The phrases you (and your employees) use with the client can define you as a true professional… OR subliminally create a negative Moment of Truth.
NOTE: Do I need to warn you against telling your customer “we need to take a dump” instead of “discharging our rinse water”? 🙂
Avoid using terms that create doubt, fear or paint the tech (or your company) as negative, untrustworthy and/or non-caring.
Even your best people can unwittingly create havoc with their choice of words. Doubt me! Then ask yourself how many times you’ve uttered these phrases under the “Bad” column!
Cleaning Terms: Bad/Good
| Bad | Good |
|---|---|
| Chemical | Cleaning solution |
| Dirty | Soiled |
| Suck | Extract |
| Rag | Towel |
| Acid | Low pH |
And of course carpets are NEVER “wet”… they are just “damp”!
Restoration Terms: Bad/Good
| Bad | Good |
|---|---|
| Clean it | Remove the residue |
| Tear up your carpet | Disengage your carpet from the tackless strip |
| Pry up the molding bar | Gently open the molding |
| Your stuff | Your possessions |
For all business sectors NEVER say… (Your customer’s unspoken reaction is in parentheses)
I’m so tired! (Great! A tech that is too tired to do a good job!) Or even worse…
Wow, I’m running behind! (So you are going to have to rush and “bang out” my job?)
Whew! This place is hard to find! (So you think I live “out in the sticks”?)
So what is your ‘problem’ here? (I don’t have a “problem”.) Instead, simply ask, “Could you please show me your ‘areas of concern’?”
Wow, the ________ are going to kill this country! (I don’t want to discuss politics, religion or SEX with a carpet cleaning technician!)
Your previous cleaner is a bait and switch hack! (Hmmmm… why are you criticizing your competitors.)
Wow, that loser Charlie didn’t restock my chemicals again last night! Can I borrow some of your Tide? (Your company employs “bad” workers?)
No problem. (So much better: “It was my pleasure!”)
Sure, you probably won’t go broke just because your techs use the word “acid” instead of “low pH”! But remember, “God is in the details”! (So share what phrases you avoid in the comments section below.)
Steve