Ecmweb 17849 Service Secrets Talbot Pr
Ecmweb 17849 Service Secrets Talbot Pr
Ecmweb 17849 Service Secrets Talbot Pr
Ecmweb 17849 Service Secrets Talbot Pr
Ecmweb 17849 Service Secrets Talbot Pr

How to Incorporate Options in Your Sales and Bidding Process

July 17, 2018
Offering choices can help jump-start your residential electrical service business.

Sales is the lifeblood of any business — whether it’s food, hair products, health care, car insurance, or services rendered, nothing happens until something sells. A lot of small businesses struggle month-to-month and year-to-year trying to make a decent profit and pay their bills while trying to grow their business. This is a hard task. Nothing quite compares to the love-hate relationship that you have with your business. You love the fact that the sky’s the limit, but sometimes it seems like you keep hitting a roadblock. What if I told you that options are the secret to getting those sales numbers up and could rocket your company into a new and dynamic future? Think about it. Almost everyone who sits down at a restaurant wants to see a menu first before ordering. Most people who go to buy a car want to look at many different makes and models. I believe people need to know they have a say-so in the level of service they receive also.

Although many service companies have adopted this idea, normally they are already big enough to train and develop their techs to do this. What do you do if you are small but wanting to grow and not financially stable enough to train and develop right from the start? I suggest starting with baby steps. Your clients deserve your best on every call, and that’s exactly what you need to give them. I went into a client’s house about six years ago for a simple light bulb call, so the expectation wasn’t high. However, as I begin talking to the client, I decided to lay out a few options on LED lighting and changing the existing bulbs to LED. That simple light bulb service call resulted in one happy client, and I secured a $5,100 job. You never know what people are willing to spend with you if you never give them the option. Another time, one of my technicians went on a call for a door bell switch and was able to offer quite a few upgrades because of the age of the home. He ended up landing a $13,000 project. A famous basketball player used to say, “You miss every shot that you don’t take.” If you really want to grow your revenue and jump-start your business, then here are a few tips to help make it happen:

1. Package the products you sell for better deals for the client.

2. Always give at least three options when offering your services.

3. Train your techs to consistently offer at least one code upgrade on each call.

4. Consider having all your techs sit down with their manager and go over calls they couldn’t close and offer some “overcoming objections” training.

5. Make goals for your tech’s revenue and closing ratio on a weekly and monthly basis.

6. Try offering spiffs or performance pay for upgraded calls.

7. Make sure options relate and build on the type of call and reason you were called out.

8. Consider using brochures and pictures to help provide a visual for your client.

9. Make invoices or additional note forms that lay out the three options.

10. Offer upgrades, such as surge protection, USB outlets, weatherproof outlets, arc-fault breakers, tamper-resistant outlets, and alarming GFCI outlets.

Offering options can really jump-start your electrical business and excite your technicians. If you couple this with top-notch customer service, then your company will soar.       

Talbot is a licensed, master electrician in Georgia, where he was born and raised. He has been in the industry for 17 years and is currently the operations manager for Mister Sparky Atlanta, where he manages a team of technicians. In his spare time, he plays with his kids, volunteers, and is flipping his fourth house. He can be reached at [email protected].

About the Author

Gerald Talbot | Operations Manager

Gerald is a licensed, master electrician in Georgia, where he was born and raised. He has been in the industry for 17 years and is currently the operations manager for Mister Sparky Atlanta, where he manages a team of technicians.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EC&M, create an account today!

Sponsored Recommendations

Electrical Conduit Comparison Chart

CHAMPION FIBERGLASS electrical conduit is a lightweight, durable option that provides lasting savings when compared to other materials. Compare electrical conduit types including...

Don't Let Burn-Through Threaten Another Data Center or Utility Project

Get the No Burn-Through Elbow eGuide to learn many reasons why Champion Fiberglass elbows will enhance your data center and utility projects today.

Considerations for Direct Burial Conduit

Installation type plays a key role in the type of conduit selected for electrical systems in industrial construction projects. Above ground, below ground, direct buried, encased...

How to Calculate Labor Costs

Most important to accurately estimating labor costs is knowing the approximate hours required for project completion. Learn how to calculate electrical labor cost.