One of the attractive parts of irrigation and landscaping work is being able to just go out and get the job done. But, just simply having a job to do means finding customers and keeping them happy. A strong customer service program is an important part of growing your business, and it often comes down to connecting with customers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I see as the most important thing, and what\u2019s important to the majority of people, is communication,\u201d says Tony Dilluvio, president of AquaTurf Irrigation Systems LLC, Elmsford, New York. \u201cTrust comes over time, but communication is something that\u2019s immediate.\u201d<\/p>\n
From the very first contact with customers, it\u2019s important to establish that you\u2019re available for communication, says Lona Boese, vice president of Marlo Company Lawn Sprinklers, Saginaw, Michigan.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom the first phone call, we answer our phones,\u201d she says. \u201cIf it does go to voicemail, it gets returned.\u201d Marlo uses office staff to make sure that customers are always able to reach someone quickly because the beginning of a strong customer relationship is established in that initial phone call.<\/p>\n
Client communication is based on trust and clarity, says Parke Kallenberg, founder and senior partner at Atlanta-based Advance Consulting Group. Often, when contractors do something well for a client, they just hope the client notices the good work.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe rule of thumb is: \u2018Communicate before, communicate during and communicate after,\u2019\u201d he says. Let the client know when the crew will show up for irrigation service and who will be on-site for the work. Then notify the client when the crew arrives and about the status of the work being done. Once the job is complete, check back in again to let the client know about any issues and set up the next visit.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you set expectations like that, they will trust you, and they have clarity on what\u2019s happening,\u201d Kallenberg says.<\/p>\n
Developing a relationship with a client first means understanding each individual client\u2019s needs and expectations. \u201cEach customer is unique,\u201d says Pam Stark, consultant at Bruce Wilson & Company, Scottsdale, Arizona. \u201cIn order to build the strongest relationship, you have to really be targeted in.\u201d The account manager then must be able to communicate those needs to the team executing the work.<\/p>\n
This is most important for the manager\u2019s highest value clients, she says. For those, the manager will need the most detailed notes and have those updated and provided to the working crew. Keeping track of client needs could be as easy as developing a spreadsheet or entering notes into a customer database that can be accessed by the crew on the way to the next job.<\/p>\n
Communication with clients needs to be relevant, impactful and credible, says Judy Guido, chairwoman of Guido & Associates, Moorpark, California. \u201cYou have to ask yourself, \u2018Is what I\u2019m doing for this customer relevant to them? Will it make a positive impact?\u2019\u201d she says. Credibility is what makes the other two parts come together, showing yourself as an expert source in the industry.<\/p>\n
Managers need to be proactive about connecting with customers early and often, Stark says. Use a calendar tool to find the right time to reach out to customers about contracts or booking business. That could mean an email outlining the year\u2019s upcoming programs or just a quick phone call to check in and make certain that work is being done effectively.<\/p>\n
\u201cMake sure you have a plan to communicate with every single one of your customers,\u201d says Guido. You may not have time to call each customer, but have programs in place to reach them via email or newsletters.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s got to be frequent and shorter,\u201d she says. \u201cYou want small bites of communication, because there\u2019s so much noise, and people have so much going on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Being proactive also means showing respect for the customer\u2019s time, says Dilluvio. Know what level of data your customers are looking for in each interaction, whether that means a quick update before the job or a longer email later to check on a contract.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re not respectful of your client\u2019s time, you won\u2019t have that client for long,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
In the days leading up to a scheduled job, Boese\u2019s team reconnects with clients to remind them either by phone or email, she says. That also gives the customer the opportunity to reschedule if a conflict has come up. They also make it a point to let the customer know if payment is expected that day, so the customer is ready when the work is done.<\/p>\n
With new clients, Dilluvio starts with a longer letter that includes as much information as he can share on rates and overall charges for parts and service. That can get ahead of many client questions later and shows that you\u2019re being honest with customers from the start, he says.<\/p>\n
Making more company information available at the start of a customer relationship helps take care of client concerns. Though having information in a website FAQ is helpful for clients, it might be useful to send it in an email to them so they don\u2019t have to go looking for it, says Guido.<\/p>\n
Effective communication is the top priority to developing any kind of positive relationship with a client, Stark says. Some clients respond well to a phone call, while others prefer a text with photos of the work done.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to communicate in a method and style that works for the customer,\u201d Stark says. Finding that method should be one of the earliest questions to be asked when onboarding a new client.<\/p>\n
Those procedures need to be checked occasionally even with longtime customers, because \u201cas we know, clients are never static,\u201d Stark says.<\/p>\n
With smartphones, crews have more options than ever to connect with customers to show a job well done, says Kallenberg. Crew leaders should take quick photos of the work on the job site and make notes about the details of the job. If the client appreciates texts with photos, send them along immediately. If they prefer emails, collect some of those updates into a short email about the finished work, thanking them for the business.<\/p>\n
