In this industry, we’ve all heard from homeowners who have called in technicians who either tried to upsell them on items they didn’t need or simply didn’t know what was causing their problem. These actions don’t assure your customers of your expertise and will likely result in them switching to a competitor.
One of the ways home service company owners and managers can ensure their team can properly help your customers is to keep them well trained.
Think of all the innovations in the HVAC industry that have been made over the past several years. From smart thermostats to smart devices, HVAC systems have moved from being mechanical appliances to high-tech machines that use computerized technology. We’ve also seen smart technology enter the plumbing field with the invention of the automatic water shut-off valve and smart pipe systems.
If your team isn’t trained on how to assess and repair the latest HVAC or plumbing systems, you won’t inspire consumer confidence. Your team should possess knowledge about every aspect of their jobs and understand the latest repair techniques.
By giving them the educational tools they need to properly assess any given situation, you also improve their problem-solving abilities, allowing them to accurately target the issue.
Communication Builds Positive Interactions
But technical skills aren’t enough.
You also need to teach your plumbers and technicians those soft skills that help them provide relevant information to the customer in language that can be easily understood. Your technicians need to be good listeners who make customers feel valued.
Let’s face it: not everyone is a natural when it comes to communication or intrapersonal interactions. Oftentimes, those people who are very good at understanding the most technical aspects of the job are also those who have the hardest time interacting with clients.
But these skills can be taught and often require encouragement and practice to master.
So, in addition to providing regular technical training, you should also offer employees soft skills training and peer-to-peer education. Your company’s critical managers should also be involved in pairing up team members who can learn from one another. Matching up your technical geniuses with your soft skill gurus is a great way to encourage growth in both team members.
Training your plumbers and technicians to respect the customer’s home, arrive on time and be both prepared for and comfortable with answering customer questions boosts your company’s reputation and keeps customers coming back.
Retaining Your Techs
Once you have invested in training your staff and have the team you believe will make customers happy, your next course of action will be to ensure that you are able to retain these techs.
In addition to the training you’ve provided, one of the best motivators is to value your employees. Pay them what they’re worth and offer benefits.
You also want to make your company the place to work: great pay, great hours and great company culture make your shop the place where employees want to be. You can achieve this by:
- Creating a positive work environment: Communicate with your employees often and make transparent decisions. Don’t keep your team in the dark about changes or future plans. This starts rumors that can result in hurt feelings.
- Elevate your brand image: People want to work for companies that are thought of highly in the community. Issuing press releases, keeping active on social media and becoming thought leaders in your area are some ways of boosting your name.
- Offering unique perks: By providing your team with free gym memberships or complimentary tickets to area attractions and restaurants, you show that you value their contributions. Other longer term incentives can include offering your critical managers and team leaders with profit-sharing or phantom stock programs to incentivize them to stay.
As homes become more expensive, more homeowners are staying in their houses longer. This means they will come to rely on their home service contractors more and more.
Make sure it’s your team they come to rely on by providing them with the types of technicians and plumbers who know their jobs and know how to ace customer care.
John Akhoian is CEO of Rooter Hero, a plumbing and drain company serving locations across California, Nevada and Arizona. His mission is to help others maximize their careers and live fulfilling, comfortable lives, and he is the author of several books about achieving success in business, including, Creating 99 Millionaires and The Secret to Real Wealth. He also published his autobiography, Temporarily Broken: The John Akhoian Story in 2022. For more information, visit www.rooterhero.com.
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