Customer Service TIPS! (please contribute)

danmarck82 wrote: One of the most important " pre job" Preparation Questions when scheduling a customer is " Are their any specific concerns that we should be aware of before we arrive" . " Any specialty spotting issues that may be required , such as urine contamination, red dyes or Any OTHER specific concerns that you have " . This question asked 100% of the time when you are scheduling the carpet will save you many many headaches. It gives you an opportunity to PRE_EDUCATE the customer....you get to explain the normal limitations that exist in each spotting situation that they have . You will never end up with a customer who says" if you can't get it out I'm not paying " because you already took the wind out of his or her sail by PRE_EDUCATING. THEY NOW HAVE REALISTIC expectations! and that is where you want all customers to be . You also will make sure you have all you chemicals and equipment aboard to take care of the special needs. Getting a customer to have realistic expectations and then exceeding them = A Success growing business! Just some food for thought ...after 26 years.

I agree with your philosophy 100% but with your strategy about 80%. I try to keep it as brief as possible on the phone and just book the job. No selling, no scotchguard, no odor removal, NOTHING. I wait for the initial walk through for all of that. I always play dumb on the phone too (to an extent).

"You know, I'm not a certified technician but I can tell you that our guys are some of the best in the industry. If they can't get it out, no one can!"

then I'll add (hahahaha) "I'll tell you what, I'm going to send out John and Jane (me and my wife- not our real names though because this is on the internet). They have been with us for 7 years and I know John has been doing this for 11. They are the best we have!" (Of course, you gotta be good for this one! If not, they'll think your company sucks!

hahahahha!

HOWEVER

When a customer talks about pet staining I tell them "well, we pretreat the entire carpet with a live enzyme so in many cases that will take care of light odor. If the odor is excessive there are many different things we can do from a topical disinfectant to pad replacement.

See, pet stains can effect not only the surface of the carpet but the backing, the padding and the sub floor as well. The guys are equipped with high powered UV lights and urine detectors to test the padding of the carpet. They will take a look at everything and if anything else is required they'll put everything in writing before doing any work, then you can decide what you would like us to do. Don't worry, they won't just go to work and stick you with a large bill at the end"

If I get a customer who is looking for a guarantee of spot removal (or something of that nature) I tell them this "Ma'am, only an inexperienced technician would guarantee something like that because anyone in the business long enough knows that something that looks like it will never come out can come out in a second and vice versa. We promise you this, if we can't get it out, NOONE CAN because we use the industries top machines and pretreatments".

Never had a problem with that one! And then I'll add "but you have to keep in mind, our motto is under promise and over deliver".

Now, during the intitial walk through, that's when I lay everything out on the table. And I am EXTREMELY cautious about predicting things. Sometimes I'll say "Ma'am, I'm not a psychic. If I were I wouldn't be cleaning carpets! But I can promise that if I can't get it out, no one can!" (but if you use this one.. be careful how you say it because if you don't say it right it can come off as rude).




Edited by Atlantis - 17/June/2008 at 8:46pm

never...but if I have to I'm prepared

I you take a crap in the customer bathroom...

danmarck82 wrote: did that once and the water was turned off !

did that once and the water was turned off !

And some do

One of the most important " pre job" Preparation Questions when scheduling a customer is " Are their any specific concerns that we should be aware of before we arrive" . " Any specialty spotting issues that may be required , such as urine contamination, red dyes or Any OTHER specific concerns that you have " .

This question asked 100% of the time when you are scheduling the carpet will save you many many headaches. It gives you an opportunity to PRE_EDUCATE the customer....you get to explain the normal limitations that exist in each spotting situation that they have .

You will never end up with a customer who says" if you can't get it out I'm not paying " because you already took the wind out of his or her sail by PRE_EDUCATING. THEY NOW HAVE REALISTIC expectations! and that is where you want all customers to be . You also will make sure you have all you chemicals and equipment aboard to take care of the special needs.

Getting a customer to have realistic expectations and then exceeding them = A Success growing business!

Just some food for thought ...after 26 years.