The old saying, “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression” is true in every life situation, but for home comfort systems companies, a poor first impression can mean immediate death for any new customer relationship. The home or business owner’s opinion of your company when the truck pulls up to their property or the technician is standing at their door is crucial for laying the foundation for the entire service call. Let’s go one step further: the impression your company is making on everyone in the community merely by passing by your trucks and technicians as they travel from job to job is an essential component to building your customer database.
Yes, first impressions are vital. Right or not in our politically correct society, perceptions are reality; and, value judgments are made on first impressions. Since most people are in business to make a profit, the successful company gets more referrals if they make a favorable first impression.
There are several steps you can take to dress up your company image:
- Wash trucks regularly and ensure technicians are keeping them neat and orderly inside. Surprise random inspections can reveal many things. You have had no idea what you’ll recover. We’ve heard some crazy things have been found over the years!
- Review items stocked on the trucks to maintain standardization and availability of common repair items. A prepared tech saves money and impresses the client.
- Have a uniform expectation for dress and grooming. Animal hair on uniforms is a common issue people forget about looking for. If your technician has animal hair on their uniform, clients who are highly allergic will be impacted. Smoking fits into this category as well. If they smell like a cigarette, people who are sensitive will be put off. Make it a company policy that a technician can not smoke while on their work day. If they want to smoke during lunch, make sure they have enough time to let the smell dissipate..
- Make sure technicians look professional. They are your company brand and represent you. If they are sloppy, chances are so is their work.
- Not only is appearance crucial for a positive first impression, but the interaction between the customer and staff is also extremely important as well. Practiced and planned communication, both personal and technological, will determine whether or not the first impression builds up the customer’s perception of quality and credibility or tears it down. Spend time and money to train CSR’s and technicians to be knowledgeable, consistent and friendly and pay attention to details – they matter.
Your Duffy Marketing representative is happy to assist you hone the communication skills of your staff to make sure they make favorable impressions the first time and every time. Private training calls and scripts are available upon request. The first impression of your company regarding technician and truck appearances will typically be a topic of conversation during a site visit and will be addressed if needed. If you have not had a site visit and are interested, please let us know. We’d be happy to talk with you about it.
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