When a service technician is sent to someone’s home they normally have some idea of what the problem is. Armed with that knowledge most techs say hello to the customer and simply ask where the piece of equipment is that they were called about. There is nothing inherently wrong with that approach, however the overall objective of the call is to educate and inform the customer about what their real needs may be.
Prior to charging into the repair process the tech might want to ask a simple question of the customer. “Mr. or Mrs. Jones, I am aware that you called about your XYZ. However, do you have any other areas of concern I might shed some light on while I am here?” That can open up a very meaningful conversation. If you are an HVAC tech simply knowing one area of the house is hotter or cooler than the rest can open up all kinds of meaningful and profitable solutions. If you are a plumbing tech, knowing the customer runs out of hot water frequently can open up an opportunity to solve the customer’s problem while increasing the gross dollars generated by the call.
When a tech exceeds the customers’ expectations they often become Customer Cheerleaders for your organization not to mention the loyalty factor. Taking a couple extra minutes to ask about specific concerns the customer might have will create happy customers while generating more sales for the company with additional commissions for the tech. Asking just a couple quick questions can turn an ordinary service call into a win-win for all involved.
