
ever had to do anything.
You've already won thehomeowner over because the last
person didn't even show up.
And so, and look, if you're abusiness owner, use GPS tracking
to check or to make sure thatyour guys are showing up on time
.
There's software, dispatchsoftware and, not to mention,
(02:56):
you could use that same softwareto let the customer know what
your ETA is right.
So not only does it keep, asfor the business owner, it keeps
your guys accountable to whenthey're supposed to be there,
but it also gives that customera heads up, which in turn, gives
your customers a betterexperience, and that's what this
(03:19):
is all about.
So when you get to the house,you need to look professional.
Right, you're.
Look, people are letting youinto their homes, so they're
judging you on your appearancebefore you ever open your mouth
and you got to understand this.
People's homes are theirbiggest asset, that's their
(03:43):
biggest investment, is theirhome, and they're inviting you
into their sacred space, theirprivate area where they live and
it's look.
I don't like people being in myhome, but if they don't, if I
don't need somebody to come bymy house for a reason, I don't
(04:04):
want a random stranger, and youare a random stranger, whether
you want to admit that or not.
They don't want you in theirhouse.
If you don't have to be so, atleast show up looking
presentable.
We got to a house one time andthe tech before us had shown up
(04:33):
in ripped jeans and no badge andsmelling like smoke.
What in the world?
So the customer asked are youeven with the same company?
And this was a tech on the sameteam.
Can you imagine like that?
If somebody showed up at myhouse reeking of cigarette smoke
, with no name badge, withripped jeans, I would think that
you're like a truck in a truck,because that's basically what
(04:56):
you're showing up as.
So show up with a clean uniform, have your shirt tucked in.
Have your shirt tucked in, haveyour whatever your ID is, or ID
badge, whatever that is andmake sure your truck is clean,
and I don't mean just from theoutside, also from the inside,
because it speaks volumes abouthow you are going to act inside
(05:20):
of that house.
Whether it's true or not,perception is reality and maybe
you think that they don't.
My company doesn't tell me totuck my shirt in.
You don't have to show up.
Nobody, no company is going totell you can't tuck your shirt
in.
So take it a step further,unlike the guy before us who had
(05:42):
ripped jeans and no badge andsmelled like smoke.
Go the extra mile and just dothese few things and I promise
you you're going to give thatcustomer a better experience and
they're going to like you wayquicker and way better.
They're going to be morewelcoming for you being in their
home and then, guess what,they're going to buy more stuff
from you.
I guarantee it.
(06:03):
I'm not guarantee, I guaranteeit.
Clear communication.
I can't harp on this enough.
Your customers don't need tohear about superheat or sub
cooling or Delta T.
They need to understand the whyand the what.
Now, why are you there and whatdo they need to do to fix the
(06:27):
problem?
But don't go into that jargon,about the technical jargon that
you really want to talk about,because you may feel smarter.
You 100% may feel smarter, butwhat I can tell you is you don't
sound smarter because you'veleft that customer confused
about what it is you're tryingto do.
(06:47):
Here's a great example.
So, instead of saying yourcondenser fan motor is pulling
high amperage, say the motor'sworking too hard and if it fails
, the whole unit shuts down.
We can replace it today toavoid that.
Do you see how simple that was?
It's the same message, butanybody, whether they're in the
(07:09):
industry or not, will understandthe motor's working too hard
and if it fails, the whole unitshuts down.
We can replace it today toavoid that Simple, right?
You can use and I encourage youto use visual aids, right?
Not everybody is an auditorylistener, meaning.
(07:31):
So there's three types ofpeople.
There's kinesthetic, whichmeans that you need to touch it,
hear it and feel it.
There's auditory I need to hearit.
And then there's visual I needto see it.
So you're talking to them.
Bring something visual photos,videos, a damaged part that
could explain what it is you'retrying to explain to the
(07:53):
customer.
And then, if it is a part, likeone of my guys used to take in
insulation, and he would takenot insulation, what am I
thinking?
And he would take notinsulation, what am I thinking?
He brought in a section of theducting that he was trying to
get them to understand.
Anyway, the point is, if youbring those things in, if you're
(08:20):
talking about it, they can seeit, hear it, feel it, touch it,
all of the things that you knowfor sure.
You've hit on one of thosethree ways people one of those
three ways people learn.
So the next one's activelistening.
Let the customer explain what'sgoing on, even if it sounds
(08:40):
ridiculous what they're saying.
Let them finish.
It builds trust that thecustomer is able to get out
whatever it is they're talkingabout, even if it sounds
ridiculous, even if it's offbase, even if it doesn't matter.
