Sooner or later, everyone needs the help of a plumber. However, whether you’ll be someone whose daily planner is filled with scheduled appointments or not, depends on a variety of things. One of the most important factors to influence the success of your business is good customer service.
This is the backbone of your company. After all, no matter how skilled you are at what you do, if you’re not seen as relabel or efficient, don’t expect to be called back to the same household again. Word of mouth is still one of the best promotional tools a professional can have, and poor behavior towards clients will not get you a referral.
Let’s see what are some of the major dos and don’ts every plumber should have in mind.
Always Pick Up Your Phone
In most cases, when someone calls for a plumber, it’s an emergency. They need someone who will answer the phone on the first ring, understand the problem, and come to their house as quickly as possible. That’s why you need to be available to pick up on your calls during all business hours.
If you don’t have someone at the office to handle the phone, the worst thing you can do is leave the machine to answer. Clients don’t want to leave a message. They’re facing a serious and stressful situation and they want to know when it can be fixed. Not being able to talk to a person will make them hang up and call your competitor.
Well-Trained Staff
Make sure you have people who know what they are doing as members of your team. Doing the job right the first time, as experts from All Service Plumbers know, will do wonders for your business. One of the worst things that can happen when a new customer call is to have someone on the other end not being able to give them any relevant information. This creates a horrible first impression and you can be sure that person will not try and contact you again.
So, it’s extremely important to invest in your team. Teach them and allow them to develop as professionals. They will be grateful for this and so will your clients. Your company is resting on the shoulders of both you and your employees so it’s necessary to keep them happy. Their level of satisfaction with their job will translate into customer service they provide.
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
Or to put it more simply – Keep your promises! If you have arranged to meet with a customer at a certain time, make sure you are there as planned. Showing up an hour or two later will make you look unprofessional and will put the client in a bad mood.
Be respectful of their time. After all, maybe they have other plans and they can’t afford to sit and wait all day for you to show up. It’s much better to promise less but deliver more. This behavior will reflect well on you and your company.
Offer Something Extra
Show your customer you appreciate the fact that you were the one they called. You can do this with small and simple gestures like wearing paper booties over your shoes so you don’t accidentally get their home dirty. If you notice something else is off in the client’s bathroom or kitchen, and you know it will just take you a minute to fix it, you can always do it for free.
Doing things like this will mean a lot to them and will leave them with a positive and lasting impression. You can be sure you will be called back again if some plumbing crisis occurs and your number given to their friends if they ever face a similar problem.
Special Deals
Loyalty programs are a commonly used business practice today. They represent a great tactic to show your existing clients just how much you appreciate them and make them request your service again when needed. A little discount can go a long way! And combined with high-quality service, you will be able to build a solid consumer base you can rely on.
Plumbing is a competitive business field so running a profitable company requires a catalog of returning clients. To achieve this, you need to provide a first-rate customer experience.
Always answer your phone and keep your promises. This will make you and your company look reliable. Surround yourself with a well-trained team of professionals who will know how to deal with even the most demanding of people. And remember, as Michael LeBoeuf said, a satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all.
To clean up after work is very important to suit your customers and good mood with a smile to your customers.