King's Corner: Tips on Building Value With Today's Consumer
“Nothing in America
happens until something gets sold,” said Michael Kelley. “And hard work is the
yeast which raises the dough.” Kelley, the General Manager of Kelley
Construction Contractors, focused his presentation at Best of Success on building
value with the customer. Right off the bat, he acknowledged that it takes time
and effort.
“Nothing in America happens until something gets sold,” said Michael Kelley. “And hard work is the yeast which raises the dough.” Kelley, the General Manager of Kelley Construction Contractors, focused his presentation at Best of Success on building value with the customer. Right off the bat, he acknowledged that it takes time and effort.
The key is communication. “Communication is the number one thing that can bring value to your company,” he said. “The better quality communication, the more the customer will experience the value of your service.”
He noted the two most stressful things for homeowners are moving and having repair work done on the home. “Discover what customers’ expectations are,” he suggested. “Great communication will help decrease the homeowner’s stress levels. Poor communication will add to their stress levels.” He had these tips for contractors:
• Have a live person answer the phones around the clock, even if it means using an answering service after hours. “You only have one chance to make a great first impression - and that first impression is when the phone rings,” he said. “Teach all team members to answer the phones appropriately.”
• Be specific about scheduling. Setting a schedule - and sticking to it - will differentiate you from the competition. “Schedule set appointment times,” he suggested. “Be specific: Monday evening at 6 p.m. - not Monday evening between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Show up five minutes early on every call. If you’re late to the first appointment, you’re already like everyone else and you have already broken your first promise.”
• Employ new technology to help with customer communication. “Use a type of customer management software to make communication simple and keep customer information at your fingertips,” he said. “Gather e-mail information and utilize estimating software for professional-grade drawings, blueprints or outlines of projects.”
• Take time to verify the details of the project with the customer, including the work schedule, and meet with the homeowner daily. “Communication doesn’t just stop because the paperwork is authorized,” he said.
• Provide ongoing education for employees. “Train, train, train,” he said. “It’s a broken record. Training of team members never stops; it is an ongoing process. Training is expensive. You might ask, ‘What if I train them and they leave me?’ The question should be, “What if I don’t train them and they stay?’”
“Nothing in America happens until something gets sold,” said Michael Kelley. “And hard work is the yeast which raises the dough.” Kelley, the General Manager of Kelley Construction Contractors, focused his presentation at Best of Success on building value with the customer. Right off the bat, he acknowledged that it takes time and effort.
The key is communication. “Communication is the number one thing that can bring value to your company,” he said. “The better quality communication, the more the customer will experience the value of your service.”
He noted the two most stressful things for homeowners are moving and having repair work done on the home. “Discover what customers’ expectations are,” he suggested. “Great communication will help decrease the homeowner’s stress levels. Poor communication will add to their stress levels.” He had these tips for contractors:
• Have a live person answer the phones around the clock, even if it means using an answering service after hours. “You only have one chance to make a great first impression - and that first impression is when the phone rings,” he said. “Teach all team members to answer the phones appropriately.”
• Be specific about scheduling. Setting a schedule - and sticking to it - will differentiate you from the competition. “Schedule set appointment times,” he suggested. “Be specific: Monday evening at 6 p.m. - not Monday evening between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Show up five minutes early on every call. If you’re late to the first appointment, you’re already like everyone else and you have already broken your first promise.”
• Employ new technology to help with customer communication. “Use a type of customer management software to make communication simple and keep customer information at your fingertips,” he said. “Gather e-mail information and utilize estimating software for professional-grade drawings, blueprints or outlines of projects.”
• Take time to verify the details of the project with the customer, including the work schedule, and meet with the homeowner daily. “Communication doesn’t just stop because the paperwork is authorized,” he said.
• Provide ongoing education for employees. “Train, train, train,” he said. “It’s a broken record. Training of team members never stops; it is an ongoing process. Training is expensive. You might ask, ‘What if I train them and they leave me?’ The question should be, “What if I don’t train them and they stay?’”