For several weeks we’ve been obsessing over improving your sales. Everything from “Serendipity” Selling to Dumping your “Fear of Rejection” to How to Define the “Next Step”. (And we also covered Getting to “YES”! along with How to Deal With a “Smokescreen Objection”!)
If you have implemented even a few of the TIPS above you are going to be busy-busy-busy! Fantastic! But now let’s talk about how to “prep the expectations” of your client. Why is this so important?
Because someone always “owns the problem”! And if you didn’t create the problem you for sure don’t want the blame! (Or the cost of repairing the issue either!) Here is your guiding “Not Owning the Problem” principle…
Clearly defined expectations are the basis for all successful relationships!
Think about it. Where do the “wheels come off the track” between you and your client? (Or your spouse for that matter!) When one or both sides feel like the other party is not living up to WHAT IS EXPECTED of them! So ya better help all involved “clearly define” what is expected…
Residential: Avoid the dreaded client Heightened Awareness Syndrome (HAW) by tactfully pointing out (and documenting) pre-existing problems. (HAW is a huge issue in restoration too.) Just one more reason to perform an advance “Show and Tell” pre-inspection on all new customers. Download your free residential pre-inspection format HERE.
NOTE: Remember, if you discover a pre-existing problem and show it to the customer BEFORE you touch it- they “own it”. If your client discovers the problem AFTER you have done the work- YOU “own it”!
Commercial: Discover what your commercial client’s expectations are by filling out this Commercial Carpet Analysis form before you submit your recommendations. Then make sure your “Service Agreement” (just sounds better than the word “contract”!) is clearly written with these guidelines HERE.
Restoration: With a traumatized insured you must discover what their “emotional expectations” are during your Initial Walk-through. And then blow them away with a “Magic Square” Test. But you must also focus on clearly defining your respective roles legally. (Don’t let your admirable “sense of urgency” lead you to short cut the legal stuff!)
NOTE: Structure those first few crazy minutes of a water loss (and discover the insured’s expectations) with this SFS “Water Damage Customer Interview Form”. Download it for free HERE. And check out lots more Restoration Success TIPS HERE.
Happy expectation defining!
Steve