Ecmweb 7115 Bill Murdy Pr
Ecmweb 7115 Bill Murdy Pr
Ecmweb 7115 Bill Murdy Pr
Ecmweb 7115 Bill Murdy Pr
Ecmweb 7115 Bill Murdy Pr

Preparation Pays Off

Feb. 16, 2015
Don’t just show up with the proper tools to complete the job.

If we don’t rise to the level of our competition, we sink to the level of our preparation.”

I’m not sure who penned the original quote but, being a fan of the Notre Dame football program, I noticed that Coach Brian Kelly incorporated it into his coaching philosophy. We all might want to follow his lead. I’m sure you’ve heard this similar thought: Success is when preparation meets opportunity. If success is eluding you, maybe you should start thinking about whether you and your team are really prepared. If you think about it, this opportunity presents itself with every service call.

Marketing matters

Before the call even comes in, does your marketing express your residential specialty and convey a sense of friendliness? Is it easy for new clients to see that you want their business? If your trucks say “commercial-industrial-residential” on the side of them, you may want to rethink your strategy. Most service calls involve “smaller” tasks, and most customers feel contractors don’t want to deal with small jobs. However, small jobs can lead to return customers and eventually into bigger jobs. A consistent message in all your marketing efforts is a key to consistent call count and steady workflow.

Bill Murdy

Now that the phone is ringing, how do you handle it? Answering machines are always a turnoff, but improperly prepared customer service representatives (CSRs) may be even worse. When you prepare for that incoming call, what are your goals? You might say: “Book the call!” Of course you do, but what else? For consistency in call taking, you need a properly prepared script that takes the pressure out of a stressful situation for the customers and lets them know they’ve called the right place. It’s also valuable to track your marketing and find out where and how the customer found you.

A well-prepared CSR should also lay the groundwork for the electrician by letting customers know what to expect; if they will receive notification before an electrician’s arrival, if options as to how to solve the problem will be presented, whether club memberships and discounts are offered, and — most importantly — how payment is made. One of the advantages to residential service is getting paid upon completion of the job. This expectation needs to be reinforced before your technician arrives at the home, and the CSR’s initial conversation with the customer is the opportunity for this to happen.

Training also counts

You’ve got the call and you’re ready to roll, right? Not so fast. How have you prepared your electricians? The importance of recruiting has been discussed in this column before, and I want to reiterate that the importance of the right personality for success in residential service cannot be underestimated. If you’ve done your due diligence, you’ve selected this electrician because of his positive attitude and ambition. He has proven to be open to learning new things, and he has the technical skills to get the job done. At this point, you may have a “diamond in the rough,” but hopefully not too rough. Regardless, he is not a finished product, and you need to train him in what you expect from him and what he can expect from his support team.

You should have a consistent system for presenting prices to the customer and role play with your electricians so that they will feel comfortable with doing this. Initial training should include a thorough review of all necessary forms and their proper use. You need to emphasize the importance of the dialog within the service call. At a minimum, I think a weekly meeting is required. Keep the training topics varied and upbeat, and give your workers something to walk away with at every meeting. Add pep talks or short strategy sessions on other days to keep everybody focused.

Check your attitude. The technician needs to perform a mental preparation before dealing with the customer. A rough night of sleep, an argument with a significant other, etc., all needs to be left in the truck. Remind him that when he makes his way up the walkway, his success is in his state of mind. You’ve spent good marketing money to get yourself to this point, and you’ve done all you could to prepare. In my business, success is a profitable ticket that comes from happy customers who want to tell their friends about us.    

Murdy holds a degree in electrical engineering. He has been in the residential electrical service industry for 30 years. He independently owns and operates the Mister Sparky electric franchise serving western Long Island, N.Y. He can be reached at [email protected].

About the Author

Bill Murdy | Owner

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