They're just trying to vent andlots of times they don't know
what they're talking about.
(09:00):
But that's okay.
Here's an example.
We had a customer say it'smaking a rearing sound at night,
but it's only when the windblows Turns out a loose outdoor
unit panel is vibrating in thewind.
Well, I wouldn't have knownthat if I hadn't have listened
carefully.
(09:20):
You just want to make sure thatyou're actively listening, not
only to your customer, but toyour wife, your girlfriend, your
boyfriend, whoever it is yourkids Actively listen.
It takes patience, it takespractice, but I can tell you
right now, lots of times peoplewill tell you so much
information that it saves youthree or four questions that you
(09:43):
were planning to ask that nowyou don't have to ask.
So the next one is respect.
Respect for their property.
Again, it goes back to thesecond example of this is their
home.
It's their biggest investment.
You want to respect that, theirbiggest investment.
(10:08):
You want to inspect, you wantto respect their home.
And I'm not talking about solook, here is what I'm talking
about Simple actions likeremoving your shoes or using
drop cloths or asking permissionbefore you go moving things
right, it goes such a long way.
(10:28):
Carry shoe covers with you.
This seems to be like commonsense shit to me, but you would
not believe how many people justdon't put on shoe covers.
Or the customer says, no, hey,john, it's okay, you don't have
to put on shoe covers, and yousay, yeah, perfect, and then you
track stuff all over theirfloor and then guess what
(10:51):
happens.
They're cool, you leave,everything's good, they're happy
, non-confrontational.
What do they do?
They call your boss or theycall back to the company and
they say John tracked mud all onmy carpet.
Somebody needs to come out hereand clean it.
And John's.
This is bullshit, because thecustomer told me not to wear
(11:12):
shoe covers.
Who's going to win that battle?
Not you, not John.
I can promise you that, becauseyou're not going to call the
customer back and say, oh no,you told him not to wear shoe
covers because, guess what?
There's a chance that John maynot be telling the truth and the
last thing you want to do islose a customer over John not
wearing shoe covers.
(11:35):
Transparency in pricing Explainthe costs up front and talk
through the bill and explainwhat it is you're charging them
for before you ask them forpayment.
Here's another example.
So we quoted a $200 repair.
Midway through we found outthat the capacitor that they
(11:56):
would need is going to raise thebill to $260.
What did we do?
The technician stopped,explained the extra cost, got
the green light and the customerwas so grateful that we
communicated with them about theextra 60 bucks.
Nobody wants surprises.
(12:18):
Even if it's only 60 bucks, itmakes that customer feel like
you've lied to them and nobodywants to feel like they've been
(12:38):
lied to.
Even if you didn't, if itwasn't intentional, it doesn't
really matter.
The perception is reality.
So have a friendly demeanor.
A little courtesy goes a longway, especially when it's hot
outside, the AC is down, tempersare flaring.
A simple hey, how's it going?
It's not going great, youalready know that.
(12:58):
But a simple hey, how's itgoing going.
It'll calm down thatfrustration in that homeowner
right.
It'll turn a tense situationinto a friendly one.
And look, smile, just smile.
It's the cheapest way to boostcustomer satisfaction.
(13:18):
It's really hard to when yousee somebody smiling.
Naturally I don't know if youknow this or not, but
subconsciously makes you want tosmile, so it's really important
.
So follow-up communication manon man, whether it's a call, a
(13:39):
text message, an email,following up with the customer
is so important and it tells thecustomer that you still care.
And I'm not talking aboutfollowing up to get the sale,
I'm talking about following upwith the customer after the
invoice is paid.
Hey, john, I just wanted.
(14:01):
I know it's been a few dayssince we installed that mini
split.
I just wanted to make sure youdidn't have any questions about
the equipment we installed andquestions about the remote.
Just want to give you a quickshout and make sure that you're
all taken care of.
It'll take you five minutes.
Now.
The biggest fear here is that,oh, you're going to call that
(14:24):
customer and they're going tosay, yeah, f something up.
You already know if you Fsomething up.
You already know if you took ashortcut.
You already know if thatcustomer is going to be
irritated.
So let me just tell you, if youdo this and you call that
customer, everything's cool.
They're probably going to leaveyou a great review.
(14:47):
I would almost be willing toguarantee, if you nudge them at
that point, to leave you areview.
Don't lead with that, by theway, because then it sounds like
that's the only reason you'recalling.
Get all their situation, chatwith them for a minute.
Build that little bit ofrapport.
Make reason you're calling.
