The Internet is a ‘two-edged sword’. We LOVE the free advertising our online ‘Cheerleaders on Steroids’ give us with their glowing reviews. Your challenge?
Even slightly disgruntled customers can immediately trash you with a ‘surprise’ nasty online review on Google, Facebook, Angie’s List and/or Yelp! (And do so before even giving you a chance to correct their concern!)
You must head these ‘trigger happy folks’ off at the pass by reaching out to them BEFORE they can make it to their computer keyboard! So, let’s tweak the venerable Quality Check phone call that in pre-Internet review times we made two or three days after the job…
Your technicians call the office as they leave the home with a brief report on the job. Then the office makes an Immediate Quality Check Call(IQC) to the client verifying that they are delighted.
Now one of two things will happen. (Both good.)
A) Your (even slightly) unhappy customer will vent over-the-phone BEFORE spilling their venom online OR…
B) You create yet another great Moment of Truth with an already delighted home owner! NOTE: A ‘neutral third party’ (not the tech who did the work) should make this IQC Call.
Is your customer super happy? (They should be!) Then remind them that your company (and their tech) would appreciate an online review. (Do NOT specify a ‘five star review’!)
What to do if your customer is even a teeny-tiny bit unhappy?
1) Be thankful you smoked out this dissatisfied client out BEFORE they posted a nasty, negative review that could turn off 1,000’s of potential customers and then…
2) Use my ‘Emotional Judo’ Complaint Resolution technique to convert the customer into a ‘Turbo Cheerleader’! (CLICK HERE to download a free SFS ‘Customer Concern Follow-Up Sheet’.)
Restoration HINT: Before leaving for the day place a clipboard with a signed form with all the work your crew has done by the front door. Set up a regular time every day to call the Insured as they walk the job with your list in hand. (Better for them to dump on you than call the adjuster!)
Restoration NOTE: Or even better set up a password-protected shared folder like Google Drive or Drop Box to constantly update your insured with photos and comments 24-7!
Commercial HINT: Make a “preemptive strike” by fixing a little problem when you check the job and then tell your commercial contact what you discovered (and fixed) before they find it! (Show them a before and after photo.)
IDEA: Why not test texting a residential customer an hour into their job with a brief ‘just checking in’ text? For example, “Hi Mrs. Jones! This is Sara down at Happy Cleaners. I just wanted to make sure…”
REMINDER: You’ll receive all the Phone Formats along other procedures and paperwork to implement Immediate Quality Check Calls in our 3-hour online SFS: ‘Winning over your caller’! LIVE seminar!
Steve
PS So how do YOU deal with negative online reviews?