Service Call Etiquette
If you’re going on a service call, there are some customer service 101 tips that you have to remember. First and foremost, it’s very important to respect your customer’s home. Remember, you are there to help them, and you want to leave things in the same condition you found them. Greet your customer and let them know who you are, what company you are working with, and what service you are there for upon arrival to their house. Don’t assume everyone in the house is aware that you’re coming and what you’re doing!
Here are some ways to make sure you have a happy, respectful service call:
Be on time
When you are going to a customer’s house to complete a service for them, be sure to show up at the promised time. Your customer is busy and they don’t want to feel like they are waiting around for you. If you don’t know the exact time someone will be able to get to their house, try to leave a small window. For example, instead of saying that someone will be there in the morning, maybe tell them someone will be there between 8-10am. This way, they don’t have to wait around all morning for someone to show up, but it still gives you some leeway to get there on time.
Make sure your shoes are clean
It’s not necessary to remove your shoes when entering someone’s home for business, unless they ask you to. It is, however, important that your shoes are clean. Sometimes when you are at work and running around, your shoes can get muddy or track things from the outdoors. Wipe your shoes off before entering the home! It would be a disaster to have to pay for a carpet cleaning for an unsatisfied customer.
Be courteous to everyone in the home
For example, if someone is in the front room reading a book, or working, and you are going to be making a lot of noise, let them know. Don’t surprise them by making them feel they have to leave the room. Before you start a noisy service, make sure the people around you know what you are doing and how long it will take.
- On that same topic, upon arrival, give a time estimate. The customer may have somewhere to be or something they need to work on. It’s appropriate to give your customer an approximate time estimate for how long you will be in their home.
Follow Up
Follow up with the customer after a problem has been taken care of to find out how things are going. It is important that you don’t try to sell anything during this call or email. The purpose of this communication is to let the customer know that you care about their issue and the quality of your work rather than just coming and getting paid. You may not think this one tip would do much but over time it will help grow your loyal customer base and help drive new customers from referrals. Not only that, but creating that trust and friendship between you and your customer will go a long way with future engagement and communication.
Ensuring that you and your employees are respectful and courteous when you go on a service call to someone’s home, will really help you stand out from the competition. Always be aware that they are trusting you to be in their home, and you should show them that your business takes that very seriously. Most of all, be friendly and open with your customer and you will build that trust needed for a lifelong customer!
For more insights on marketing strategy that actually works for small business, subscribe to the FreshLime Newsletter here. Connect with Jay Bean, Founder of FreshLime and Small Business Marketing Expert on LinkedIn and Twitter. And last of all, if any of these tips have helped you or if you have anything to add please comment below. We’d love to hear from you!