Service excellence is a series of promises made and promises kept. Nothing reinforces great service like an air-tight communications protocol.
The goal is to create meaningful touchpoints that deepen the customer relationship and deliver value for the customer, and for your operation. Some examples include:
Call the day before - People are busy and forget you are coming. If a customer is reminded of an upcoming appointment it helps them to plan their day and reduces costly missed appointments.
Call on your way - Unless you are offering specific appointment times, customers will be busy going about their day while they wait for you to arrive during the appointment window. Committing to a call-ahead procedure allows customers to get that laundry done or to run a local errand without fear of missing your visit.
Call if you’re going to be late, or early - If you are going to miss the appointment window for any reason, a quick update call will reduce the impact and allow the customer to go about their day.
Let them know what you completed - Check in with the customer before you do anything that will cost them more money, and also let them know the full status at the end of the call. Have the customer sign an invoice while you explain the value they have received.
Follow up for further service - If you’re having to order a part and plan a future visit, communicate often with your customer to let them know the status. Provide an estimated delivery date and schedule a follow-up appointment in anticipation of meeting it. Communicate every time something changes.
[Pro Tip: Sign an invoice, even if the service call was included in a protection plan. You have few opportunities to reinforce the value of the protection plan, so make sure they see the full retail price for parts and labour, discounted to $0 because of their coverage plan.]
Stay in touch with your customers through feedback surveys to make sure your communication protocols are hitting the mark and adjust them if needed.
Do you communicate effectively with your customers? Share your experiences in the comments below.
Learn learn more about field service transformation with Chapman Management Solutions and download the free 30 Tips eBook at www.chrischapman.ca.
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