Get all their situation, chatwith them for a minute.
Build that little bit ofrapport.
Make sure you're just checkingup on them.
By the way, john, if you couldfeel free to leave a review, if
(15:12):
you were happy with the serviceNow, knowing you, you've already
gotten the review, so youwouldn't need to say that.
But if you haven't, and maybeyou forgot or whatever the case
may be, this is a great way tomake that customer feel good, a
great way to make the customerfeel like you care about them.
(15:32):
Therefore, they're going tocare about you.
So update the customer in atimely fashion.
So, so if you're running latewhich is inevitable sometimes,
but it's all about how youhandle that customer.
It's all about how you handlethat situation will depend on
(15:58):
how that customer sees you.
It matters, right?
It makes such a huge difference.
I remember we had our jobrunning long.
I texted the customer Ms Davis,hey, I'm finishing up with the
customer.
I'm running about 30 minutesbehind.
I appreciate your patience.
What do you think the customerdid?
(16:19):
They replied and said thanksfor the update, corey, I really
appreciate that.
So it's the little things, guys,that'll make that customer's
experience unlike anybody else,because most people don't do
these things.
They just don't All right.
So when you're finishing up ajob and you're going into
ServiceTitan or Housecall Prowhatever you're using you got to
(16:44):
have detailed work summaries.
Make sure you take the time toput in what the customers want
to know, in case they call inthey have a problem.
That way your boss can look atit and he can verify what you
said.
But customers want to know whatthey paid for, right?
So there's a summary on theinvoice, but there's also a
(17:07):
summary that you need to leavefor the service manager or sales
manager, whatever it is.
Whoever your boss is right.
After a repair I noticed on theinvoice replaced failed
contactor System, not energizing, checked refrigerant pressure
and tested cooling performance.
(17:27):
All readings normal, clear,professional and complete.
Look, it makes all thedifference in the world if there
ever is a problem, if thereever is a problem and you just
want to make sure that you'redoing everything that you can do
to make everybody's life easier, including your own.
(17:49):
So educate the customer, givinga little bit of knowledge.
It empowers them and itpositions you as an expert.
I don't mean talking down tothe customer.
I don't mean making them feelstupid.
By no means do I mean that.
What I'm saying is and do thisin a way they can understand
(18:12):
what you're saying, but givingthem just a little bit of
knowledge about what you'redoing, how long it's going to be
the process.
You don't have to go throughall of it.
But my point is like customersreally appreciate that and it
positions you as the expert.
I remember showing a customerhow to program their thermostat.
(18:32):
They had a unit for a year andno one had ever explained to
them how to program a thermostat.
And so do you think they werehappy?
Yeah, because nobody wants togo turn in their heat or air up
and down every single day, notto mention it costs you more
money, costs them more money.
It's a pain in the butt whenyou're offering options, whether
(18:58):
it's a repair or replacewhatever it is, don't just
present one solution.
You want to give choices whenyou can, because people like
choices right.
It's not.
This is common sense here thatthe good, better, best option
works because they're going togo in the middle almost every
single time Gives them thehighest price when they're
(19:21):
usually not going to go for thatthey're probably, and they're
not going to go for that they'reprobably, and they're not going
to go for the cheapest onebecause they don't want to be
cheap.
So they land right in themiddle.
This is psychology, but it'salso common sense.
Think about the last time youhad to choose between three
different things a good, better,best option, for whatever it
was you were buying.
You landed right in the middlebecause you know the price is
(19:42):
reasonable, no-transcript.
And so I remember a techniciantold a homeowner we can patch
and recharge, which might lastone season, or we can replace
the coil and solve it long term.
You know, we won't have to beback out here Now.
(20:04):
We'll probably be back out herenext season, at best maybe even
this season, if we patch it,which is like a bandaid option,
which I don't recommend.
Or we can just replace the coiland solve this problem and I've
got one on the truck or I canhave someone bring it out,
whatever the case may be, andyou've saved that customer from
(20:27):
having to call you back.
Let you know this thing isn'tworking that you suggested that
they've already paid for.
They want a refund on the thingthat you suggested that they've
already paid for.
They want a refund on the thingthat you patched, even though
you explained it just cut outthe garbage dude, like just cut
out all that noise.
And you'll be grateful that youdid, I promise you.
(20:49):
So be prepared if you can fix iton the first visit.
You just made a greatimpression Because most people
feel like if you've got to comeback for the second time, one,
it's an inconvenience for themand two, it costs the company
twice as much to send you outthere twice.
Now, sometimes you can't helpthis, sometimes it's just not
(21:11):
possible to fix it there on thefirst visit.