\u201cCustomers don\u2019t expect perfection, but what they don\u2019t want is a lack of knowledge,\u201d Kallenberg says.<\/p>\n
There are two main indicators that Kallenberg checks to track customer service. First is customer retention, followed by the customer\u2019s overall spend compared to the contract.<\/p>\n
When you find trackable metrics, make sure they get mentioned in meetings or shared with other employees regularly to keep them in mind, Stark says. That could look like a once-per-month discussion or notes shared on trouble clients to get a group perspective on possible solutions.<\/p>\n
The employee who \u201cowns\u201d the account, whether an account manager or service manager, should be the primary point of contact for the customer, says Stark. \u201cI like to think of it as them owning a book of business. The customers in that book, they\u2019re responsible for having a good, solid relationship with them,\u201d she says. \u201cThey\u2019re responsible not just for green grass, beautiful flowers and no weeds.\u201d<\/p>\n
Boese uses pay bonuses to encourage strong customer service both with her employees in the office and in the field. The bonuses come through trackable metrics, such as completing jobs on time and not forgetting tools at the work site. Those bonuses can be worth an extra 50 cents per hour depending on the employee\u2019s rank. The office staff also receives bonuses based on service contract target numbers.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt pays off for us,\u201d she says. \u201cAnybody can just go through the motions. We don\u2019t want to step over opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
While one employee should handle the majority of the contact with a customer, some tiered communication is important as well, says Kallenberg. One of the manager\u2019s superiors or someone within the company leadership should connect with clients briefly every six months or so just to check on the strength of that relationship and ask what could make things even better.<\/p>\n
\u201cBuilding those multiple levels of relationships will safeguard you so much,\u201d Kallenberg says.<\/p>\n
A strong customer service program has to start with the leader. \u201cThe leader has to 100% believe that the customer relationship drives the business. If the leadership doesn\u2019t believe in it, it\u2019s not going to work,\u201d Stark says. The company\u2019s core values should be built around or at least include expectations for developing relationships with customers, so that both the company and clients benefit.<\/p>\n
Train crew leaders to use the drive time between jobs to remind the crew of the upcoming job\u2019s requirements and who will be tackling which assignments, says Kallenberg. Make sure they talk about the job\u2019s focus and any major concerns brought up since the last visit. That way, if a customer happens to talk to crew members in the field, everyone down to the person using an edger sounds knowledgeable about the project and knows who to take the customer to.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey don\u2019t have to know the answer,\u201d Kallenberg says. \u201cThey just have to know how to respond. There\u2019s a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
Boese\u2019s team has a spring training session to develop customer service skills, including prepared conversations and discussions on how to respond to different situations with customers, she says.<\/p>\n
As the person who hands out the work orders, Dilluvio has daily contact with his team about how to approach each customer, he says. While he doesn\u2019t track every single customer, he knows a lot of the nuances of the clients and talks to the crews about how to approach the job.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt means daily, constant contact and training,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
During a situation such as COVID-19, company leadership needs to be focused on customer communication, says Pam Stark, consultant at Bruce Wilson & Company, Scottsdale, Arizona. That communication needs to start with some empathy at the beginning, where the message is about how your company understands how difficult things have been for the customers and their businesses.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen allow them to vent a little bit, because they\u2019ve got things on their mind,\u201d Stark says.<\/p>\n
Make sure the customer knows that you\u2019re focused more on how COVID-19 has affected them, as compared to talking about how tough things have been for your business, says Parke Kallenburg, founder and senior partner at Advance Consulting Group, Atlanta, Georgia.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll you have to do is agree with them and then say, \u2018How can I help?\u2019\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t be reluctant to use available technology to get through the pandemic, says Tony Dilluvio, president of AquaTurf Irrigation Systems LLC, Elmsford, New York. Establish customer capability with email and phone communication, and be proactive about sharing safety measures being taken by your crew while on the job. Make sure the crew knows before arriving about the customer\u2019s comfort level for interaction, and stick to it.<\/p>\n
In the call prior to the job, the team talks to the customer about what parts of the property they\u2019ll need access to, and what they\u2019re doing to sanitize spaces they\u2019re interacting with, says Lona Boese, vice president of Marlo Company Lawn Sprinklers, Saginaw, Michigan.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat way, there\u2019s no surprise to the client when they\u2019re getting there,\u201d Boese says. \u201cWe just want them to know we\u2019re on top of things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Especially in a difficult situation, it\u2019s better to overcommunicate, Stark says. Make sure the customer understands that your company is there for the customer. \u201cIt\u2019s got to be personal and touching base with them,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Build a strong customer service program by staying connected with clients.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":2481,"parent":0,"template":"","main-categories":[50,27,28],"class_list":["post-2414","features","type-features","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","main-categories-business-development","main-categories-irrigation","main-categories-landscape"],"yoast_head":"\n