SFS members already know that 80% of how the customer decides if you did a “good job” or a “bad job” is based on the relationship they have with the person actually doing the work in their home. (Which in many cases is not you!) Logically this same relationship building process should continue as the customer has repeat work done by your company. However, as you grow this personal relationship can fall by the wayside as you add more clients and staff. Implement this Procedure now to build a database (and relationships) for the future …
Record names of all family members, including the pets.
Also record topics of interesting conversations, hobbies of the customers, special furniture or experiences you’ve had in their home. Put this on file with their previous work orders. This will give a personal touch to your future conversations with the customer.
Just be careful not to note down any personal or embarrassing topics. And in a multi-technician company some of the details would need to be used with discretion, so that the client doesn’t think “Big Brother” is watching. By the way, for those of you using computerized scheduling programs, many of these will have a separate field to enter information like this.
Steve
P.S. What topics do you find your customers most eager to talk about? Share your thoughts below in the comments.
P.P.S. One gentle request. Remember that this free QuickTIPS service depends on all our members sharing their Techniques, Ideas, Procedures and Systems. (Cute acronym, huh?) So please, go to our online form to submit your quickTIPS