Keeping Clients Happy As An HVAC Engineer
Working in HVAC is much like working in many other trades, but there is a certain expectation of professionalism that comes with starting an HVAC engineering business that can be difficult for new businesses on the block to immediately get. If you want to make sure that you’re making the right impression and making clients happy, leading to the word of mouth that is important for your survival and growth, then keep reading.
A great website
Having an effective, simple, and easy-to-use website is not just an important online marketing strategy, it’s also vital if you want to build some semblance of trust and legitimacy within the eyes of your market. Customers want to know that you’re able to provide what they’re looking for, that you bring the experience they demand, and that you’re insured, bonded, and licensed to provide the work that they’re seeking. Your website should provide all of that information and should make it easy as possible to get in touch with you. Too many businesses bury their contact information, but you should make sure that there is a clear call to action and a button to click on every page that starts the process of contacting you and your team.
Make booking your services as smooth as possible
In keeping with the point made above, your website should also provide a means for your potential clients to start booking right there and then. If you aren’t comfortable with managing booking digitally, then you should at least make sure that you’re always prepared to find a timeslot for them when they call, wherever that is. Otherwise, digital systems can automate a lot of it for you, connecting with your own scheduling software to show them when you might be available. If you hum and haw about actually getting started with the process of working with them, they’re likely to get in touch with another provider, instead.
A professional look
You might like to think that the results of the services you provide are the most important thing and, that might be true, but it’s not the only thing that matters. Some might consider it bothersome, but how your team behaves, talks, and looks all play a factor in the customer experience, as well. A little training in customer interaction and correcting them if they’re too informal or not detailed enough in explanations can help. However, it’s the look of the team that can often be a deciding factor, believe it or not. Creating a uniform for your HVAC team, giving them a dress code to follow, and putting some emphasis on looking presentable can make customers feel a lot more at ease.
That goes for your equipment, too
You’re likely to bring some tools and machinery that’s going to play a role in the job, as well. You want to make sure that care is taken to maintain them and their appearance on a regular basis. Not only do people not like the idea of dirty or grimy equipment being brought onto their properties, but they want to be able to see at a glance that you’re using effective and efficient equipment. Of course, you may be aware that a mark or two doesn’t compromise the effectiveness of your equipment, but you should still put in the time to make sure that your clients don’t have any reason to second-guess the quality of the services that you’re providing.
Describe in layman’s terms
You and your team are highly qualified professionals who are going to spend a lot of time working with the ins and outs of the machines that you service, repair, and install. Speaking in jargon and using technical terms, such as relying on an immediate knowledge of what parts do, might be as natural as breathing to you. However, even if they might not always voice it, your customers might not understand what you’re talking about at all. You don’t need to patronize or talk down to them, but just be sure to offer explanations of what it is that you’re doing, what the problem is, and what the solution is, with enough context that the layperson would be able to understand without having to Google it later. Otherwise, they can be uncertain about the nature of the work you’re doing and even if it’s necessary. This is especially important for writing descriptions of your services on your site, too.
Clear quotes
Just as your customers should be able to understand what, exactly, it is that you’re providing, they should be able to understand the costs of your services just as easily. To that end, you want to make sure that you’re able to provide consistent and fast quotes, but you should have those quotes show exactly where the costs come from, including things like the call-out charge, the labor costs, and well as the costs associated with any parts used in repair and installations. Being able to provide clear quotes can help customers understand how necessary the work is.
Prompt responses
You need to be able to quickly respond to your potential clients when they reach out, no matter when that is. Of course, you can’t be answering phones 24/7, and having operating hours available on your website can help guide clients to get in touch when they know they’re more likely to be able to get a response. However, you can set up things like a chatbot on your website that can address many of their questions, and be able to redirect them to you when they’re in need of human intervention or let them know when to call or email back. Or, of course, you can have them leave their contact details and get in touch with them when you’re ready.
Take care of their property
This should not have to be explained, but there are a lot of HVAC contractors and service providers, especially newer ones, who don’t pay as much attention to their work environment as they should, especially when this environment is someone else’s property or even home. Take care to avoid leaving dirt and marks as much as possible, which can include having foam coasters to put beneath your tools, putting plastic bags over your boots to avoid tracking dirt, and more. Make sure that you take the time to clean up the mess after you’re done working, too, which means picking up any pipes, cables, plastic shavings, or parts after you’re done working. Take them with you, and dispose of them yourself, rather than bothering the client to take care of them for you.
Communicate with your team
When you’re working with a team of employees and contractors, then you need them to be able to adjust to changes within the work order and expectations as promptly as you can. As such, you should make sure that you’re using HVAC software to keep everyone in the loop and to update as soon as any changes come in from the client. A lot of unhappy clients are made through misunderstandings and breaks in communication. Your team might provide labor that’s different from what’s expected because, while the client told you about changes to the work order, you weren’t able to inform the team in time. The right software can help to automate that.
Invest in their success
There’s a significant concern in the industry, especially from clients, of their HVAC providers, charging them with extra services and repairs that they may not actually need. The fear of this perception can cause a lot of providers to offer only what is within the strict confines of the expectations of the client. However, the client is not a trained HVAC professional, you are. If you recognize something that the client isn’t yet aware of, but that will be a problem for them either after the fix or down the line, then you should endeavor to fix the whole system, not just what they’re aware of. Make sure that you get their approval on any extra work done, but be firm with the fact that it’s what’s best.
Check up with them
If you want to make sure that your clients are happy with your service, then the single best way is to give them a cal or send them an emaill a few days or weeks after you finished providing them with your services. Of course, this does come with the risk of them being not entirely pleased and adding some work onto your plate that might not pay as well as finding new clients. However, not only is this the best way to make sure there are no lingering negative reviews out there to catch you unawares, but being invested in their happiness even after you’ve finished what you’ve been paid for is a mark of good customer service and likely to lead to more positive word of mouth.
Your clients’ happiness is important, it can lead to referrals, positive reviews, and a reputation that does the heavy lifting of your marketing for you. Keep that in mind with the tips above.