But if you can, by all means doeverything that you can to make
that happen, right, I had not.
I didn't have, but thetechnician had a universal
blower motor on the truck.
Customer had ac, had ac againin in under an hour because they
(21:33):
thought I'd be out.
They thought I'm going to beout of air for days.
But because you came in asSuperman, fix the problem.
Because you had it on the truck, you made a great impression
and they're going to call youback because you were efficient
with their time and respectful.
The next one is use respectfullanguage, speak like a
(21:56):
professional and by all meansavoid any sort of sarcasm or
talking down to that customer,because they don't appreciate
that.
You know, and it's just ajackass thing to do to be
sarcastic to a customer or totalk down to a customer.
They're not stupid people and,especially with the Internet the
(22:18):
way it is now, they can findout anything that they need to
know before you ever get to thehouse.
So don't underestimate the factthat the customer probably
knows more than you think.
More than you think Ifsomething's under warranty.
(22:40):
We ran across this at the lastcompany I was at.
They didn't realize that thepart was under warranty it was
like $1,200 until they got backto the office.
They called back to the office.
The office did some digging Idon't know why it took so long,
but it took some time and so thecustomer was ready to pay that
$1,200.
But we called them back and letthem know that we verified that
(23:02):
the part was under warranty.
And guess what?
They were shocked that wecalled back to say, hey, we
don't want your money.
It's covered and granted.
That doesn't help your pocketin the short term, but in the
long term that customer is goingto stay with you because they
can trust you, they can believeyou, they know that you're not a
(23:23):
shyster and most people thinkcontractors are not very ethical
people.
I don't know if everybodythinks that I said everybody.
The point is you're overcomingthat crap experience that they
just had with the lastcontractor that ripped them off.
So you're already startingbehind the eight ball.
(23:44):
If you offer emergency, you needto be available.
Customers remember whensomebody answers the phone and
when they don't.
And if you answer an emergencycall from a customer and you get
out there in a reasonableamount of time, they're not
going to forget that.
I remember getting a call.
It was about 8.30 pm.
There was a baby in the house.
(24:05):
The heat was out, so we talkedthem through resetting the
breaker, the heat kicked on andthey were thrilled to death
because all they cared about wasthat baby and rightfully they
should have been cared.
They should have cared.
You don't want to takeadvantage of people because they
don't know what they're talkingabout or what you're doing or
whatever the case may be.
(24:27):
So next is customized service.
You want to customize yourservice because little things
like here's an example littlethings like remembering people's
names or previous work thatmade you stand out, is a
customized service.
I remember a customer's attichatch was.
(24:48):
It was tricky, so I brought astepladder.
The next time she said youremembered and you remembered.
Right, yeah, she rememberedthat, we remembered.
She's got a tricky hatch and,dude, that makes that customer
feel like they're the onlycustomer on the planet which, if
you're in their house, that'swhat they should feel like if
(25:19):
you're not using some sort offield service software or some
sort of digital way forpaperwork and for them to pay.
You're making it.
You're creating frictionbetween you and that customer.
So you want to get up to dateright, use digital communication
every way that you possibly can.
If you can send an invoice byemail, offer an online payment
portal and get your bookingsthrough, let them book through
(25:44):
text message.
It was you know.
Look, it's the way of the world.
This is not rocket science.
To use these sort of digitalcommunication to interact with
your customers and, lastly, showappreciation.
(26:07):
You always want to thank themfor choosing you because they
had other options.
You're not the only option intown and so always make sure
that you thank them for callingyou.
Tell them you appreciate theirbusiness, because they remember
that and it leaves a lastingimpression, because so many
(26:30):
times guys will go out and theyjust think I just go out and fix
the thing and leave.
It doesn't help your case whenyou're trying to build trust in
the organization or with thatcustomer.
So make sure you thank them,tell them you're grateful for
the business and be grateful,because without them, you don't
(26:50):
have food on the table.
Without them, you don't havefood on the table.
Without them, you don't have apaycheck, and even if they're a
pain in the ass, tell them thankyou, tell them how much you
appreciate them, tell them howmuch you're grateful for them.
And so there it is.
There's 20 real-world ways tomake your comfort, your customer
(27:13):
, feel valued.
These are not fancy tricks orsome slimy sales jargon.
It's just respect, right.
It's respect, communication andprofessionalism.
That's what builds loyalty,earns you referrals and keeps
the daggone schedule full, whichultimately keeps everybody
(27:38):
happy.
So I appreciate you guys tuningin and we'll see you next
Friday.
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