Elevate Your Service: Creating a Customer-First Trades Company

The stakes are high right now—in all industries. Economic uncertainty, consumer costs rising, a fluctuating, unpredictable job market, AND it's an election year. Today, we're going to be talking about the trades. HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, Pest Control, etc.

In this industry, businesses are more than just service providers; they're essential pillars of the communities they serve. 

Today, we’re not just talking about fixing leaks and tuning systems; we’re exploring how to transform your business into a stronghold of customer loyalty and relentless growth.

The Crucial Role of Customer Loyalty

At the core of every successful business is loyalty. Homeowners reach out not just because they need a quick fix but because they are in a crisis and looking for a hero. The crucial nature of their call, the emergencies they face, is why Voice is still king at most Trades companies when it comes to Lead Acquisition. Whether they choose your company again depends on this crucial factor: trust. Can you be their go-to solution, or will you be just another contact in their phone or another warning to their friends and family?

Why World Class Customer Service is Essential

Customer service is where true business is won. It goes beyond answering calls and scheduling appointments—it’s about creating an atmosphere of reliability and trust from the first interaction to the last. It’s about ensuring that when your technician leaves, the customer feels not merely satisfied, but genuinely cared for.

A lot of companies believe this starts and ends with their Call Center, and that belief couldn't be further from the truth. Yes, the call center is important, who you have answering the phones can make or break your business. The call center is where your marketing dollars and efforts go to THRIVE or DIE, but the customer service doesn't end with the appointment set up. We all know this, but it's time to start acting like it. The Call Center or Customer Service Department is a stepping stone on the Customer's Journey. 

The Dispatchers, Technicians, Salespeople, and follow up teams are just as essential to the Customer Service Experience as the Call Center. The Call Center is there to book leads into appointments, to provide an ear for client's worries, and to pick up the pieces when something further down the line falls apart. Technicians and Salespeople need to have world class customer service skills as well, or all is lost (and your call center is going to be doing a LOT more work than they should have to when they're smoothing over all the complaints a grumpy tech or dispatcher can cause).

Strategies for Victory in Customer Service

• Empathy and Rapport: Training your team to engage in active listening and to empathize genuinely with customers is essential. For instance, understanding a customer's frustration about a broken furnace in winter and responding with "That sounds really tough; let’s get this sorted out quickly for you," goes a long way.
• Frictionless Experience: Implementing an easy-to-use online booking system ensures that your website is mobile-friendly and that customers can book an appointment effortlessly. Continually refining this process is key to eliminating potential frustrations.
• Proactive Help: Equip your technicians with checklists for common issues and potential upsells to ensure they provide comprehensive service that goes beyond the immediate fix.
• Transparent Communication: Developing a straightforward pricing module with no hidden fees reassures customers and builds trust.
• Consistency: Regularly updating training materials based on customer feedback and new industry practices helps maintain high service standards.

Word-of-Mouth Marketing: Making Your Customers Advocates

Encourage satisfied customers to share their positive experiences. Offering incentives like referral discounts can turn happy customers into powerful advocates, naturally growing your business through word-of-mouth.

Premium Pricing as a Reward for Excellence

Once your service quality is recognized, it’s possible to adjust your pricing. Clearly communicate the value you provide: "Our prices reflect our commitment to resolving your issues today and preventing future problems." This not only justifies your rates but also reassures customers they are paying for peace of mind. The question you ask internally is this: "Do we want to be the Dollar King of our trade, or the Nordstrom?" Both are viable business models, but the expectations from not only your customers but also from your employees are vastly different. Who do you want to be for your customers?

The Hidden Benefits of Reducing Costs

Investing in training that enables technicians to resolve issues in one visit reduces costs and increases customer satisfaction by minimizing repeat problems. While cost-cutting has it's place, don't sacrifice efficiency and effectiveness to save a buck, that's counter-productive and will bite you sooner or later, probably sooner. Example: don't outsource your entire customer service team if you haven't invested in some automation tools first.

Empowering Your Team Through Automation

Automation plays a critical role in optimizing operations and empowering your customer service team. Implementing automated scheduling, streamlining invoicing, and employing CRM systems can drastically reduce manual tasks and free up your team to focus on delivering exceptional service.

Advanced Technologies for Enhanced Service:

• Automate Scheduling and Dispatch: Implement systems that automatically schedule appointments and dispatch technicians based on geographic locations and availability. This reduces manual effort and minimizes human error, ensuring that help reaches your customer promptly. Schedule Engine (recently acquired by ServiceTitan and being renamed Scheduling Pro (...)) is probably the best Online scheduler, whereas Dispatch Pro (again through ServiceTitan) and Buck.ai are the best Dispatch Automation tools.
• Streamline Invoicing and Payments: Use software that automatically generates invoices when a job is marked complete and facilitates easy online payment. This speeds up the payment process and reduces the administrative burden on your team. Having a payment link on your invoice, and/or a payment widget on your website make it a lot easier for your customers to pay you. And it should never be difficult for a customer to give you money.
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems: Employ a CRM system that automates data entry, tracks service history, and analyzes customer behavior patterns. This allows your agents to have all the information they need at their fingertips, personalized to each caller, without having to dig through files or ask repetitive questions. ServiceTitan and Housecall Pro are two of the biggest power houses in the game as far as the Trades are concerned. 
• Automated Feedback Collection: After service completion, automatically send out a customer satisfaction survey. This not only provides immediate feedback on your team’s performance but also engages the customer in their experience, making them feel heard and valued. Make sure your survey is short, to the point, and easy to read and follow along. There is nothing worse than long, convoluted, complicated Customer Feedback forms. Nobody likes them, and they're doing you a favor. If you want more in-depth feedback, don't be afraid to rely on the old trusty "Happy Call." It's tried and true, and a classic for a reason.  
• Predictive Maintenance Alerts:  where possible to predict when a system is likely to fail and automatically notify the customer of the need for a maintenance check. This proactive approach not only saves the customer from potential emergencies but also demonstrates your commitment to their well-being.

Sustainability and Community Engagement

Adopting eco-friendly practices and getting involved in local community projects not only enhances your brand's reputation but also builds meaningful connections with the community. For some inspiration, you can look at what Rooter Hero Plumbing & Air, based out of California are doing with their Hero Helps program. 

Strengthening Your Online Presence

An optimized website and active social media platforms are crucial in today’s digital age. Managing online reviews and regularly updating educational content can significantly enhance your online visibility and reputation. Marketing Pro through ServiceTitan, Podium, and PulseM are the leaders in Online Reputation Management right now, though you could choose to go Old School and just manually comb through the Review Sites and reply that way. Up to you. 

Make sure you have somebody managing and watching your Company's social media accounts for messages, comments, hashtags, etc that tag or mention you, and have them reply. If you have an Omnichannel platform for your Call Center, your Customer Service Reps can help answer these 24/7, or whatever business hours your company runs. 

Transforming your business into a customer-centric powerhouse requires dedication and a shift towards prioritizing every customer interaction. By embedding excellence into every layer of your operations and embracing innovative practices, you can build a business that isn’t just successful but legendary.