Social graces make everyone feel good and make for a much more pleasant and profitable working environment for everyone. So, what has happened to good manners?
Or even what constitutes good manners? Well mannered people are few and far between today and are often remarked upon kindly when found. I think good manners is showing respect and caring for those around you but this is, of course, open to debate. The thing I think we could all agree on though is that we all feel good for having met them.
Whether we meet them in person or on the end of a phone, we seem to feel better for coming across them. And when people come across them because they have called a Plumber because they have a problem and that Plumber treats them with respect and understanding, it's not
too hard to guess who gets a big tick in the Yellow Pages where they have most likely been found.
These callers have a problem and they want the problem fixed as soon as possible AND they want the person on the end of the phone to sound as if they actually cared about their problem.
Believe it or not, but if the person answering their call for help sounds as if they really care, this is often enough for that Plumber to get the job ~ providing of course, that they can fix the problem ASAP.
If they can't come immediately or in the next 24 hours but then offers the caller an alternative Plumber to call, people remember that help and the next time they have a problem, they will call the first plumber back first.
Why? Because the first Plumber was helpful and they have put a big tick against that Plumber in the Yellow Pages book where they most likely got his name from in the first place. This is another reason why it's good to work with other Plumbers in your area. You all run your own Businesses as usual but you have made a deal with each other to be a point of referal for each other. This way you can be sure that when you recommend another Plumber to do an urgent job you can be certain of the level of expertise you are offering to your caller.
The ten things a Plumbing Contracting business can do to secure work
from phone calls are:
1) Sound friendly and caring
2) Answer all phone calls with a smile as this can be heard in your voice by the caller
3) Ask all the necessary questions in a friendly and caring manner to assess the urgency of the problem
4) If problem is not O.H & S related, give a time-frame in which a Plumber can be there.
5) If problem is O.H&S related, drop everything to attend immediately. There really are some problems that simply can't wait.
6) If the Plumber can't drop everything and go, recommend one or two other Plumbers that you have 'done a deal with' to call and remind the caller with the problem to call you back if unable to get someone immediately.
7) Don't let the caller hang-up without knowing that you are prepared to be a 'back-stop' if necessary
8) If the call is not O.H.&S related ask for as many details over the phone as possible so you take the right equipment / information products with you when you go to do the quote. If the caller is after a quote on a job that involves some new installations and you are a dealer in those products, this is a great opportunity to present your products as a value ad to your plumbing business. Also don't forget to get the caller's postcode when collecting job details. You can then use this postcode for marketing purposes and it lets you know where your ustomers are
coming from.
9) Always have the right equipment with you when asked to do a quote. If measurements will need to be taken, make sure you always use a tape measure. By getting all the right information off the initial phone call first, makes you look professional and safe enough to use if a well-manicured lawn has to be dug-up.
10) Always call the customer if you are going to be late for an appointment and always Smile, smile and smile again. Never lose the smile or caring in your voice because if you do, you will lose customers.
And we all know a Plumber works too darn hard to lose customers through bad phone manners.
So what does your Telephone manner say about you? Would you like to get someone just like you on the end of a phone call? If you answered "Yes" then so would we all like to call you. And if you are a Plumber, can I please have your number?
I hope this article is of interest to you and if you ever have a question, please email me to let me know. The only silly question is the one you never ask!
Here's the link to my first video effort:
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1891703052
I just wanted to let you know that I'm getting closer to my goal ~ are you too?
Warmly,
Jan - ConstructingProfits
www.constructingprofits.com
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